Milestone new legislation helps cut red tape

• Land and Public Works Legislation Amendment 2023 now in effect
• Encourages economic diversification and investment through a new form of land tenure, the diversification lease.

Amendments to the Land Administration Act 1997 and Public Works Act 1902 come into effect today to reduce red tape and facilitate more effective administration of Crown land.

The amendments which deliver a range of benefits, including increased opportunities and greater security for the pastoral industry, and a new form of non-exclusive tenure - a diversification lease - come into operation today under the Land and Public Works Legislation Amendment Act 2023(the Act).

The grant of a diversification lease will allow large areas of Crown land to be used for multiple purposes for a range of industries, including renewable energy, while supporting the State's objective to reach net zero by 2050.

The ability to have tenure across broad areas of land for multiple uses will create employment and business opportunities, support capacity building, and generate other social and economic outcomes for Aboriginal people, including opportunities to establish new businesses and partner with proponents for renewable energy and other projects.

The Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage consulted widely on reforms to the Land Administration Act 1997, including public consultation on the policy framework guiding the use of diversification leases on Crown land.

For more details go to Land and Public Works Legislation Amendment Act 2023

Comments attributed to Lands Minister John Carey:

"This Act modernises two outdated laws and cuts red tape around land tenure approvals and projects to allow more efficient administration of the State's extensive Crown land estate.

"The introduction of a diversification lease will support the State's transition to net zero by 2050, through opening up Crown land for renewable energy proposals, whilst providing for the co-existence of mining and Native Title rights and interests similar to pastoral leases.

"This Act also provides pastoral lessees an ability to extend the term of their leases, transfer pastoral permits when pastoral leases change hands as well as a change to the timing for lodgement of the mandatory Annual Returns, to better align with industry mustering practices."