Page 129 - Week 01 - Thursday, 9 April 1992
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SURVEYORS (AMENDMENT) BILL 1992
MR WOOD (Minister for Education and Training, Minister for the Arts and Minister for the Environment, Land and Planning) (10.36): Madam Speaker, I present the Surveyors (Amendment) Bill 1992.
Title read by Clerk.
MR WOOD: I move:
That this Bill be agreed to in principle.
Some members may recall that this Bill was introduced into the Assembly last year, but it was not dealt with before the Assembly rose in December. Historically, the surveying and mapping of Canberra have been undertaken by the Australian Surveying and Land Information Group (AUSLIG). However, under self-government, these functions are administered by the ACT Government. To this end, the Government established an ACT Survey Office within the Department of the Environment, Land and Planning.
The transfer of the survey functions to the Territory was delayed because of the review of the resources required by the Territory to fulfil its survey requirements. That review was completed, and as a result the Commonwealth agreed to transfer to the Territory 64 staff, the Belconnen survey depot, valued at $1.5m, and the necessary equipment and data to carry out the survey function. It has also been agreed that the Territory will make available information from the ACT cadastre to the Commonwealth. The cadastre is the land boundary description defined by the register of deposited plans held at the Land Titles Office and, as such, is in the Territory's possession.
As a consequence of the changed arrangements, it is necessary and appropriate to amend legislation relevant to the survey function to reflect the Territory's independence in this regard and to allow that function to be administered by an officer appointed by the Territory Minister. The Surveyors (Amendment) Bill 1992 amends the Surveyors Act 1967 to provide, at section 5A, for the appointment of the Chief Surveyor. That section, set out in clause 4 of the Bill, also provides for an Acting Chief Surveyor to be appointed. Any person appointed must be a public servant who is entitled to be registered under the Act.
The Surveyors (Amendment) Bill 1992 also provides for all references to the Commonwealth Surveyor-General to be references to the Chief Surveyor. Similarly, the Districts (Amendment) Bill 1992 and the Real Property (Amendment) Bill 1992 which follow amend such references in the Districts Act 1966 and section 64 of the Real Property Act 1925 respectively. Madam Speaker, I present the explanatory memorandum for this and the two subsequent Bills.
Debate (on motion by Mr Kaine) adjourned.
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