Page 2276 - Week 07 - Thursday, 16 June 1994

WHICH CONTAIN A WITHDRAWAL CLAUSE', A PROVISION WHICH

ENABLES THE TERRITORY TO WITHDRAW LAND FROM A LEASE. IF

THESE ARRANGEMENTS SHOULD CONTINUE THEN THE BILL WILL

ACCOMMODATE THIS.

I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT THE BILL WILL ENABLE THE GOVERNMENT

TO GIVE EFFECT TO ITS POLICIES. THE GOVERNMENT'S RURAL LEASING

POLICY SEEKS TO CREATE A VIABLE RURAL INDUSTRY AND TO HAVE

RURAL LAND MANAGED IN AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE

MANNER. THE BILL IS THE KEY TO IMPLEMENTING THIS POLICY AND TO

ISSUING LEASES WITH IMPROVED TENURE PROVISIONS.

MEMBERS WILL BE AWARE THAT THE WITHDRAWAL CLAUSE' WAS VERY

CONTENTIOUS IN RELATION TO RURAL LEASES. MANY FINANCIAL

INSTITUTIONS BELIEVED IT AFFECTED RURAL TENURE AND THEY WOULD

NOT LEND MONEY TO RURAL LESSEES ON FAVOURABLE TERMS TO

MAINTAIN AND IMPROVE THEIR PROPERTIES. IT IS FAIR TO SAY THAT

RURAL LAND SUFFERED AS A RESULT.

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM BY ISSUING

LEASES WITHOUT WITHDRAWAL CLAUSES. HOWEVER THERE WAS NO

LANDS ACQUISITION LEGISLATION IN PLACE. IN THE EVENT THAT LAND

WAS REQUIRED FOR A PUBLIC PURPOSE, THE GOVERNMENT WOULD ONLY

HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACQUIRE THE LAND WITH THE AGREEMENT OF THE

LESSEE. HAD THIS NOT BEEN FORTHCOMING THE GOVERNMENT'S

OBJECTIVES COULD HAVE BEEN FRUSTRATED.

WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF THIS BILL, THE GOVERNMENT IS PREPARED

TO ISSUE RURAL LEASES THAT DO NOT CONTAIN A WITHDRAWAL CLAUSE.

I ENCOURAGE RURAL LESSEES TO DISCUSS WITH MY DEPARTMENT THE

RENEGOTIATION OF THEIR LEASES TO TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THE

LANDS ACQUISITION BILL.

MADAM SPEAKER, THE LANDS ACQUISITION BILL PROVIDES A GENERAL

LEGISLATIVE MECHANISM FOR THE ACQUISITION OF LAND, A

MECHANISM THAT HAS NOT BEEN AVAILABLE TO THE TERRITORY SINCE

THE INTRODUCTION OF SELF-GOVERNMENT. - IT WILL PROVIDE

ANOTHER MECHANISM BY WHICH THE GOVERNMENT CAN FULFIL ITS

OBJECTIVES WHILE AT THE SAME TIME RECOGNISING THE INTERESTS

AND RIGHTS OF THOSE AFFECTED. r

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