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Committee's Report

The committee's report on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land (Providing Freehold) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2014 was tabled on 11 August 2014.

An electronic copy of the report is available via the following link: Report No. 44, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land (Providing Freehold) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2014

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land (Providing Freehold) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2014 was passed with amendments on 28 August 2014.

View: The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land (Providing Freehold) and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2014
View: Government's response to recommendations contained in Report No. 44, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land (Providing Freehold) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2014
View: Amendments moved during Consideration in Detail
View: Explanatory Notes for the amendments moved during Consideration in Detail

ABOUT THE BILL 

The Minister for Natural Resources and Mines, Hon Andrew Cripps MP, introduced the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land (Providing Freehold) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2014 on 8 May 2014. The Bill was referred to the Agriculture, Resources and Environment Committee in accordance with Standing Order 131.

The committee will examine the policies the Bill seeks to give effect to, the Bill’s lawfulness, and the application of fundamental legislative principles, as set out in section 4 of the Legislative Standards Act 1992.

View: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land (Providing Freehold) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2014
View: Explanatory Notes
View: Explanatory Speech

The committee must report to Parliament on the Bill by 11 August 2014.

According to the Explanatory Notes, the Bill’s policy objectives are to:

• Introduce the option of ordinary freehold title into Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities;
• Simplify the leasing framework that applies to Indigenous land to reduce the regulatory burden on trustees and lessees;
• Amend the Land Valuation Act 2010 to enable Indigenous Local Government Areas to be subject to statutory valuations;
• Provide for the repeal of the Aurukun and Mornington Shire Leases Act 1978 upon transfer under the Aboriginal Land Act 1991 of the remaining shire lease land; and
• Amend the Land Act 1994 to provide the Minister with power to declare, on a case by case basis, a conditional right of public access over private land where, due to erosion, the access along the area of beach has been compromised by the private ownership of the beach area.

Media Release

The committee issued a media release on 13 June 2014 regarding its examination of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Providing Freehold) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2014, which is available under "Related Publications."

Click here to view the media release (PDF)

call for submissions

Submissions closed: 16 June 2014

tiMeline

Public briefing:  21 May 2014 Proof transcript 

Public hearings:
View: Proof transcript - Public hearing 18 June 2014 - Cairns
View: Proof transcript - Public hearing 18 June 2014 - Yarrabah
View: Proof transcript - Public hearing 21 July 2014 - Woorabinda
View: Proof transcript - Public hearing 23 July 2014 - Mornington Island
View: Proof transcript - Public hearing 24 July 2014 - Napranum
View: Proof transcript - Public hearing 24 July 2014 - Injinoo
View: Proof transcript - Public hearing 25 July 2014 - Hammond Island
View: Proof transcript - Public hearing 29 July 2014 - Cherbourg
View: Proof transcript - Public hearing 6 August 2014 - Brisbane