Land law policy for comment

Press, 4 May 1984, Page 2

Land law policy for comment

Parliamentary reporter Changes to the Crown’s pastoral land policy have been released by the Land Settlement Board for public comment. The changes allow for an easier freeholding of pastoral leasehold land but the Minister of Lands, Mr Elworthy, said they were also intended to protect important natural, scenic, and recreational values. The changes follow the 1982 Clayton Committee inquiry into pastoral leasehold land and subsequent studies by the Government and the land board into that report and the public submissions on it.

Interested parties have been given until June 30 to

comment. Mr Elworthy said the main changes proposed for the board’s high country policy were the abolition of pastoral occupation licences, ensuring access to the high country, the protection of important areas with natural values, and the freeingup of reclassification procedures. The new policy for reclassification would clarify the criteria for land which might be reclassified as “farm land,” he said.

The whole issue had been discussed thoroughly during the last three years, but the board wanted to give one last chance to anyone interested to comment before the new policy was implemented, Mr Elworthy said.