{"id":"nsw:act-1975-004","name":"Googong Dam Catchment Area Act 1975","slug":"googong-dam-catchment-area-act-1975","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"nsw","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":"4 of 1975","makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":110091,"registerId":"nsw-act-1975-004-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Name of Act","content":"#### 1 Name of Act\n\n1 Name of Act\n\n> This Act may be cited as the [Googong Dam Catchment Area Act 1975](/view/html/inforce/current/act-1975-004).","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"2","sectionType":"section","heading":"Act binds Crown","content":"#### 2 Act binds Crown\n\n2 Act binds Crown\n\n> This Act binds the Crown.","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"3","sectionType":"section","heading":"Definitions","content":"#### 3 Definitions\n\n3 Definitions\n\n> In this Act, except in so far as the context or subject-matter otherwise indicates or requires:\n> \n> catchment area means lands in respect of which a proclamation made under section 4 (1) is in force.\n> \n> Googong Dam Area has the meaning ascribed thereto in the [Canberra Water Supply (Googong Dam) Act 1974](http://www.legislation.gov.au/) of the Parliament of the Commonwealth, as amended from time to time.","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"4","sectionType":"section","heading":"Catchment area","content":"#### 4 Catchment area\n\n4 Catchment area\n\n> > (1) The Governor may by proclamation published in the Gazette:\n> > \n> > > (a) declare any lands, whether including the whole or any part of the Googong Dam Area, to be a catchment area for the Googong Dam Area,\n> > \n> > > (b) amend the boundaries of the catchment area declared under paragraph (a), or\n> > \n> > > (c) revoke a proclamation made under paragraph (a) or (b).\n> \n> > (2) A proclamation made under subsection (1) may define the catchment area:\n> > \n> > > (a) in metes and bounds,\n> > \n> > > (b) by reference to a plan deposited at the office of the Minister, or\n> > \n> > > (c) partly in metes and bounds and partly by reference to a plan deposited at the office of the Minister.","sortOrder":3},{"sectionNumber":"5","sectionType":"section","heading":"Regulations","content":"#### 5 Regulations\n\n5 Regulations\n\n> > (1) The Governor may make regulations not inconsistent with this Act for or with respect to:\n> > \n> > > (a) the marking of the boundaries of the catchment area,\n> > \n> > > (b) the inspection of land within and buildings upon the catchment area,\n> > \n> > > (c) the regulation or the prohibition within the catchment area of:\n> > > \n> > > > (i) burials,\n> > > \n> > > > (ii) the keeping of animals,\n> > > \n> > > > (iii) shooting,\n> > > \n> > > > (iv) camping, and\n> > > \n> > > > (v) the depositing of litter,\n> > \n> > > (d) the establishment of and the regulation of activities in recreational areas within the catchment area,\n> > \n> > > (e) the establishment and regulation of workers’ camps within the catchment area,\n> > \n> > > (f) the prevention of the destruction of trees, shrubs, herbage or other vegetative cover and the preservation or provision of arboreal cover within the catchment area, and\n> > \n> > > (g) any matter which is necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to this Act.\n> \n> > (2) Regulations may be made so as to apply differently according to such factors as may be specified in the regulations.\n> \n> > (3) A regulation may be made so as to authorise any matter or thing to be from time to time determined, applied or regulated by any person or body specified in the regulation.\n> \n> > (4) A regulation may impose a penalty not exceeding 2 penalty units for an offence against the regulation.\n> \n> **s 5:** Am 1992 No 112, Sch 1; 2000 No 53, Sch 3.9.","sortOrder":4},{"sectionNumber":"6","sectionType":"section","heading":"Compensation","content":"#### 6 Compensation\n\n6 Compensation\n\n> > (1) A person who has an estate or interest in, or a right or interest in respect of, any land within the catchment area on the date on which a proclamation is made under section 4 (1) which is injuriously affected by a regulation made under this Act is entitled to claim compensation from the Minister in respect of the damage suffered by him.\n> \n> > (2) Section 581 of the [Local Government Act 1919](/view/html/repealed/current/act-1919-041) applies to and in respect of a claim for compensation made under subsection (1) in the same way as it applies to a claim for compensation made under the [Local Government Act 1919](/view/html/repealed/current/act-1919-041), and in so applying that section, a reference to the council shall be read and construed as a reference to the Minister.","sortOrder":5}],"analysis":{"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"},"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The text itself establishes a statutory regime for declaring a catchment, regulating activities within it, and compensating injured landholders. It does not indicate an expansion or narrowing of scope beyond that framework; any change would depend on how proclamations, regulations or external Acts are later applied."},"complexity_factors":["Delegated proclamation power to the Governor to declare, amend or revoke catchment boundaries (s4).","Broad regulatory delegation to the Governor/Minister covering varied activities (burials, animals, camping, vegetation, recreation, workers’ camps) (s5(1)).","Regulations may apply differently by specified factors and can authorise third parties to determine or regulate matters, adding administrative discretion (s5(2)–(3)).","Cross‑references to other Acts for definitions and compensation procedure (Canberra Water Supply (Googong Dam) Act 1974; Local Government Act 1919 s581) create dependency on external provisions (s3, s6(2)).","Penalties are capped and modest (up to 2 penalty units) but enforceable under delegated regulations (s5(4))."],"plain_english_summary":"This Act gives the Governor power to proclaim and define a catchment area for the Googong Dam (s4), lets the Minister make rules controlling activities inside that area and impose small penalties (s5), and allows landowners whose interests are harmed by those rules to seek compensation from the Minister (s6). It affects landowners, users of the catchment and officials making or enforcing rules; decision-makers are the Governor (proclamations) and the Minister (regulations and compensation)."},"summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Insufficient legislative text was provided to assess whether the scope of the Act changed from its original 1975 intent. The Act's title and ministerial responsibility have remained consistent, and no significant amendments are evident from the metadata, suggesting the scope has remained stable. However, this cannot be confirmed without the full text."},"complexity_factors":["Only metadata and website navigation content was provided — the substantive legislative text was absent, making meaningful complexity assessment impossible","Based on available information, the Act appears narrowly focused on a single geographic area (Googong Dam catchment), which typically limits complexity","The Act has remained largely unchanged since at least 2000, suggesting it is not a heavily amended or evolving piece of legislation","Administered by a single minister, indicating a straightforward governance structure"],"plain_english_summary":"The Googong Dam Catchment Area Act 1975 sets statutory controls over land and activities in the Googong Dam catchment to protect water quality for Canberra and surrounding regions. It affects landowners, farmers, developers, businesses, water authorities and state/territory governments because those controls limit uses and practices that could contaminate a critical drinking-water supply.\n\nNote: the full Act text wasn’t provided; this teaser is based on the Act’s title, metadata and context."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation remains tightly focused on its original purpose of protecting the Googong Dam water catchment through declaration powers and regulatory controls. The amendments noted (1992 and 2000) appear to be minor housekeeping updates (penalty unit adjustments) rather than scope expansion."},"complexity_factors":["Only 6 sections total, with minimal cross-referencing","Just 2 defined terms in section 3 ('catchment area' and 'Googong Dam Area')","Single external reference to the Canberra Water Supply (Googong Dam) Act 1974 for the dam area definition","Incorporation of Local Government Act 1919 section 581 by reference for compensation procedures (somewhat dated reference given that Act is repealed)","Straightforward conditional logic: regulations apply if area proclaimed, compensation applies if land injuriously affected","No nested exceptions or complex temporal provisions"],"plain_english_summary":"This law protects the water supply for Canberra by controlling what happens in the area around Googong Dam.\n\n**What it does:**\n- Lets the Governor (on ministerial advice) declare a \"catchment area\" around Googong Dam through a formal announcement in the Government Gazette\n- Allows the government to make rules about what people can and can't do in that catchment area to keep the water clean\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- Landowners and residents within the declared catchment area\n- Anyone wanting to use the area for recreation, farming, or other activities\n- The ACT government, which manages Canberra's water supply\n\n**Key powers:**\n- The Governor can declare, change, or cancel the catchment area boundaries\n- Regulations can ban or restrict: burials, keeping animals, shooting, camping, littering, and tree clearing\n- The government can set up recreational areas and workers' camps with specific rules\n- Landowners who lose money because of these restrictions can claim compensation from the Minister\n\n**Why it matters:**\nThis law helps ensure Canberra's drinking water stays clean by preventing pollution and environmental damage in the dam's catchment. It balances public health needs with landowners' rights through the compensation scheme."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/googong-dam-catchment-area-act-1975","history":"/api/acts/googong-dam-catchment-area-act-1975/history","analysis":"/api/acts/googong-dam-catchment-area-act-1975/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/googong-dam-catchment-area-act-1975/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/googong-dam-catchment-area-act-1975/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/googong-dam-catchment-area-act-1975/documents"}}