{"id":"sr:land-tour-operator-licence-fee-regulations-2021","name":"Land (Tour Operator Licence Fee) Regulations 2021","slug":"land-tour-operator-licence-fee-regulations-2021","collection":"regulation","jurisdiction":"vic","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":181458,"registerId":"vic-sr:land-tour-operator-licence-fee-regulations-2021-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-05","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Land (Tour Operator Licence Fee) Regulations 2021","content":"Version No. 003\n\n**Land (Tour Operator Licence Fee) Regulations 2021**\n\n**S.R. No. 66/2021**\n\nVersion incorporating amendments as at  \n11 June 2025\n\n**TABLE OF PROVISIONS**\n\n*Regulation Page*\n\nPart 1—Preliminary 1\n\n1 Objectives 1\n\n2 Authorising provisions 1\n\n3 Definitions 1\n\nPart 2—Standard licence fees 3\n\n4 Application for standard licence 3\n\n5 Annual licence fee for standard licence 3\n\n6 Use fee for standard licence 4\n\n7 Use fee cap 4\n\n8 Payment of use fee 4\n\n9 Use fee form 5\n\nPart 3—Competitively allocated licence fees 6\n\n10 Application of Part 6\n\n11 Application for competitively allocated licence 6\n\n12 Annual licence fees for competitively allocated licence 6\n\n13 Use fee for competitively allocated licence 7\n\n14 Use fee form 8\n\nPart 4—Reduction, refund and waiver 9\n\n15 Reduction, waiver or refund of licence fees 9\n\n16 Fees cannot be waived, reduced or refunded in certain circumstances 10\n\n17 Surrender of licence 11\n\nPart 5—Expiry 12\n\n18 Expiry 12\n\nSchedule 1 13\n\n═════════════\n\nEndnotes 14\n\n1 General information 14\n\n2 Table of Amendments 16\n\n3 Explanatory details 17\n\n**Version No.** **003**\n\n**Land (Tour Operator Licence Fee) Regulations 2021**\n\n**S.R. No. 66/2021**\n\nVersion incorporating amendments as at  \n11 June 2025\n\nPart 1—Preliminary\n\n\t1 Objectives\n\nThe objectives of these Regulations are—\n\n(a) to prescribe the fees payable in respect of tour operator licences granted in respect of Crown land that is not held under a lease under the **Land Act 1958**; and\n\n(b) to provide for the reduction, waiver or refund of tour operator licence fees.\n\n\t2 Authorising provisions\n\nThese Regulations are made under sections 413 and 413A of the **Land Act 1958**.\n\n\t3 Definitions\n\nIn these Regulations—\n\n***child*** means—\n\n(a) a person under the age of 16; or\n\n(b) a person of compulsory school age who is educated at a school;\n\n***competitively allocated licence*** means a tour operator licence granted to a person following a competitive licence application process;\n\n***compulsory school age*** has the same meaning as it has in the **Education and Training Reform Act 2006**;\n\n***Expression of Interest document*** means an invitation advertised to the public requesting persons interested in conducting organised tours or recreational activities for profit that are specified in the document to apply for a competitively allocated licence;\n\n***school*** has the same meaning as it has in the **Education and Training Reform Act 2006**;\n\n***standard*** ***licence*** means a tour operator licence granted to a person following a standard licence application process;\n\n***the Act*** means the **Land Act 1958**;\n\n***use fee*** means the fee payable by the holder of a tour operator licence calculated by the Minister or a person authorised by the Minister based on the number of individuals who, each day, enter Crown land that is not held under a lease under the Act as part of an organised tour or recreational activity for profit conducted by the holder of the tour operator licence;\n\n***use fee cap*** means the maximum use fee specified in regulation 7.\n\nPart 2—Standard licence fees\n\n\t4 Application for standard licence\n\nFor the purposes of section 140J of the Act, an applicant for a standard licence is not required to pay a fee under that section but is required to pay an annual licence fee under regulation 5 if granted that licence.\n\n\t5 Annual licence fee for standard licence\n\n(1) For the purposes of section 140K of the Act, the annual licence fee for a standard licence granted for one year comprises—\n\n(a) a fee in accordance with subregulation (2); and\n\n(b) a use fee in accordance with regulation 6.\n\n(2) The holder of a standard licence granted for one year must pay a fee of 20·78 fee units on the granting of the licence.\n\n(3) For the purposes of section 140K of the Act, the annual licence fee for a standard licence granted for more than one year comprises—\n\n(a) the relevant fees in accordance with subregulation (4)(a) and (b); and\n\n(b) a use fee in accordance with regulation 6.\n\n(4) The holder of a standard licence granted for more than one year must pay a fee of 16·3 fee units—\n\n(a) on the granting of the licence, in respect of the period commencing on the granting of the licence and ending on 30 June of the financial year in which the licence was granted; and\n\n(b) by 30 June in respect of each subsequent financial year for which the licence is in force.\n\n(5) The holder of a standard licence granted for more than one year may elect to pay the fee payable under subregulation (4)(b) in a lump sum on the granting of the licence.\n\n\t6 Use fee for standard licence\n\n(1) Subject to regulation 7, the use fee payable on a standard licence is comprised of the amount calculated by the Minister or a person authorised by the Minister under subregulations (2) and (3).\n\n(2) The use fee payable in respect of each person who is not a child is $2.40 for each day the person participates in an organised tour or recreational activity for which the holder of the standard licence holds the licence.\n\n(3) The use fee payable in respect of each child is $1.60 for each day the child participates in an organised tour or recreational activity for which the holder of the standard licence holds the licence.\n\n\t7 Use fee cap\n\nIf the use fees payable under regulation 6 by the holder of a standard licence at the end of each financial year exceed the use fee cap of 1018·74 fee units, the holder of the licence is not liable to pay any use fees in excess of that use fee cap.\n\n\t8 Payment of use fee\n\n(1) The holder of a standard licence may pay the use fees payable under the licence quarterly or annually.\n\n(2) If the holder of a standard licence pays the use fees payable under the licence and that licence holder pays more than the use fee cap, at the end of the financial year the licence holder is entitled to a refund for any amount paid in excess of the use fee cap.\n\n\t9 Use fee form\n\n(1) The holder of a standard licence must maintain a record of the number of persons that participate in any organised tour or recreational activity for which the holder of the standard licence holds the licence.\n\n(2) A record referred to in subregulation (1) must—\n\n(a) be kept in respect of each day the organised tour or recreational activity is conducted; and\n\n(b) be in Form 1 in Schedule 1; and\n\n(c) be provided to the Minister or a person authorised by the Minister on a quarterly or an annual basis.\n\nPart 3—Competitively allocated licence fees\n\n\t10 Application of Part\n\nThis Part applies if the Minister or a person authorised by the Minister determines that it is necessary to limit the number of tour operator licences granted in respect of Crown land that is not held under a lease under the Act for all or any of the following—\n\n(a) environmental reasons;\n\n(b) cultural reasons;\n\n(c) to ensure public safety.\n\n\t11 Application for competitively allocated licence\n\nFor the purposes of section 140J of the Act, an applicant for a competitively allocated licence is not required to pay a fee under that section but is required to pay an annual licence fee under regulation 12 if granted that licence.\n\n\t12 Annual licence fees for competitively allocated licence\n\n(1) For the purposes of section 140K of the Act, the annual licence fee for a competitively allocated licence comprises—\n\n(a) the fee fixed by—\n\n(i) the Minister and set out in the relevant Expression of Interest document for that competitively allocated licence; or\n\n(ii) a person authorised by the Minister and set out in the relevant Expression of Interest document for that competitively allocated licence, having regard to any guidelines issued by the Minister; and\n\n(b) a use fee calculated in accordance with regulation 13.\n\n(2) The fee fixed by the Minister or a person authorised by the Minister under subregulation (1)(a) must be a minimum of 20·78 fee units.\n\n(3) The holder of a competitively allocated licence must pay the licence fee fixed under subregulation (1)(a)—\n\n(a) on the granting of the licence in respect of the period commencing on the granting of the licence and ending on 30 June of the financial year in which the licence was granted, and by 30 June in respect of each subsequent financial year for which the licence is in force; or\n\n(b) in a lump sum at the start of the licence period.\n\n\t13 Use fee for competitively allocated licence\n\n(1) The use fee payable on a competitively allocated licence is the amount calculated by the Minister or a person authorised by the Minister as follows—\n\n(a) $2.40 in respect of each person who is not a child for each day the person participates in an organised tour or recreational activity for which the holder of the competitively allocated licence holds the licence;\n\n(b) $1.60 in respect of each child for each day the child participates in an organised tour or recreational activity for which the holder of the competitively allocated licence holds the licence.\n\n(2) The holder of a competitively allocated licence may pay the use fee quarterly or annually.\n\n\t14 Use fee form\n\n(1) The holder of a competitively allocated licence must maintain a record of the number of persons who participate in any organised tour or recreational activity for which the holder of the competitively allocated licence holds the licence.\n\n(2) A record referred to in subregulation (1) must—\n\n(a) be kept in respect of each day the organised tour or recreational activity is conducted; and\n\n(b) be in Form 1 in Schedule 1; and\n\n(c) be provided to the Minister or a person authorised by the Minister on a quarterly or an annual basis.\n\nPart 4—Reduction, refund and waiver\n\n\t15 Reduction, waiver or refund of licence fees\n\n(1) The holder of a standard licence or the holder of a competitively allocated licence may apply to the Minister or a person authorised by the Minister for a fee payable under these Regulations—\n\n(a) to be waived in full or in part; or\n\n(b) to be reduced; or\n\n(c) to be refunded.\n\n(2) An application under subregulation (1) must be in writing.\n\n(3) Subject to regulation 16, the Minister or a person authorised by the Minister may—\n\n(a) waive, in full or in part, a fee payable under these Regulations; or\n\n(b) reduce a fee payable under these Regulations; or\n\n(c) refund a fee paid under these Regulations.\n\n(4) The Minister or a person authorised by the Minister must have regard to the following when making a decision under subregulation (3)—\n\n(a) whether payment of the fee would cause, or has caused, undue financial hardship to the holder of a licence;\n\n(b) whether payment of the fee by a holder of a licence would be manifestly unfair;\n\n(c) the impact a natural or unnatural event has had on the ability of a holder of a licence to continue to conduct organised tours or recreational activities on Crown land that is not held under a lease under the Act.\n\n(5) A waiver, reduction or refund under subregulation (3) may be made—\n\n(a) on the Minister's or authorised person's own motion; or\n\n(b) on an application under subregulation (1).\n\n\t16 Fees cannot be waived, reduced or refunded in certain circumstances\n\n(1) The holder of a standard licence, or the holder of a competitively allocated licence, whose licence has been suspended under section 140O of the Act is not eligible to have—\n\n(a) outstanding fees payable under these Regulations waived; or\n\n(b) outstanding fees payable under these Regulations reduced; or\n\n(c) any fees paid under these Regulations refunded.\n\n(2) Subject to subregulation (3), a person whose licence has been cancelled under section 140Q of the Act is not eligible to have—\n\n(a) outstanding fees payable under these Regulations waived; or\n\n(b) outstanding fees payable under these Regulations reduced; or\n\n(c) in the case of a licence granted for one year—any fees paid under these Regulations refunded; or\n\n(d) in the case of a licence granted for more than one year—any fees paid for any completed or commenced year of the licence refunded.\n\n(3) If a person whose licence has been cancelled under section 140Q of the Act held that licence for a period greater than one year before that cancellation, that person remains eligible for a refund on a pro-rata basis of fees for a non‑commenced year of the licence if that person paid the fees in advance.\n\n\t17 Surrender of licence\n\nThe Minister or a person authorised by the Minister may refund to a holder of a licence on a pro-rata basis for any non-commenced year of the licence any fees paid in advance under these Regulations if the holder of the licence surrenders the licence.\n\nPart 5—Expiry\n\nReg. 18 amended by S.R. Nos 43/2023 reg. 3, 43/2025 reg. 3.\n\n\t18 Expiry\n\nThese Regulations expire on 30 June 2026.\n\nSchedule 1\n\nForm 1\n\nRegulations 9 and 14\n\nTour Operator Trip Return\n\n|  | Licence No.:<br>Licence Holder: |\n| --- | --- |\n\n| **Date** | **Location** | **Activity** | **No. of adults** | **x No.    of    days/   trips** | **A**<br>**x $XX    = Total** | **Total** | **No. of students/   children** | **x No.    of    days/   trips** | **Total** | **B**<br>**x $XX = Total** | **A + B totals = Use fee total** |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |\n|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |\n|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |\n|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |\n|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |\n|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |\n|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | **Use fee amount:** | **$** |\n\n| *I certify that the records above are a true and correct account of all tours conducted on public land for the period:*<br>Please tick 🞏 1 July–30 September 🞏 1 January–31 March<br> 🞏 1 October–31 December 🞏 1 April–30 June |\n| --- |\n\n| Address of land management agency: |\n| --- |\n\n\n═════════════\n\nEndnotes\n\n1 General information\n\nSee [www.legislation.vic.gov.au](http://www.legislation.vic.gov.au) for Victorian Bills, Acts and current Versions of legislation and up-to-date legislative information.\n\nThe Land (Tour Operator Licence Fee) Regulations 2021, S.R. No. 66/2021 were made on 29 June 2021 by the Governor in Council under sections 413 and 413A of the **Land Act 1958**, No. 6284/1958 and came into operation on 29 June 2021.\n\nThe Land (Tour Operator Licence Fee) Regulations 2021 will expire on 30 June 2026: see regulation 18 (as amended by S.R. Nos 43/2023 and 43/2025).\n\nINTERPRETATION OF LEGISLATION ACT 1984 (ILA)\n\nStyle changes\n\nSection 54A of the ILA authorises the making of the style changes set out in Schedule 1 to that Act.\n\nReferences to ILA s. 39B\n\nSidenotes which cite ILA s. 39B refer to section 39B of the ILA which provides that where an undivided regulation, rule or clause of a Schedule is amended by the insertion of one or more subregulations, subrules or subclauses the original regulation, rule or clause becomes subregulation, subrule or subclause (1) and is amended by the insertion of the expression \"(1)\" at the beginning of the original regulation, rule or clause.\n\nInterpretation\n\nAs from 1 January 2001, amendments to section 36 of the ILA have the following effects:\n\n• Headings\n\nAll headings included in a Statutory Rule which is made on or after  \n1 January 2001 form part of that Statutory Rule. Any heading inserted in a Statutory Rule which was made before 1 January 2001, by a Statutory Rule made on or after 1 January 2001, forms part of that Statutory Rule.  \nThis includes headings to Parts, Divisions or Subdivisions in a Schedule; Orders; Parts into which an Order is divided; clauses; regulations; rules; items; tables; columns; examples; diagrams; notes or forms.  \nSee section 36(1A)(2A)(2B).\n\n• Examples, diagrams or notes\n\nAll examples, diagrams or notes included in a Statutory Rule which is made on or after 1 January 2001 form part of that Statutory Rule. Any examples, diagrams or notes inserted in a Statutory Rule which was made before 1 January 2001, by a Statutory Rule made on or after 1 January 2001, form part of that Statutory Rule. See section 36(3A).\n\n• Punctuation\n\nAll punctuation included in a Statutory Rule which is made on or after  \n1 January 2001 forms part of that Statutory Rule. Any punctuation inserted in a Statutory Rule which was made before 1 January 2001, by a Statutory Rule made on or after 1 January 2001, forms part of that Statutory Rule.  \nSee section 36(3B).\n\n• Provision numbers\n\nAll provision numbers included in a Statutory Rule form part of that Statutory Rule, whether inserted in the Statutory Rule before, on or after  \n1 January 2001. Provision numbers include regulation numbers, rule numbers, subregulation numbers, subrule numbers, paragraphs and subparagraphs. See section 36(3C).\n\n• Location of \"legislative items\"\n\nA \"legislative item\" is a penalty, an example or a note. As from 13 October 2004, a legislative item relating to a provision of a Statutory Rule is taken to be at the foot of that provision even if it is preceded or followed by another legislative item that relates to that provision. For example, if a penalty at the foot of a provision is followed by a note, both of these legislative items will be regarded as being at the foot of that provision. See section 36B.\n\n• Other material\n\nAny explanatory memorandum, table of provisions, endnotes, index and other material printed after the Endnotes does not form part of a Statutory Rule. See section 36(3)(3D)(3E).\n\n2 Table of Amendments\n\nThis publication incorporates amendments made to the Land (Tour Operator Licence Fee) Regulations 2021 by statutory rules, subordinate instruments and Acts.\n\n–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––\n\nLand (Tour Operator Licence Fee) Amendment Regulations 2023, S.R. No. 43/2023\n\n| *Date of Making:* | 6.6.23 |\n| --- | --- |\n| *Date of Commencement:* | 6.6.23 |\n\n\nLand (Tour Operator Licence Fee) Amendment Regulations 2025, S.R. No. 43/2025\n\n| *Date of Making:* | 11.6.25 |\n| --- | --- |\n| *Date of Commencement:* | 11.6.25 |\n\n\n–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––\n\n3 Explanatory details\n\n**Fee Units**\n\nThese Regulations provide for fees by reference to fee units within the meaning of the **Monetary Units Act 2004**. The amount of the fee is to be calculated, in accordance with section 7 of that Act, by multiplying the number of fee units applicable by the value of a fee unit.\n\nThe value of a fee unit for the financial year commencing 1 July 2024 is $16.33 and for the financial year commencing 1 July 2025 is $16.81. The amount of the calculated fee may be rounded to the nearest 10 cents.\n\nThe value of a fee unit for future financial years is to be fixed by the Treasurer under section 5 of the **Monetary Units Act 2004**. The value of a fee unit for a financial year must be published in the Government Gazette and a Victorian newspaper before 1 June in the preceding financial year.","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation remains focused on its original purpose of prescribing fees for tour operator licences on Crown land. The 2023 and 2025 amendments appear limited to extending the expiry date (now 30 June 2026) and potentially updating fee unit values. The scope has not expanded beyond fee-setting and administrative matters related to those fees."},"complexity_factors":["Dual licensing structure (standard vs competitively allocated) with different fee calculation methods","Fee unit system requires cross-referencing to the Monetary Units Act 2004 for actual dollar values","Multiple payment timing options (lump sum vs periodic) with different calculations for multi-year licences","Nested conditions in Part 4 regarding when fees can/cannot be waived, reduced or refunded (regulations 15–17 create a matrix of eligibility based on licence status)","Cross-references to the Land Act 1958 (sections 140J, 140K, 140O, 140Q) and Education and Training Reform Act 2006 for definitions","Pro-rata refund calculations for surrendered or cancelled multi-year licences (regulation 16(3) and 17)","Use fee cap creates a conditional ceiling that requires annual reconciliation and potential refunds"],"plain_english_summary":"These regulations set out the fees that tour operators must pay to run commercial tours on Crown land (government-owned land) in Victoria that isn't already leased to someone else.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- **Tour operators** running organised tours or recreational activities for profit on Crown land\n- **The Minister** (or their authorised representatives) who administers the licensing system\n\n**What it does:**\n\n**Two types of licences:**\n- **Standard licences** – for regular tour operators. These involve:\n  - An annual base fee (20.78 fee units for one-year licences, or 16.3 fee units per year for multi-year licences)\n  - A **use fee** based on how many people join the tours ($2.40 per adult per day, $1.60 per child per day)\n  - A **cap** on use fees – operators never pay more than 1,018.74 fee units in use fees per year, no matter how many tourists they take\n\n- **Competitively allocated licences** – used when the government limits the number of operators for environmental, cultural or safety reasons. These involve:\n  - A minimum annual fee set through a competitive process (at least 20.78 fee units)\n  - The same use fee structure as standard licences ($2.40/$1.60 per person per day)\n\n**Record-keeping:**\nOperators must keep daily records of tourist numbers using a specific form (Form 1) and submit these quarterly or annually.\n\n**Hardship provisions:**\nThe Minister can waive, reduce or refund fees if paying would cause **undue financial hardship**, would be **manifestly unfair**, or if **natural disasters** have affected the business. However, operators with suspended or cancelled licences generally can't get fee relief.\n\n**Fee units explained:**\nFees are set in \"fee units\" rather than dollar amounts. The actual dollar value changes each financial year (currently around $16.33–$16.81 per unit). This lets fees keep up with inflation without rewriting the regulations.\n\n**Why it matters:**\nThese regulations ensure tour operators pay for their commercial use of public land while protecting small operators through the fee cap and hardship provisions. They also let the government limit tourism in sensitive areas through competitive allocation."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The Regulations remain focused on prescribing licence and use fees for tour operators on unleased Crown land and on setting rules for reductions, waivers and refunds — that was the instrument's stated purpose (Reg 1). The incorporated amendments to date (noted at the front) update operational details (for example, fee‑unit values are applied by reference to the Monetary Units Act and published annually) and extend the expiry date; they do not materially broaden the subject matter regulated. The main substantive policy levers (fee‑unit based licence fees, per‑person use fees, a cap for standard licences, and a competitive allocation route where numbers are limited) are consistent with the original scope."},"complexity_factors":["9 defined terms in the interpretation section (including 'child', 'standard licence', 'competitively allocated licence', 'use fee', 'use fee cap')","Cross‑references to multiple external Acts: Land Act 1958 (ss 140J/K/O/Q), Education and Training Reform Act 2006, Monetary Units Act 2004","Two parallel licensing tracks (standard vs competitively allocated) with different fee‑setting mechanics (Regs 5–6 vs 12–13)","Different rules for one‑year and multi‑year standard licences, including pro‑rata and lump‑sum options (Reg 5(1)–(5))","Fee structure combining fixed licence fees (expressed in fee units) and per‑person daily use fees, plus an annual cap for standard licences (Regs 5–8, 6, 7)","Ministerial/authorised‑person discretion at several decision points (setting competitive fees, calculating use fees, granting waivers/refunds) (Regs 6(1), 12(1), 15(3))","Conditional exemptions and exclusions for waivers/refunds (suspension and cancellation carve‑outs in Reg 16), including a limited pro‑rata exception (Reg 16(3))","Administrative requirements for daily recordkeeping and quarterly/annual reporting using a prescribed form (Regs 9, 14; Schedule 1)","Temporal element: annual fee‑unit conversion and a statutory expiry date (Reg 18; Explanatory details)"],"plain_english_summary":"**What these Regulations do (mechanics first)\n\n- Set the fees that people must pay for \"tour operator licences\" to run organised, for‑profit tours or recreational activities on Crown land that is not leased under the Land Act 1958 (\"Crown land\") (Regs 1, 3, 4–6, 12–13).\n- Require licence holders to keep daily attendance records (a standard trip return form) and to provide those records quarterly or annually to the Minister or an authorised person (Regs 9(1)–(2), 14(1)–(2); Schedule 1).\n- Allow two licensing pathways: a \"standard licence\" (usual application route) and a \"competitively allocated licence\" (where the Minister limits numbers for environmental, cultural or safety reasons and runs an Expression of Interest process) (Regs 3 definition, 10–11).\n- Fix the amounts and structure of fees:\n  - Annual licence fees for a one‑year standard licence: 20.78 fee units on grant; for multi‑year standard licences: 16.3 fee units per year (with a pro‑rata first payment to 30 June) (Reg 5(2)–(4)).\n  - For competitively allocated licences the Minister (or authorised person) sets the licence fee in the Expression of Interest document; the fee must be at least 20.78 fee units (Reg 12(1)–(2)).\n  - A per‑person \"use fee\" applies to all licences: $2.40 per adult per day and $1.60 per child per day (Regs 6(2)–(3), 13(1)).\n  - There is a maximum annual cap on use fees for standard licences of 1018.74 fee units; amounts paid above the cap are refundable (Regs 7, 8(2)).\n- Provide for waivers, reductions and refunds in specified circumstances (financial hardship, manifest unfairness or impacts from a natural/unnatural event) at the Minister's or authorised person's discretion, while excluding eligibility where a licence has been suspended or cancelled (Regs 15–16). \n- Allow pro‑rata refund on surrender of a licence for any non‑commenced year and limited pro‑rata refunds on cancellation in specified circumstances (Regs 17, 16(3)).\n- Tie monetary amounts to \"fee units\" set under the Monetary Units Act 2004 and published each year (Explanatory details). The Regulations expire on 30 June 2026 (Reg 18).\n\nWhy the instrument says it matters\n\n- The explanatory and objective clauses state the Regulations exist to prescribe fees for tour‑operator licences on Crown land not leased under the Land Act 1958 and to provide for reductions, waivers and refunds (Reg 1).\n\nTesting that purpose against costs, incentives and implementation mechanics\n\n- Who pays: licence holders (tour operators) pay the fixed annual licence fee and the per‑person use fee; large operators face larger use‑fee bills but are protected by an annual cap for standard licences (Regs 5–8). Children are charged at a lower per‑person rate, which affects pricing for school or youth groups (Regs 6(3), 13(1)(b)).\n\n- Who decides: the Minister or an authorised person exercises significant decision‑making power — setting competitively allocated licence fees in Expressions of Interest, calculating and approving use fees, deciding waivers/refunds/reductions, and receiving records (Regs 6(1), 12(1), 15(3), 9(2), 14(2)). That central discretion creates implementation risk and reliance on administrative guidelines.\n\n- Behavioural incentives and costs:\n  - Per‑person, per‑day use fees create an ongoing marginal cost tied to demand; operators may adjust prices, reduce offered trips, or move to other land if the fees affect profitability (Regs 6, 13).\n  - The annual cap (standard licences) caps exposure for high‑volume operators but effectively transfers the marginal cost beyond the cap to the licence holder up to the cap and then limits further payments (Reg 7). That cap concentrates a benefit on large operators relative to small ones.\n  - Recordkeeping and reporting impose recurring compliance costs (daily records; quarterly or annual returns) (Regs 9(1)–(2), 14(1)–(2); Schedule 1).\n\n- Distributional effects and potential for concentrated benefits:\n  - The competitively allocated licence route creates deliberate scarcity (for environmental, cultural or safety reasons) and therefore the potential for higher licence fees and competition among applicants; the Minister sets a minimum fee (Reg 10, 12(1)–(2)). Scarcity can create concentrated economic rents for successful bidders if demand exceeds supply.\n\n- Limits on relief and enforcement mechanics:\n  - Waivers/refunds are available for hardship or events, but not where licences have been suspended or cancelled (Regs 15–16). Cancellation/suspension rules (cross‑referenced to sections 140O and 140Q of the Land Act 1958) remove eligibility for fee relief, which raises compliance incentives but also means penalties have financial stickiness.\n\n- Administrative details that matter for implementation:\n  - Fees are specified partly in fee units; the dollar amount depends on the yearly fee‑unit value set under the Monetary Units Act 2004 (Explanatory details). That means headline fee‑unit numbers must be converted each year and published in the Gazette.\n  - The Regulations are time‑limited and expire on 30 June 2026 unless re‑made (Reg 18).\n\nBottom line (mechanical summary): These Regulations prescribe how much tour operators pay to hold licences for organised, for‑profit tours on unleased Crown land, require daily attendance records and quarterly/annual returns, allow the Minister to limit licences and set higher fees through a competitive process, provide an annual cap for standard licence use fees, and give the Minister discretionary power to waive, reduce or refund fees in defined situations (subject to exclusions)."},"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Based on the available text, the regulation appears to serve its stated purpose — prescribing licence fees for tour operators on regulated land. There is no evidence of scope creep or departure from the original intent, though the severely limited source text makes a definitive assessment difficult."},"complexity_factors":["Fee regulations are typically among the simplest forms of legislation — they set dollar amounts against defined categories","The source document is heavily truncated with almost no substantive content available for analysis, limiting depth of review","No complex definitions, exemptions, or multi-step processes are apparent","Single-purpose instrument focused narrowly on licence fees"],"plain_english_summary":"This regulation sets the licence fees tour operators must pay to run commercial guided activities on government-managed land (national parks, reserves, similar public land). It affects businesses and individuals who run tours, requiring payment to obtain or renew legal authorisation.\n\nIt matters because non-payment can make operations unlawful, and the fees reimburse government costs for administering the licensing system. The provided source lacks specific fee amounts."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/land-tour-operator-licence-fee-regulations-2021","history":"/api/acts/land-tour-operator-licence-fee-regulations-2021/history","analysis":"/api/acts/land-tour-operator-licence-fee-regulations-2021/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/land-tour-operator-licence-fee-regulations-2021/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/land-tour-operator-licence-fee-regulations-2021/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/land-tour-operator-licence-fee-regulations-2021/documents"}}