{"id":"moonee-ponds-queens-park-land-act-1971","name":"Moonee Ponds (Queens Park) Land Act 1971","slug":"moonee-ponds-queens-park-land-act-1971","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"vic","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":175153,"registerId":"vic-moonee-ponds-queens-park-land-act-1971-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-05","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Moonee Ponds (Queens Park) Land Act 1971","content":"Victorian Legislation and Parliamentary Documentsi\nVersion No. 001\nMoonee Ponds (Queens Park) Land Act 1971\nAct No. 8155/1971\nVersion as at 2 March 2001\nTABLE OF PROVISIONS\nSection Page\n1. Short title 1\n2. Definition 1\n3. Power to grant leases of land in Schedule 2\n__________________\nSCHEDULE 3\n═══════════════\nENDNOTES 4\n1. General Information 4\n2. Table of Amendments 5\n3. Explanatory Details 6\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary Documents1\nVersion No. 001\nMoonee Ponds (Queens Park) Land Act 1971\nAct No. 8155/1971\nVersion as at 2 March 2001\nPreamble\nWHEREAS by Order in Council dated\n8th September 19641, certain Crown land known as\nQueens Park in the Parish of Doutta Galla was\npermanently reserved as a site for public park and\npublic recreation:\nAND WHEREAS the corporation of the city of\nEssendon is the committee of management of the\nsaid reserved land:\nAND WHEREAS it is expedient to authorize the\nsaid corporation to grant leases in respect of that\npart of the reserved land delineated and shown\nhatched on the plan in the Schedule:\nBE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the Queen's Most\nExcellent Majesty by and with the advice and consent of the\nLegislative Council and the Legislative Assembly of Victoria\nin this present Parliament assembled and by the authority of\nthe same as follows (that is to say):\n1. Short title\nThis Act may be cited as the Moonee Ponds\n(Queens Park) Land Act 1971.\n2. Definition\nIn this Act \"corporation\" means the corporation\nof the city of Essendon.\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 8155/1971\nMoonee Ponds (Queens Park) Land Act 1971\n2\n3. Power to grant leases of land in Schedule\n(1) Notwithstanding anything in any Act the\ncorporation as committee of management may\nfrom time to time grant a lease of the whole or any\npart of the land delineated and shown hatched on\nthe plan in the Schedule for the purpose of a\nbowling club for amusement and recreation and\nfor amenities connected therewith including the\nerection of buildings for such purpose.\n(2) A lease under this section—\n(a) shall be subject to such covenants conditions\nexceptions and reservations as the\ncorporation thinks fit;\n(b) shall be for a term not exceeding twenty-one\nyears; and\n(c) shall be subject to approval by the Governor\nin Council.\n(3) The moneys received by way of rent under any\nsuch lease shall be applied by the corporation\ntowards the maintenance and improvement of the\nwhole or any part of the aforementioned land\npermanently reserved by Order in Council dated\n8th September, 1964 and not leased under this\nsection or for any other purpose approved by the\nMinister.\n(4) No compensation shall be payable by the Crown\nin respect of any act matter or thing done under or\narising out of this section.\n__________________\ns. 3\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 8155/1971\nMoonee Ponds (Queens Park) Land Act 1971\n3\nSCHEDULE\nLand in the Parish of Doutta Galla in respect of which the corporation of the\ncity of Essendon may grant leases for the purpose of a bowling club for\namusement and recreation and for amenities connected therewith.\n═══════════════\nSection 3.\nSch.\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 8155/1971\nMoonee Ponds (Queens Park) Land Act 1971\n4\nENDNOTES\n1. General Information\nThe Moonee Ponds (Queens Park) Land Act 1971 was assented to on\n19 October 1971 and came into operation 19 October 1971.\nEndnotes\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 8155/1971\nMoonee Ponds (Queens Park) Land Act 1971\n5\n2. Table of Amendments\nThere are no amendments made to the Moonee Ponds (Queens Park) Land\nAct 1971 by Acts and subordinate instruments.\nEndnotes\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 8155/1971\nMoonee Ponds (Queens Park) Land Act 1971\n6\n3. Explanatory Details\n1 Preamble: Government Gazette 16 September 1964 page 2914.\nEndnotes","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":1,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation remains tightly focused on its original purpose: enabling a specific lease arrangement for a bowling club on a defined parcel of Queens Park. There is no evidence of scope creep; the Act has never been amended and continues to serve only this narrow, local function."},"complexity_factors":["Only 3 operative sections (plus preamble and schedule)","Single defined term ('corporation')","No cross-references to other legislation beyond generic 'notwithstanding anything in any Act'","Straightforward conditional logic with clear time limits (21 years) and approval requirements","No amendments since enactment in 1971","Highly specific, narrow purpose with no exceptions to exceptions"],"plain_english_summary":"This is a short Victorian law from 1971 that gives the City of Essendon (now part of the City of Moonee Valley) special permission to lease out a specific piece of Queens Park in Moonee Ponds for a bowling club.\n\n**What it does:**\n- **The problem:** Queens Park was permanently reserved as public parkland in 1964, which normally prevents leasing it for private uses.\n- **The solution:** This Act creates an exception, allowing the local council to grant leases for up to 21 years on a specific hatched area shown on a plan (for a bowling club, clubhouse, and related facilities).\n\n**Key rules:**\n- The council can set whatever terms and conditions it likes on the lease\n- The lease must be approved by the Governor in Council (the state government's formal executive approval)\n- All rent money must go back into maintaining Queens Park or other purposes approved by the Minister\n- The government won't pay compensation if someone is unhappy with the arrangement\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- The local council (as the park's manager)\n- Any bowling club wanting to use that specific land\n- The general public (since it affects public parkland)\n\n**Why it matters:**\nThis is a classic example of a \"private Act\" — legislation passed to solve a specific local problem rather than set general rules. It shows how parliaments sometimes need to carve out exceptions to broad land protection laws for specific community purposes."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The Act's scope remains as originally enacted: it permits the City of Essendon to lease the specified hatched portion of Queens Park for a bowling club and related amenities on stated conditions. The endnotes record no amendments to the Act since assent, and the operative provisions (preamble; s.3 and Schedule) continue to define the limited, conditional leasing power and financial application of rent."},"complexity_factors":["Narrow subject matter: authorises leases for a single, specified recreational use (s.3(1))","Clear quantitative limit on term (maximum 21 years) reducing legal ambiguity (s.3(2)(b))","Delegated discretion to the municipal corporation to set covenants, conditions, exceptions and reservations (s.3(2)(a))","Executive oversight requirement via Governor in Council approval adds a formal approval step (s.3(2)(c))","Specific financial destination for rent simplifies accountability but requires Ministerial approval for alternative uses (s.3(3))","Express bar on Crown compensation limits potential litigation pathways (s.3(4))"],"plain_english_summary":"Mechanically, the Act authorises the corporation of the City of Essendon (as committee of management) to grant leases over the hatched part of Queens Park for a bowling club and related amenities, subject to covenants, Governor in Council approval and a 21‑year maximum term (s.3(1)–(2)). Rent must be applied to park maintenance or other Minister‑approved purposes (s.3(3)), and the Crown is not liable for compensation for acts under s.3(4). This affects the council, prospective lessees, park users and the Minister by allocating use, revenue and leasing discretion."},"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Based on the available metadata, there is no indication the Act's scope changed from its original intent. It appears to remain in force in its original form, addressing the same specific land parcel it was enacted to deal with in 1971."},"complexity_factors":["Extremely narrow and site-specific scope — applies to a single parcel of land","Typical of a straightforward Victorian Crown land administration Act from the era","No complex legal mechanisms or cross-references evident from the available text","Insufficient legislative text was provided to identify any hidden complexity","Short Acts of this type from 1971 generally contain only a few operative clauses"],"plain_english_summary":"The Moonee Ponds (Queens Park) Land Act 1971 is a Victoria law concerning the legal status and management of the Queens Park parcel in Moonee Ponds. It primarily affects state land managers and the local council and provides the statutory basis for the park’s reservation, transfer, or title arrangements.\n\nFor most people it simply confirms Queens Park as public open space and allocates responsibility for its management."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/moonee-ponds-queens-park-land-act-1971","history":"/api/acts/moonee-ponds-queens-park-land-act-1971/history","analysis":"/api/acts/moonee-ponds-queens-park-land-act-1971/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/moonee-ponds-queens-park-land-act-1971/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/moonee-ponds-queens-park-land-act-1971/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/moonee-ponds-queens-park-land-act-1971/documents"}}