{"id":"safety-public-land-act-2004","name":"Safety on Public Land Act 2004","slug":"safety-on-public-land-act-2004","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"vic","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":176238,"registerId":"vic-safety-public-land-act-2004-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-05","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Safety on Public Land Act 2004","content":"Version No. 014\n\n**Safety on Public Land Act 2004**\n\n**No. 109 of 2004**\n\nVersion incorporating amendments as at  \n22 October 2025\n\n**table of provisions**\n\n*Section Page*\n\nPart 1—Preliminary 1\n\n1 Purposes 1\n\n2 Commencement 1\n\n3 Definitions 1\n\nPart 2—Public safety zone declarations 4\n\n4 Declaration of public safety zone 4\n\n5 Contents of declaration 5\n\n7 Declaration to be published 5\n\n8 Notice of proposed declarations for more than 12 months 6\n\n9 Declaration of public safety zone does not apply to certain persons 7\n\n10 Authorisation to be in public safety zone 8\n\n11 Notice to be displayed on or near site 8\n\nPart 3—Offences and enforcement 9\n\n12 Offence to remove or destroy notice or barrier 9\n\n13 Offences in public safety zones 9\n\n14 Direction to leave public safety zone 9\n\n15 Offence to re-enter public safety zone 10\n\n16 Entitlements under miners rights and tourist fossicking authorities 11\n\n17 Requirement to give name and address 11\n\n18 Authorised officers must identify themselves 12\n\n19 Direction to produce authorisation under section 10 13\n\n20 Offence to hinder or obstruct an authorised officer 13\n\nPart 4—General 14\n\n24 Regulations 14\n\nEndnotes 15\n\n1 General information 15\n\n2 Table of Amendments 17\n\n3 Explanatory details 19\n\n**Version No.** **014**\n\n**Safety on Public Land Act 2004**\n\n**No. 109 of 2004**\n\nVersion incorporating amendments as at  \n22 October 2025\n\n**The Parliament of Victoria enacts as follows:**\n\nPart 1—Preliminary\n\n\t1 Purposes\n\nThe main purposes of this Act are—\n\n(a) to provide for public safety in State forests by providing for the establishment and enforcement of public safety zones;\n\n(b) to amend the **Forests Act 1958** with respect to powers of committees of management in reserved forests;\n\n(c) to consequentially amend the **Conservation, Forests and Lands Act 1987**.\n\n\t2 Commencement\n\nThis Act comes into operation on the day after the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.\n\n\t3 Definitions\n\nIn this Act—\n\n***authorised officer*** has the same meaning as it has in section 3 of the **Conservation, Forests and Lands Act 1987**;\n\n***public safety zone*** means an area of State forest to which a public safety zone declaration by the Secretary under section 4 applies;\n\n***public safety zone declaration*** means a declaration by the Secretary under section 4;\n\n***Secretary*** means the body corporate established by Part 2 of the **Conservation, Forests and Lands Act 1987**;\n\n***State forest*** has the same meaning as it has in the **Forests Act 1958**;\n\nS. 3 def. of *transport authority* amended by Nos 6/2010 s. 203(1)(Sch. 6 item 43) (as amended by No. 45/2010 s. 22), 13/2009 s. 90.\n\n***transport authority*** means—\n\n(a) a road authority within the meaning of the **Road Management Act 2004**;\n\n(b) a rail corporation, a train operator or a tram operator under the **Rail Management Act 1996**;\n\n(c) a person operating a regular passenger service within the meaning of the **Bus Services Act 1995** under the authority of a service contract within the meaning of that Act;\n\n(d) the Director within the meaning of the **Transport Integration Act 2010**;\n\n(e) a person to whom section 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66 or 67 of the **Rail Management Act 1996** applies;\n\n(f) an employee, agent or contractor of a person referred to in paragraphs (a) to (e) when carrying out duties or functions pursuant to that employment, agency or contract;\n\nS. 3 def. of *utility* amended by No. 61/2005 s. 222.\n\n***utility*** means—\n\n(a) an entity (whether publicly or privately owned) which provides, or intends to provide, water, sewerage, drainage, gas, electricity, telephone, telecommunication or other like services under the authority of an Act of Victoria or the Commonwealth;\n\n(b) any person who under the **Pipelines Act 2005** is the holder of a licence to construct and operate a pipeline;\n\n(c) an employee, agent or contractor of a person referred to in paragraphs (a) to (b) when carrying out duties or functions pursuant to that employment, agency or contract.\n\nPart 2—Public safety zone declarations\n\n\t4 Declaration of public safety zone\n\n(1) The Secretary may declare an area of State forest to be a public safety zone.\n\n(2) A declaration under subsection (1) may be for all or any of, or any combination of, the following purposes—\n\n(a) the conservation of flora or fauna;\n\n(b) the protection of soil or water;\n\n(c) the protection of natural, cultural or historical values;\n\n(d) public recreational activities;\n\n(e) scientific, research or education purposes;\n\n(f) fire operations;\n\nS. 4(2)(g) repealed by No. 11/2014 s. 27.\n\n* * * * *\n\n(h) the maintenance of public safety;\n\n(i) any other prescribed purpose.\n\nS. 4(3) inserted by No. 48/2005 s. 5.\n\n(3) A declaration under subsection (1) may apply, adopt or incorporate any matter contained in any document formulated, issued, prescribed or published by any person, whether—\n\n(a) wholly or partially or as amended by the declaration; or\n\n(b) as formulated, issued, prescribed or published at the time the declaration is made or at any time before then; or\n\n(c) as formulated, issued, prescribed or published from time to time.\n\n\t5 Contents of declaration\n\n(1) A public safety zone declaration must specify—\n\n(a) the area to which the declaration applies; and\n\n(b) the purpose for which the area has been declared a public safety zone; and\n\nS. 5(1)(c) amended by No. 13/2024 s. 3(Sch. 1 item 12).\n\n(c) the period for which the area has been declared a public safety zone, whether—\n\n(i) for a limited time period; or\n\n(ii) by reference to a season or seasons; and\n\n(d) the times or periods during which access to the public safety zone is restricted or prohibited; and\n\n(e) the activities that are permitted, prohibited or restricted in the public safety zone; and\n\n(f) the restrictions or conditions (if any) applying to the public safety zone.\n\n(2) A public safety zone declaration may exempt specified persons or classes of person from its operation.\n\nS. 6  \nrepealed by No. 11/2014 s. 28.\n\n* * * * *\n\n\t7 Declaration to be published\n\nS. 7(1) substituted by No. 48/2005 s. 6.\n\n(1) A public safety zone declaration must be published in the Government Gazette.\n\nS. 7(1A) inserted by No. 48/2005 s. 6.\n\n(1A) The Secretary must cause notice of the making of a public safety zone declaration to be published—\n\n(a) in a newspaper circulating generally in the State; and\n\n(b) in a newspaper (if any) circulating generally in the area affected by the declaration.\n\nS. 7(1B) inserted by No. 48/2005 s. 6.\n\n(1B) A notice published under subsection (1A) must include details of where the public safety zone declaration may be inspected.\n\nS. 7(1C) inserted by No. 48/2005 s. 6.\n\n(1C) The Secretary must cause a public safety zone declaration to be available for inspection by the public—\n\nS. 7(1C)(a) amended by Nos 70/2013 s. 4(Sch. 2 item 45), 41/2025 s. 4(Sch. 2 item 25).\n\n(a) at the head office of the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action and the regional office of the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (if any) in the area affected by the declaration; and\n\n(b) on the Internet.\n\n(2) A public safety zone declaration takes effect—\n\n(a) from the date it is published in the Government Gazette; or\n\n(b) if a later date is specified in the declaration, from that later date.\n\n\t8 Notice of proposed declarations for more than 12 months\n\n(1) The Secretary must cause notice to be given of a proposed declaration of a public safety zone for a continuous period of more than 12 months.\n\n(2) The notice must be published—\n\n(a) in a newspaper circulating generally in the State; and\n\n(b) in a newspaper (if any) circulating generally in the area proposed to be declared a public safety zone.\n\n(3) The notice must—\n\n(a) specify the area proposed to be declared; and\n\n(b) specify the purpose for which the area is proposed to be declared; and\n\n(c) specify the period for which the area is proposed to be declared; and\n\n(d) state that submissions on the proposed declaration may be made to the Secretary not later than the date specified in the notice, being not less than 21 days after the date of the notice.\n\n(4) The Secretary must consider any submissions under subsection (3) before making a public safety zone declaration.\n\n\t9 Declaration of public safety zone does not apply to certain persons\n\nA public safety zone declaration does not apply to—\n\n(a) the Secretary; or\n\n(b) an authorised officer; or\n\n(c) a person or class of person exempted by the declaration in accordance with section 5(2); or\n\n(d) a utility engaged in the carrying out of its functions in a State forest; or\n\n(e) a transport authority engaged in the carrying out of its functions in a State forest; or\n\n(f) a person or class of person authorised under section 10 to be in a public safety zone.\n\n\t10 Authorisation to be in public safety zone\n\n(1) The Secretary may authorise a person or class of person to be in a public safety zone.\n\n(2) An authorisation under this section—\n\n(a) must be in writing; and\n\n(b) is subject to the terms and conditions specified in the authorisation.\n\n\t11 Notice to be displayed on or near site\n\n(1) The Secretary must ensure that a notice specifying that an area is a public safety zone and the restrictions applying to that area is conspicuously displayed on or near the area to which a public safety zone declaration applies.\n\n(2) The fact that a notice is not displayed on or near a public safety zone in accordance with this section does not affect the liability of any person for a contravention of this Act.\n\nPart 3—Offences and enforcement\n\n\t12 Offence to remove or destroy notice or barrier\n\n(1) A person must not unlawfully alter, obliterate, deface, remove or destroy a notice displayed in accordance with section 11.\n\n1. 50 penalty units.\n\n\n(2) A person must not unlawfully break down, damage or destroy a barrier or fence which has been erected to prohibit or restrict access to a public safety zone.\n\n1. 50 penalty units.\n\n\n\t13 Offences in public safety zones\n\n(1) A person who is not authorised to do so must not carry out any activity in a public safety zone in contravention of a public safety zone declaration.\n\n1. 20 penalty units.\n\n\n(2) A person who is not authorised to do so must not contravene any restriction or condition applying to a public safety zone which is specified in the public safety zone declaration.\n\n1. 20 penalty units.\n\n\n\t14 Direction to leave public safety zone\n\n(1) Subject to subsection (2), an authorised officer may direct a person to leave a public safety zone if the authorised officer—\n\n(a) has informed the person that he or she is in a public safety zone; and\n\n(b) has requested that person to leave the public safety zone and that person has refused to leave.\n\n(2) An authorised officer must—\n\n(a) produce proof of his or her identity and official status before exercising a power under subsection (1); and\n\n(b) inform the person that—\n\n(i) the authorised officer is empowered to direct the person to leave the public safety zone; and\n\n(ii) it is an offence to fail to comply with the direction.\n\n(3) A person who is not authorised under this Act to be in a public safety zone must comply with a direction under this section.\n\n1. 20 penalty units.\n\n\n(4) It is not an offence for a person to fail to comply with a direction under this section if the authorised officer did not comply with subsection (2).\n\n\t15 Offence to re-enter public safety zone\n\nA person who is not authorised under this Act to be in a public safety zone must not, contrary to a direction of an authorised officer under section 14—\n\n(a) re-enter a public safety zone; or\n\n(b) attempt to re-enter a public safety zone.\n\n1. 20 penalty units.\n\n\nS. 16 amended by No. 63/2006 s. 61(Sch. item 28).\n\n\t16 Entitlements under miners rights and tourist fossicking authorities\n\nDespite anything to the contrary in Part 5 of the **Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Act 1990**, the holder of a miner's right or a tourist fossicking authority under that Part of that Act is not entitled to re-enter a public safety zone in contravention of a direction of an authorised officer under section 14.\n\n\t17 Requirement to give name and address\n\n(1) If an authorised officer believes on reasonable grounds that a person has committed or is committing an offence against this Act, the officer may ask the person to state his or her name and ordinary place of residence or business.\n\n(2) In making a request under subsection (1), the authorised officer must inform the person of the grounds for the authorised officer's belief that the person has committed or is committing the offence.\n\n(3) A person must not, in response to a request under subsection (1)—\n\n(a) refuse or fail to comply with the request without a reasonable excuse for doing so; or\n\n(b) state a name that is false in a material detail; or\n\n(c) state an address that is not the full and correct address of his or her ordinary place of residence or business.\n\n1. 5 penalty units.\n\n\n(4) If a person states a name and address in response to a request under subsection (1) and the authorised officer suspects on reasonable grounds that the stated name and address may be false, the officer may request the person to produce evidence of the correctness of the name and address.\n\n(5) A person to whom a request under subsection (4) is made must comply with the request, unless he or she has a reasonable excuse for not doing so.\n\n1. 5 penalty units.\n\n\n(6) It is not an offence for a person to fail to comply with a request under subsection (1) or (4)—\n\n(a) if the authorised officer did not inform the person, at the time the request was made, that it is an offence to fail to comply with the request; or\n\n(b) if the authorised officer did not identify himself or herself in accordance with section 18 before making the request.\n\n\t18 Authorised officers must identify themselves\n\nAn authorised officer must produce proof of his or her identity and official status—\n\n(a) before exercising a power under section 17; and\n\n(b) at any time during the exercise of a power under section 17, if asked to do so.\n\n\t19 Direction to produce authorisation under section 10\n\n(1) An authorised officer may direct a person who is, or who belongs to a class which is, subject to an authorisation under section 10 to produce that authorisation for inspection—\n\n(a) immediately; or\n\n(b) within 7 days at a place determined by the authorised officer.\n\n(2) A person must comply with a direction under this section.\n\n1. 5 penalty units.\n\n\n\t20 Offence to hinder or obstruct an authorised officer\n\nA person must not, without reasonable excuse, hinder or obstruct an authorised officer who is exercising that authorised officer's duties or powers under this Act.\n\n1. 60 penalty units.\n\n\nPart 4—General\n\nSs 21–23 repealed by No. 29/2011 s. 3(Sch. 1 item 83).\n\n* * * * *\n\n\t24 Regulations\n\n(1) The Governor in Council may make regulations for or with respect to—\n\n(a) prescribing purposes for which a public safety zone may be declared;\n\n(b) any other matter or thing that is required or permitted by this Act to be prescribed or that is necessary to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to this Act.\n\n(2) Regulations made under this Act—\n\n(a) may be of general or limited application;\n\nS. 24(2)(b) amended by No. 48/2005 s. 7(a).\n\n(b) may differ according to differences in time, place or circumstance;\n\nS. 24(2)(c) inserted by No. 48/2005 s. 7(b).\n\n(c) may apply, adopt or incorporate any matter contained in any document formulated, issued, prescribed or published by any person, whether—\n\n(i) wholly or partially or as amended by the regulations; or\n\n(ii) as formulated, issued, prescribed or published at the time the regulations are made or at any time before then; or\n\n(iii) as formulated, issued, prescribed or published from time to time.\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\n*Minister's second reading speech—*\n\n*Legislative Assembly: 17 November 2004*\n\n*Legislative Council: 14 December 2004*\n\nThe long title for the Bill for this Act was \"to facilitate the management of public safety in State forests by providing for the establishment and enforcement of public safety zones in State forests, to amend the **Forests Act 1958** and consequentially amend the **Conservation, Forests and Lands Act 1987** and for other purposes.\"\n\nThe **Safety on Public Land Act 2004** was assented to on 21 December 2004 and came into operation 22 December 2004: section 2.\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 section or clause of a Schedule is amended by the insertion of one or more subsections or subclauses, the original section or clause becomes subsection or subclause (1) and is amended by the insertion of the expression \"(1)\" at the beginning of the original section 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 an Act which is passed on or after 1 January 2001 form part of that Act. Any heading inserted in an Act which was passed before 1 January 2001, by an Act passed on or after 1 January 2001, forms part of that Act. This includes headings to Parts, Divisions or Subdivisions in a Schedule; sections; clauses; items; tables; columns; examples; diagrams; notes or forms. See section 36(1A)(2A).\n\n• Examples, diagrams or notes\n\nAll examples, diagrams or notes included in an Act which is passed on or after 1 January 2001 form part of that Act. Any examples, diagrams or notes inserted in an Act which was passed before 1 January 2001, by an Act passed on or after 1 January 2001, form part of that Act. See section 36(3A).\n\n• Punctuation\n\nAll punctuation included in an Act which is passed on or after 1 January 2001 forms part of that Act. Any punctuation inserted in an Act which was passed before 1 January 2001, by an Act passed on or after 1 January 2001, forms part of that Act. See section 36(3B).\n\n• Provision numbers\n\nAll provision numbers included in an Act form part of that Act, whether inserted in the Act before, on or after 1 January 2001. Provision numbers include section numbers, subsection 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 an Act 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 an Act.  \nSee section 36(3)(3D)(3E).\n\n2 Table of Amendments\n\nThis publication incorporates amendments made to the **Safety on Public Land Act 2004** by Acts and subordinate instruments.\n\n–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––\n\n**Environment and Water Legislation (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 2005, No. 48/2005**\n\n| Assent Date: | 24.8.05 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | Ss 5–7 on 25.8.05: s. 2 |\n| Current State: | This information relates only to the provision/s amending the **Safety on Public Land Act 2004** |\n\n\n**Pipelines Act 2005, No. 61/2005**\n\n| Assent Date: | 20.9.05 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | S. 222 on 1.4.07: Government Gazette 29.3.07 p. 532 |\n| Current State: | This information relates only to the provision/s amending the **Safety on Public Land 2004** |\n\n\n**Mineral Resources Development (Sustainable Development) Act 2006, No. 63/2006**\n\n| Assent Date: | 29.8.06 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | S. 61(Sch. item 28) on 30.8.06: s. 2(1) |\n| Current State: | This information relates only to the provision/s amending the **Safety on Public Land Act 2004** |\n\n\n**Bus Safety Act 2009, No. 13/2009**\n\n| Assent Date: | 7.4.09 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | S. 90 on 31.12.10: s. 2(3) |\n| Current State: | This information relates only to the provision/s amending the **Safety on Public Land Act 2004** |\n\n\n**Transport Integration Act 2010, No. 6/2010** (as amended by No. 45/2010)\n\n| Assent Date: | 2.3.10 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | S. 203(1)(Sch. 6 item 43) on 1.7.10: Special Gazette (No. 256) 30.6.10 p. 1 |\n| Current State: | This information relates only to the provision/s amending the **Safety on Public Land Act 2004** |\n\n\n**Statute Law Revision Act 2011, No. 29/2011**\n\n| Assent Date: | 21.6.11 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | S. 3(Sch. 1 item 83) on 22.6.11: s. 2(1) |\n| Current State: | This information relates only to the provision/s amending the **Safety on Public Land Act 2004** |\n\n\n**Statute Law Revision Act 2013, No. 70/2013**\n\n| Assent Date: | 19.11.13 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | S. 4(Sch. 2 item 45) on 1.12.13: s. 2(1) |\n| Current State: | This information relates only to the provision/s amending the **Safety on Public Land Act 2004** |\n\n\n**Sustainable Forests (Timber) and Wildlife Amendment Act 2014, No. 11/2014**\n\n| Assent Date: | 25.2.14 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | Ss 27, 28 on 28.5.14: Special Gazette (No. 159) 27.5.14 p. 1 |\n| Current State: | This information relates only to the provision/s amending the **Safety on Public Land Act 2004** |\n\n\n**Statute Law Revision Act 2024, No. 13/2024**\n\n| Assent Date: | 23.4.24 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | S. 3(Sch. 1 item 12) on 24.4.24: s. 2 |\n| Current State: | This information relates only to the provision/s amending the **Safety on Public Land Act 2004** |\n\n\n**Statute Law Revision Act 2025, No. 41/2025**\n\n| Assent Date: | 21.10.25 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | S. 4(Sch. 2 item 25) on 22.10.25: s. 2 |\n| Current State: | This information relates only to the provision/s amending the **Safety on Public Land Act 2004** |\n\n\n–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––\n\n3 Explanatory details\n\nNo entries at date of publication.","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":5,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The Act's central purpose—to enable creation and enforcement of public safety zones in State forests—remains intact (s 1). Subsequent amendments adjust definitions, publication/inspection arrangements, delegated powers and procedural detail (see Table of Amendments and ss 4, 5, 7, 24), but do not alter the core scope of authorising, limiting and enforcing access to State forest areas."},"complexity_factors":["Broad discretionary power for the Secretary to declare zones and set conditions (s 4, s 5)","Authority to apply, adopt or incorporate external documents into declarations and regulations, including changes over time (s 4(3), s 24(2)(c))","Cross‑references to other legislation and externally defined terms (eg Forests Act 1958, Conservation, Forests and Lands Act 1987, Mineral Resources Act) which affect scope and interpretation (s 1; s 3; s 16)","Layered enforcement regime with multiple offences, varying penalty units and procedural safeguards (ss 12–20)","Exemption and written authorisation mechanisms that create classes of permitted persons and administrative compliance burdens (s 5(2), s 10)","Publication and consultation requirements for longer declarations that add procedural steps (s 7, s 8)","Operational discretion vested in authorised officers (directions to leave, identity checks, requiring production of authorisations) subject to identification and reasonable‑grounds rules (ss 14, 17, 18, 19)","History of targeted amendments and repeals (Table of Amendments / Endnotes) which requires attention to current consolidated text"],"plain_english_summary":"The Act allows the Secretary to declare parts of State forest as public safety zones for stated purposes (for example conservation, fire operations or public safety). Declarations set the area, duration, permitted or prohibited activities, and must be published and signposted; written exemptions or authorisations can allow access. Authorised officers may direct people to leave, require identity or production of authorisation, and enforce offences (entry, re‑entry, removing notices, obstructing officers) with specified penalties. It affects forest users, utilities, transport authorities, miners/fossickers and anyone entering State forest."},"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation remains focused on its original purpose of establishing public safety zones in State forests. While there have been amendments over 20 years (updating department names, refining definitions of transport authorities and utilities, removing timber harvesting purposes), these are maintenance amendments rather than scope expansion. The core function - declaring restricted areas in State forests for safety and environmental protection - remains unchanged from the 2004 original intent."},"complexity_factors":["Short statute with only 24 sections (several repealed), making it relatively compact","Straightforward structure: preliminary provisions, declaration process, offences, general provisions","Minimal cross-referencing - primarily references to definitions in other Acts (Forests Act 1958, Conservation Forests and Lands Act 1987)","Simple conditional logic - mainly 'if X then Y' offence structures without nested exceptions","Only 5 defined terms in the interpretation section (authorised officer, public safety zone, public safety zone declaration, Secretary, State forest) plus 2 complex defined terms (transport authority, utility) that incorporate multiple external statutes","Some incorporation by reference (documents can be adopted in declarations under s.4(3) and regulations under s.24(2)(c)), but this is standard and clearly flagged","No significant exceptions to exceptions - the exemption framework in s.9 is a simple list","Penalty provisions are clearly stated at the foot of each offence section"],"plain_english_summary":"This Victorian law lets the government close off parts of State forests to keep people safe and protect the environment. Here's what it does:\n\n**Main purpose**\nThe Secretary (the head of the environment department) can declare \"public safety zones\" in State forests. These are areas where access is restricted or banned for specific reasons like fire danger, protecting wildlife, preserving cultural sites, or public safety.\n\n**Who can enter**\nMost people can be banned, but some are automatically allowed in:\n- Government officers and authorised officers (rangers)\n- Utilities (water, power, gas companies) doing their jobs\n- Transport authorities (roads, rail, buses) doing their jobs\n- Anyone the Secretary specifically authorises in writing\n\n**Rules for declaring zones**\n- Must be published in the Government Gazette and newspapers\n- If banning access for more than 12 months, the public gets 21 days to make submissions\n- Signs must be posted on-site (but offences still apply even if signs are missing or damaged)\n- Declarations specify which activities are banned, restricted, or allowed\n\n**Offences and penalties**\n- Removing or destroying signs/barriers: up to 50 penalty units (roughly $9,000+)\n- Entering or doing banned activities in a zone: up to 20 penalty units\n- Refusing to leave when directed by an officer: up to 20 penalty units\n- Re-entering after being kicked out: up to 20 penalty units\n- Giving false name/address to an officer: up to 5 penalty units\n- Hindering an authorised officer: up to 60 penalty units (roughly $11,000+)\n\n**Special rules for prospectors**\nEven if you hold a miner's right or tourist fossicking permit, you cannot re-enter a safety zone if an officer has directed you to leave.\n\n**Why it matters**\nThis law balances public access to forests with safety and environmental protection. It gives rangers power to remove people from dangerous areas (like during bushfires or after storms) and protects sensitive ecosystems from damage."},"summary":{"complexity_score":1,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Scope cannot be assessed as no substantive legislative text was provided. Only the title, Act number, and version history metadata are present in the supplied document."},"complexity_factors":["Only metadata and version history were provided — no substantive legislative content is present","Cannot assess complexity of the actual Act without its operative provisions","Score of 1 reflects absence of analysable content, not simplicity of the underlying law"],"plain_english_summary":"The Safety on Public Land Act 2004 is a Victorian law establishing a legal framework for safety and conduct on government-owned land (parks, reserves, forests, etc.). It affects the public who use those spaces, land managers and rangers, and businesses operating there. The provided excerpt contains only title/metadata, so specific duties, powers or penalties are not available here."},"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"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/safety-on-public-land-act-2004","history":"/api/acts/safety-on-public-land-act-2004/history","analysis":"/api/acts/safety-on-public-land-act-2004/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/safety-on-public-land-act-2004/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/safety-on-public-land-act-2004/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/safety-on-public-land-act-2004/documents"}}