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Lands Acquisition Act 1978
83CHow trust amounts to be dealt with
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83C How trust amounts to be dealt with
(1) This section applies if an amount (in this section called the trust
amount) is being held in the Lands Trust Fund in respect of a
compulsory acquisition and any of the following happen:
(a) an approved determination of native title that native title does
not exist in the land the subject of the acquisition is made;
(b) the Minister informs the trustee in writing that he or she is not
going to compulsorily acquire the land;
(c) the following requirements are satisfied:
(i) an approved determination of native title that native title
in the land the subject of the acquisition exists has been
made;
(ii) the relevant registered native title body corporate
advises the trustee in writing that it wishes to accept the
trust amount instead of any compensation to which the
native title holder may be entitled under this Act for the
effect of the acquisition;
(iii) the Minister advises the trustee in writing of his or her
agreement to the registered native title body corporate
accepting the trust amount instead of any compensation
to which the native title holder may be entitled under this
Act for the effect of the acquisition;
(d) a determination is made by the Tribunal, on a claim for
compensation in respect of the acquisition, that a person is
entitled to compensation or that no compensation is payable
to any person;
(e) none of paragraphs (a), (b), (c) and (d) applies and, on the
application of any person, the Supreme Court decides that it
would be just and equitable in all the circumstances to pay the
trust amount to that person or another person (it not however
being a sufficient ground for the purposes of this paragraph
that a person has made or is required to make an application
to the Federal Court for a determination of native title in
respect of any of the land the subject of the acquisition).
(2) Where subsection (1)(a) or (b) applies, the trustee must repay the
trust amount to the Territory.
Lands Acquisition Act 1978 51
(3) Where subsection (1)(c) applies:
(a) the trustee must pay the trust amount to the registered native
title body corporate; and
(b) the native title holder has no further entitlement to
compensation for the effect of the acquisition under this Act.
(4) Where subsection (1)(d) applies and the determination is that a
person is entitled to an amount of monetary compensation:
(a) if the trust amount is the same as the amount determined –
the trustee must pay the trust amount to the person;
(b) if the trust amount is less than the amount determined – the
trustee must pay the trust amount to the person and the
Territory must pay the shortfall to the person; or
(c) if the trust amount is more than the amount determined, the
trustee must:
(i) pay the person so much of the trust amount as equals
the amount determined; and
(ii) refund the excess to the Territory.
(5) Where subsection (1)(d) applies and the transfer of property or the
provision of goods or services constitutes some or all of the
compensation, the trustee must apply to the Supreme Court for a
direction as to the payment of the trust amount.
(6) Where subsection (1)(d) applies and the determination is that no
compensation is payable or to be given to any person, the trustee
must repay the trust amount to the Territory.
(7) Where subsection (1)(e) applies, the trustee must pay the trust
amount in accordance with the decision of the Supreme Court.
(8) If the Minister enters into a written agreement with a registered
native title claimant that the claimant accepts the trust amount or
part thereof on behalf of the native title holders who are signatories
to the agreement, being all the native title holders in relation to the
land the subject of the acquisition, instead of any compensation to
which those native title holders may be entitled under this Act for
the effect of the acquisition, the trustee:
(a) must pay the trust amount or part thereof in accordance with
the agreement to the registered native title claimant; and
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(b) if applicable – must pay the remainder of the trust amount to
the Territory; and
(c) the native title holders who are signatories to the agreement
have no further entitlement to compensation for the effect of
the acquisition under this Act.
(9) The Minister must not enter into an agreement under subsection (8)
unless satisfied that, having regard to the information (if any)
provided by the Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander body or bodies in
relation to any of the land the subject of the acquisition and any
other relevant matter, the signatories to the agreement are the only
native title holders in relation to that land and that it is unlikely that
there are any other native title holders in relation to that land.