Major Infrastructure Development Approvals Act 1999
In ForceTAS
Jurisdiction
Tasmania
Act Number
108 of 1999
Collection
act
Plain English Summary
8/10 complexity
This Act lets the Governor, on a Minister’s recommendation, declare certain linear works (roads, rail, pipelines, powerlines, telecommunications and prescribed linear infrastructure) to be "major infrastructure projects." For declared projects it can displace ordinary planning rules, create combined planning authorities or vest approval powers in the Tasmanian Planning Commission, and impose corridor, notice, compensation, bond and fee requirements.
It matters because it reallocates who decides (Minister/Governor/Commission/combined authority), changes notice and appeal pathways, and imposes financial and administrative obligations on proponents, councils and landowners.
This Act creates a statutory pathway for designating and fast‑tracking the planning assessment and approval of "major infrastructure projects" in Tasmania. Mechanically it does three things.
First, it permits the Minister to recommend to the Governor that a specific project be declared a major infrastructure project by order, and sets Parliamentary and publication safeguards for that order (see s 7). An order must be laid before both Houses and is of no effect until it has been approved by both Houses (s 7(4)-(6)). An order can identify the proponent and define the project either precisely or by corridor (s 10(1)-(2)).
Second, once an order exists it alters the ordinary planning and land acquisition framework in specified ways. The order can declare that compliance with the procedural notification requirement in s 52(1) of the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 (LUAPAA) is not required (s 10(3)(a)), and it takes each use or development comprised in the project to be a use or development the local planning authority may permit or refuse under s 57 LUAPAA (s 11(1)(a)). The order may also declare the project to be a public purpose for the Land Acquisition Act 1993 (s 11(1)(c)) and may specify that the planning approvals process is to be administered by a combined planning authority or by the Tasmanian Planning Commission (the Commission) (s 10(3)(b),(c); ss 17, 22). The Commission is required to amend any inconsistent planning schemes or special planning orders as soon as practicable (s 11A).
Third, the Act builds a regulatory machinery around corridors, compensation and procedural rules. The Act allows a project to be described by a corridor and requires the proponent to lodge a plan of the corridor (s 14(1)-(2)). It mandates notice to owners and to planning authorities when a corridor is proposed or amended (ss 14(3), 14A(4)). A notified corridor can be registered on land title or deed registries (s 15). Owners within or added to a notified corridor have a cause of action against the initial proponent for injurious affection, with time limits and a dispute resolution pathway modelled on the Land Acquisition Act (ss 14(12)-(15)). The Minister may require the proponent to provide financial assurance in the form of a bond or specified pecuniary sum, forfeitable on certain defaults (s 10(3)(e); s 11(6)). The Act also provides Ministerial powers to amend or revoke orders (ss 19-20) and to transfer administration to the Commission where obligations are not met (s 21).
Current sections
Direct links to the current provisions in Major Infrastructure Development Approvals Act 1999.
sale, in relation to land, means the disposal of land by sale, lease, exchange for proper consideration or any other means;
specified planning authority means a planning authority which is specified in an order under section 7(2) in accordance with section 10(3)(b)(ii) .
(2) Words or expressions used both in this Act and in the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 have in this Act, unless the contrary intention appears, the same respective meanings as they have in that Act.
4
Application of Act
4 Application of Act
(1) This Act binds the Crown in right of Tasmania, and so far as the legislative power of Parliament permits, in all its other capacities.
Conduct of assessment and approval of use or development comprised in major infrastructure project
5 Conduct of assessment and approval of use or development comprised in major infrastructure project
Subject to this Act, the assessment and approval by a planning authority of an application for a permit for a use or development comprised in a major infrastructure project is to be conducted in accordance with the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 , the Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994 and any other Act which relates to land use planning and approval, other than any Act which may be prescribed.
6
Objectives to be furthered
6 Objectives to be furthered
It is the obligation of any person on whom a function is imposed or a power is conferred under this Act to perform the function or exercise the power in such a manner as to further the objectives set out in Schedule 1 to the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 .
Part 2
Major Infrastructure Projects
Part 2 Major Infrastructure Projects
7
Declaration of major infrastructure project
7 Declaration of major infrastructure project
(1) The Minister may recommend to the Governor the making of an order declaring a project to be a major infrastructure project.
(2) The Governor may make an order in accordance with a recommendation made under subsection (1) .
(3) An order under subsection (2) is to be published in the Gazette.
(4) The Minister must cause an order under subsection (2) to be laid before each House of Parliament within the first 10 sitting days of the House after it is so published.
(5) An order under subsection (2) is of no effect until it has been approved by both Houses of Parliament.
(6) For the purposes of subsection (5) , a House of Parliament is taken to have approved an order under subsection (2) if a copy of it has been laid on the table of that House and –
(a) it is approved by that House; or
(b) at the expiration of 15 sitting days after it was laid on the table of that House, no notice has been given of a motion to disallow it or, if such notice has been given, the notice has been withdrawn or negatived; or
(c) if any notice of a motion to disallow it is given during that period of 15 sitting days, the notice is, after the expiration of that period, withdrawn or negatived.
(7) As soon as practicable after an order under subsection (2) has taken effect, the Minister must –
(a) give written notice of the taking effect of the order to –
(i) the Commission; and
(ii) each planning authority on which obligations are imposed by the order, or which is otherwise affected by the making of the order; and
(iii) each instrumentality or agency of the Crown on which obligations are imposed by the order; and
(b) advertise the taking effect of the order in a newspaper circulating in the area within which the major infrastructure project is to be implemented.
8
Conditions precedent to Ministerial recommendation
8 Conditions precedent to Ministerial recommendation
(1) The Minister may not make a recommendation under section 7(1) that a project be declared to be a major infrastructure project unless –
(a) the project wholly or principally comprises the construction of one or more of the following:
(vi) such other linear infrastructure as may be prescribed; and
(b) the Minister has received a report from the proponent which provides a comprehensive description of the project and contains such information in relation to the project as may be prescribed; and
(c) the Minister has given the council of each municipal area within which the project is proposed at least 28 days' notice of the Minister's intention to make the recommendation and has considered any representations made by any such council following receipt of the notice; and
(d) the Minister is satisfied that it is in the public interest for the declaration to be made.
(2) In determining whether it is in the public interest for the proposed order to be made, the Minister must have regard to such matters as may be prescribed.
(3) Notice given to a council under subsection (1)(c) is to include –
(a) a copy of the report received by the Minister under section 8(1)(b) ; and
(b) a statement of the Minister's reasons for proposing that the project be declared to be a major infrastructure project; and
(c) a draft of the order that the Minister proposes to recommend.
9
Response of council to proposal to make Ministerial recommendation
9 Response of council to proposal to make Ministerial recommendation
(1) Within 21 days of receiving notice of the Minister's intention to make a recommendation under section 7(1) , a council must provide the Minister with a written response which states –
(a) whether the council supports the proposed recommendation; and
(b) if the council does not support the proposed recommendation, the council's reasons for not doing so.
(2) In responding to the Minister under subsection (1) , a council may request that the Commission administer the planning approval process in respect of the proposed major infrastructure project.
10
Content of order declaring major infrastructure project
10 Content of order declaring major infrastructure project
(1) An order made by the Governor under section 7(2) is to –
(a) identify the proponent; and
(b) define the major infrastructure project by specifying the nature and location of each use or development which is comprised in the project.
(2) For the purpose of section 10(1)(b) , the location of a use or development may be described by reference to a corridor of a specified width between two places, without indicating the exact location of the corridor or the exact location within that corridor at which the use or development is intended to occur.
(3) An order made by the Governor under section 7(2) may –
(b) if the major infrastructure project is to be implemented within more than one municipal area, declare that the planning approval process in respect of the major infrastructure project is to be administered by a combined planning authority, specifying –
(i) the name by which the combined planning authority is to be known; and
(ii) the planning authorities which are to be represented on the combined planning authority; and
(iii) the number of members which are to represent each of the specified planning authorities on the combined planning authority; and
(c) if a council has made a request under section 9(2) , declare that the planning approval process in respect of the major infrastructure project is to be administered by the Commission; and
(d) require an instrumentality or agency of the Crown or planning authority which is specified in the order to provide the proponent or any other person with such guidelines or other information as the order may specify by such date as the order may specify; and
(e) require the proponent identified in the order to lodge with the Crown a financial assurance in the form of a bond (supported by a guarantee or other security) or specified pecuniary sum, in an amount specified in the order and by a specified date, to be forfeited on failure to comply with terms or conditions specified in the order; and
(f) require the proponent identified in the order to pay to the Crown an amount specified in the order by a specified date, to cover costs and expenses which may be incurred by the Crown or any person in connection with the assessment or approval of the major infrastructure project; and
(g) require compliance by the proponent or any other person with terms or conditions set out in the order; and
(h) authorise the sale by the Crown to the proponent of any land specified in the order which is acquired by the Crown under the Land Acquisition Act 1993 for the purpose of the major infrastructure project.
11
Effect of order declaring major infrastructure project
11 Effect of order declaring major infrastructure project
(1) If an order under section 7(2) declaring a project to be a major infrastructure project is made –
(a) notwithstanding the terms of any relevant planning scheme or special planning order, each use or development comprised in the major infrastructure project is taken to be a use or development which the planning authority which administers that planning scheme or special planning order has a discretion to refuse or permit under section 57 of theLand Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 ; and
(b) notwithstanding the terms of any relevant planning scheme or special planning order, the planning authority which administers the planning scheme or special planning order may, subject to section 12(1) and the requirements of any State Policy, determine an application for a permit in respect of a use or development comprised in the major infrastructure project in such manner as it thinks fit; and
(e) an application to a planning authority under section 51(1A) of the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 may relate to all of the uses or developments comprised in the major infrastructure project, or such number of the uses or developments comprised in the major infrastructure project as the applicant may choose; and
(a) section 52(1) of that Act and any provisions of the relevant planning scheme or special planning order which require the giving of notice to the owner of land in respect of which a permit is sought do not apply; and
(b) notice of the making of an application for a permit in connection with the major infrastructure project is, at least 14 days before the making of the application, to be served by the applicant on –
(i) the owner of the land in respect of which the permit is required; and
(4) If an order under section 7(2) declares that compliance with section 52(1) of the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 is not required, a planning authority which receives an application for a permit in respect of a use or development comprised in the major infrastructure project must not accept that application unless it is satisfied that the requirements of subsections (2) and (3) have been met.
(5) If an order under section 7(2) requires any instrumentality or agency of the Crown or planning authority which is specified in the order to provide the proponent or another person by a specified date with such guidelines or other information as the order may specify, the instrumentality, agency or authority to which the requirement is directed must comply with the requirement.
(6) If an order under section 7(2) requires the proponent identified in the order to pay to the Crown a financial assurance in the form of a bond (supported by a guarantee or other security) or specified pecuniary sum to be forfeited on failure to comply with terms or conditions specified in the order, the bond or sum is forfeited to the Crown on –
(a) failure to comply with any of those terms or conditions; or
(b) failure to apply to a planning authority for a permit for each use or development comprised in the major infrastructure project within a period of 12 months from the date of the order or such further period, expiring not more than 24 months from the date of the order, as the Minister may allow; or
(7) If an order under section 7(2) requires the proponent identified in the order to pay to the Crown an amount specified in the order by a specified date to cover costs and expenses which may be incurred by the Crown or any person in connection with the assessment or approval of the major infrastructure project, the amount is a debt due to the Crown from the proponent identified in the order and may be recovered by the Crown from the proponent in any court of competent jurisdiction.
(8) If an order under section 7(2) requires the establishment of a combined planning authority, a council must perform its functions, including its functions as a planning authority, with due regard for the consequences which will arise from the implementation of the major infrastructure project.
11A
Amendment of planning schemes, &c., to remove inconsistencies
11A Amendment of planning schemes, &c., to remove inconsistencies
(1) As soon as practicable after the making of an order under section 7(2) , the Commission must, in consultation with the relevant planning authority, amend each relevant planning scheme or special planning order to remove any inconsistency between the planning scheme or special planning order and –
(3) Where the Commission amends a planning scheme or special planning order under subsection (1) –
(a) the amendment is taken to have come into operation on the date on which the order under section 7(2) was made; and
(b) the Commission must give notice, as prescribed, of the amendment.
12
Criteria for determination of application for permit in respect of use or development comprised in major infrastructure project
12 Criteria for determination of application for permit in respect of use or development comprised in major infrastructure project
(1) If an order under section 7(2) is made, a planning authority must determine an application for a permit in respect of a use or development comprised in the major infrastructure project in accordance with planning criteria established under this section.
(2) If an order under section 7(2) is made, the planning authority which is to administer the planning approval process in respect of the major infrastructure project must provide a draft of the planning criteria, against which any use or development comprised in the major infrastructure project is to be assessed, to the Commission and to the proponent within 42 days, or such further period as the Minister may allow, of –
(a) the receipt by the planning authority of notice from the Minister under section 7(7) ; or
(b) where the planning authority is a combined planning authority, the date on which the combined planning authority is established.
(3) The Commission must –
(a) cause a copy of draft criteria which are provided to it under subsection (2) to be placed on public exhibition at its office for a period of at least 14 days; and
(b) advertise, as prescribed, the exhibition of the draft criteria.
(4) If draft criteria are placed on public exhibition, representations in relation to the draft criteria may be submitted to the Commission by any person before the expiration of the period referred to in subsection (3) .
(5) Within 7 days of the conclusion of the period referred to in subsection (3) , or such further period as the Minister may allow, the Commission must –
(a) finalise the criteria; and
(b) inform the planning authority of the finalised criteria –
making such changes to the draft criteria as it sees fit, having regard to any relevant planning scheme or special planning order and any representations received by the Commission within that period.
(6) The planning authority must provide the finalised criteria to the proponent within 7 days of receiving the finalised criteria from the Commission.
(7) The planning authority must make a copy of the finalised criteria available for public inspection at its public office and within 7 days of receiving the finalised criteria from the Commission advertise, as prescribed, the availability of the finalised criteria for inspection.
13
Sale of land compulsorily acquired
13 Sale of land compulsorily acquired
Land acquired by the Crown under the Land Acquisition Act 1993 for the purposes of a major infrastructure project may not be sold unless –
(a) the sale of that land has been authorised under section 10(3)(h) or notice of the proposed sale has been published and approved by each House of Parliament in accordance with section 64 of theCrown Lands Act 1976 ; and
(b) a permit has been granted for a use or development comprised in the major infrastructure project to take place on the land and –
(i) the period specified under section 61 of the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 for appealing the decision of the planning authority to grant the permit has expired and no appeal has been lodged; or
(ii) where such an appeal has been lodged, the appeal has been determined.
(1) An easement without a dominant tenement acquired by the Crown pursuant to this Act may be sold by the Crown in accordance with an order under section 7(2) .
(2) An easement without a dominant tenement over Crown land may be granted for the purposes of a major infrastructure project.
14
Corridors
14 Corridors
(1) If an order under section 7(2) defines the major infrastructure project by reference to a corridor between two places, the proponent must lodge a plan of the proposed corridor with the Minister as soon as practicable after the order has taken effect.
(2) A plan for the purposes of subsection (1) is to identify the boundaries of the proposed corridor with sufficient accuracy to enable an owner of land to determine whether or not that land is affected by the corridor.
(3) The Minister must cause notice of the proposed corridor to be served on –
(a) the Commission; and
(b) each planning authority on which obligations are imposed by the order under section 7(2) or which is otherwise affected by the proposed corridor; and
(c) each owner of land within the proposed corridor.
(4) The Commission must, in the performance of its functions and exercise of its powers, have regard to any notice which is served on it under subsection (3) .
(5) A planning authority must, in the performance of its functions and exercise of its powers, have regard to any notice which is served on it under subsection (3) .
(6) Notice to an owner of land for the purpose of subsection (3) is to –
(a) be served no later than the time at which notice of the making of an application for a permit in respect of that land is served under section 11(2)(b) ; and
(b) contain such information as may be prescribed; and
(c) be accompanied by a copy of that part of the plan lodged with the Minister under subsection (1) which relates to the owner's land.
(a) a failure to serve each owner of land required under subsection (3) to be served; or
(b) a failure to serve each owner of land by the time required by subsection (6)(a) ; or
(c) a deficiency in the notice; or
(d) a failure to comply with subsection (6)(c) in respect of each owner of land required to be served.
(7) An application for a permit in relation to a use or development which is comprised in a major infrastructure project may seek permission for the use or development to occur anywhere within a notified corridor.
(8) If an application is made in accordance with subsection (7) , the planning authority may grant a permit to proceed with a use or development anywhere within a corridor described in the permit.
(9) A corridor described in a permit for the purpose of subsection (8) is to be wholly within the notified corridor.
(10) The description of a corridor for the purposes of subsection (8) is to be by a plan which identifies the boundaries of the proposed corridor with sufficient accuracy to enable an owner of land to determine whether or not that land is affected by the corridor.
(11) If the corridor described by a planning authority in a permit granted under subsection (8) differs from the notified corridor, the planning authority must, within 7 days of the granting of the permit, provide the Minister with a copy of the permit.
(12) If land within a notified corridor is injuriously affected by –
(a) the proposal for the corridor; or
(b) the grant of a permit to proceed with a use or development within the corridor –
the owner of the land or its purchaser, in the case of land being purchased under a Crown lands contract, is entitled to compensation from the initial proponent for the injurious affection to that land and to other land belonging to that person.
(13) An owner of land is not entitled to compensation under subsection (12)(a) for any injurious affection which occurs before notice of the proposed corridor is served on that owner under this section.
(14) A claim by an owner of land for compensation under subsection (12) must be made within a period of 12 months of, as the case may be –
(a) the service of notice of the proposed corridor on the owner; or
(b) the grant of the permit.
(15) If not agreed on, a claim for compensation under subsection (12) is to be determined in the same manner as a disputed claim for compensation under the Land Acquisition Act 1993 as if the initial proponent were an acquiring authority within the meaning of that Act.
(16) No permanent improvement may be made, or may be authorised by a planning authority to be made, on land within a notified corridor without the written consent of the Minister unless –
(a) written notice has been given to the owner of the land by the Minister or by the initial proponent that the land is not required for the purposes of the major infrastructure project; or
(b) the Minister has authorised the improvement of the land on such conditions as the Minister considers proper to ensure that –
(i) compensation for the acquisition of the land or of the purchaser's estate and interest in the land, in the case of land being purchased under a Crown lands contract, will not by reason of that improvement be increased; and
(ii) the implementation of the major infrastructure project will not by reason of that improvement be made more difficult; or
(c) a permit which describes a corridor has been granted in accordance with subsection (8) and the improvement is outside that corridor; or
(d) the order under section 7(2) which gave rise to the notified corridor has been revoked; or
(e) the improvement arises in connection with a use or development comprised in the major infrastructure project.
(17) Compensation is not payable under this section in respect of injurious affection for which compensation is paid under the Land Acquisition Act 1993 .
(18) In this section –
initial proponent means the proponent who was identified in the order made under section 7(2) .
(1) The proponent of a major infrastructure project may request the Minister to amend a notified corridor.
(2) The request is to be accompanied by a plan of the proposed amended corridor.
(3) A plan for the purposes of subsection (2) is to identify the boundaries of the proposed amended corridor with sufficient accuracy to enable an owner of land to determine whether or not that land will be affected by the amended corridor.
(4) If the Minister is satisfied that it is reasonable to amend a notified corridor, the Minister must cause notice of the amended corridor to be served on –
(a) the Commission; and
(b) each planning authority on which obligations are imposed by the order under section 7(2) or which is otherwise affected by the amended corridor; and
(c) each owner of land added to the notified corridor by the amendment of that corridor; and
(d) each owner of land deleted from the notified corridor by the amendment of that corridor.
(5) The Commission must, in the performance of its functions and exercise of its powers, have regard to any notice which is served on it under subsection (4) .
(6) A planning authority must, in the performance of its functions and exercise of its powers, have regard to any notice which is served on it under subsection (4) .
(7) Notice to an owner of land for the purposes of subsection (4)(c) is to –
(a) be served no later than the time at which notice of the making of an application for a permit in respect of that land is served under section 11(2)(b) ; and
(b) contain such information as is prescribed for the purposes of section 14(6)(b) ; and
(c) be accompanied by a copy of that part of the plan referred to in subsection (2) which relates to the owner's land.
(1) A proponent may apply to the Minister to amend a corridor described in a permit in respect of a major infrastructure project.
(2) Subject to this section, the Minister may grant an application under subsection (1) and, for that purpose, may make an order which amends a permit in respect of the major infrastructure project.
(3) An order under subsection (2) may provide for the corridor which is described in the permit to extend beyond the boundaries of a notified corridor.
(4) An order under subsection (2) may amend a permit by including such conditions or restrictions as the Minister thinks fit in connection with the amendment of the corridor described in the permit.
(5) An application under subsection (1) is to be accompanied by –
(a) a copy of the permit; and
(b) a plan which accurately identifies the boundaries of any area to be added to or deleted from the corridor described in the permit pursuant to the proposed amendment; and
(c) a plan which identifies each parcel of land which is within any area to be added to the corridor described in the permit or which abuts such an area; and
(d) a report which –
(i) includes a statement of the reasons why the amendment is sought; and
(ii) addresses each of the matters which the Minister must take into account under subsections (6) and (7) ; and
(iii) includes the name and address of the owner of each parcel of land referred to in paragraph (c) ; and
(e) in respect of each such owner of land, notice from or on behalf of the owner that the owner consents or does not consent to the proposed amendment or details as to why the proponent is unable to provide such a notice.
(6) The Minister may only grant an application under subsection (1) if the Minister is satisfied that –
(a) it is not practicable or expedient for the proponent to seek the proposed amendment of the corridor by means of an application to a planning authority for a permit or for an amendment to a permit; and
(b) it is in the public interest to do so.
(7) In determining whether it is in the public interest to grant an application under subsection (1) , the Minister must have regard to –
(a) whether the proponent could reasonably have avoided the need for the application, by better planning or otherwise; and
(b) the public interest in the timely completion of the major infrastructure project; and
(d) the potential effect upon archaeological, architectural, cultural, historical, scientific, social or technical values if the application is granted and, if the Minister considers that it is necessary that the advice of the Tasmanian Heritage Council be obtained in relation to the application, the advice of the Council; and
(e) the potential effect on land use planning if the application is granted and, if the Minister considers that it is necessary that the advice of a planning authority or the Commission be obtained in relation to the application, the advice of the planning authority or Commission; and
(f) the degree to which the corridor described in the permit will extend beyond the boundaries of a notified corridor if the application is granted.
(8) The Minister must not grant an application under subsection (1) unless –
(a) the application is consented to by the owner of each parcel of land referred to in subsection (5)(c) ; or
(b) the Minister has caused notice of the application to be served upon any such owner who has not consented to the proposed amendment, and the Minister has taken into account any representations made to the Minister by that owner within –
(i) a period of 7 days after personal service of the notice; or
(ii) a period of 14 days after service of the notice by post.
(9) The Minister must cause a copy of an order which is made under this section to be served as soon as practicable on –
(a) the proponent; and
(b) the planning authority which granted the permit amended by the order; and
(c) the owner of each parcel of land referred to in subsection (5)(c) .
(10) If an order is made under this section –
(a) each use or development which is permitted by reason of the amendment to the permit is taken to be a use or development which is comprised in the major infrastructure project; and
(b) section 14(12) , (13) , (14) and (16) apply to any land which is included in the corridor described in the permit by reason of the amendment to the permit as if –
(i) that land was land within a notified corridor; and
(ii) the making of the order was a grant of a permit; and
(iii) the date of the making of the order was the date of service of notice of a proposed corridor; and
(i) the land within that parcel was land within a notified corridor; and
(ii) the making of the order was a grant of a permit; and
(iii) the date of the making of the order was the date of service of notice of a proposed corridor.
(11) The Minister may decline to grant an application under this section unless the applicant pays to the Crown an amount to cover the costs and expenses which have been or may be incurred by the Crown or any person in connection with the application.
(ii) a copy of the plan which accompanied the notice; and
(iii) if the land is being purchased under a Crown lands contract, details of the name of the purchaser of the land.
(2) If a notice lodged under subsection (1)(c) affects any land being purchased under a Crown lands contract, the Director-General of Lands must register the notice by making an appropriate entry in the registers kept by the Director-General.
(3) If a notice was lodged with the Recorder of Titles under subsection (1)(a) and –
(a) the Minister receives a copy of a permit under section 14(11) which describes a corridor that differs from the notified corridor; or
(b) an order is made under section 20 by which the order under section 7(2) which relates to the notice is revoked –
the Minister must lodge a copy of the permit or of the order, as the case may be, with the Recorder of Titles, and the Recorder of Titles must make an appropriate entry on the relevant folio of the Register.
(4) If a notice was lodged in the Registry of Deeds under subsection (1)(b) and –
(a) the Minister receives a copy of a permit under section 14(11) which describes a corridor that differs from the notified corridor; or
(b) an order is made under section 20 by which the order under section 7(2) which relates to the notice is revoked –
the Minister must lodge a copy of the permit or of the order, as the case may be, in the Registry of Deeds.
(5) If –
(a) the Minister receives a copy of a permit under section 14(11) which describes a corridor that differs from the notified corridor; or
(b) an order is made under section 20 by which the order under section 7(2) which relates to the notice is revoked –
the Minister must lodge a copy of the permit or of the order, as the case may be, with the Director-General of Lands, and the Director-General must make an appropriate entry in the registers held by the Director-General.
(a) makes an amendment to a permit which results in a use or development being permitted on land under the Land Titles Act 1980 which was not formerly permitted by the permit, the Minister must within 14 days of the making of the order lodge with the Recorder of Titles –
(i) a copy of the order; and
(ii) a copy of any plan which accompanied the order; and
(iii) details of the name of the registered proprietor of the land and of the volume and folio of the Register within which the land is comprised –
and the Recorder must register the notice by making an appropriate entry on that folio of the Register; or
(b) makes an amendment to a permit which results in a use or development being permitted on land which is not under the Land Titles Act 1980 , and which is not unallocated Crown land, which was not formerly permitted by the permit, the Minister must within 14 days of the making of the order lodge in the Registry of Deeds a copy of the order and a copy of any plan which accompanied the order; or
(c) makes an amendment to a permit which results in a use or development being permitted on land which is unallocated Crown land or which is being purchased under a Crown lands contract, lodge with the Director-General of Lands –
(i) a copy of the order; and
(ii) a copy of any plan which accompanied the order; and
(iii) if the land is being purchased under a Crown lands contract, details of the name of the purchaser of the land –
and the Director-General must make an appropriate entry in the registers held by the Director-General.
16
Establishment and membership of combined planning authority
16 Establishment and membership of combined planning authority
(1) A combined planning authority is established by an instrument in writing signed by the Minister which appoints the members of the combined planning authority and a deputy for each of those persons on the nomination of the specified planning authorities.
(2) Subject to this section, a specified planning authority is to have the number of representatives which is specified in respect of the specified planning authority in the order declaring the major infrastructure project.
(3) If an order under section 7(2) declares that the planning approval process in respect of the major infrastructure project is to be administered by a combined planning authority, each specified planning authority must, within 28 days of the receipt by the specified planning authority of notice from the Minister under section 7(7) , nominate in writing to the Minister the persons to be appointed by the Minister to the combined planning authority as members and deputy members representing the specified planning authority.
(4) The Minister must establish the combined planning authority within 14 days of receiving all of the nominations required under subsection (3) .
(5) The Minister may remove a person from the combined planning authority following consultation with the specified planning authority which nominated that person to the combined planning authority.
(6) A person may, by notice to the Minister, resign as a member or deputy member of a combined planning authority.
(7) If a vacancy arises on a combined planning authority, the specified planning authority which nominated the person who is to be replaced may nominate a person to fill the vacancy and the Minister must appoint the person so nominated to fill that vacancy.
(8) When appointing a deputy member to a combined planning authority, the Minister is to specify the member of the combined planning authority for whom the deputy member is the deputy.
(9) If a member of a combined planning authority is unable for any reason to perform the duties of a member, the member's deputy may perform those duties and, when doing so, is taken to be that member.
17
Powers and functions of combined planning authority
17 Powers and functions of combined planning authority
(1) A combined planning authority established by the Minister under section 16 in accordance with an order under section 7(2) –
(a) is a body corporate with the name given to it in the order; and
(b) has perpetual succession; and
(c) has a seal; and
(d) may sue and be sued in its corporate name.
(2) Subject to this Act, the combined planning authority –
(a) is taken, for all purposes in connection with the major infrastructure project, to be the planning authority which administers each planning scheme or special planning order under which a permit is required for the implementation of the major infrastructure project; and
(b) is the sole planning authority with responsibility for –
(i) the receipt of any application for a permit for a use or development comprised in the major infrastructure project; and
(ii) the setting of fees for such an application; and
(iii) exercising the powers and performing the functions of the planning authority under any relevant planning scheme or special planning order in relation to the application; and
(iv) exercising the powers and performing the functions of a planning authority under any Act in relation to the application; and
(5) [Section 17 Subsection (5) amended by No. 64 of 2001, s. 7, Applied:10 Oct 2001] The fee imposed by a combined planning authority for an application for a permit may be fixed with reference to the reasonable cost of the performance by the combined planning authority of its functions including the costs of carrying out an assessment of the proposal but not including the costs of enforcing a permit granted by the combined planning authority.
(6) [Section 17 Subsection (6) amended by No. 64 of 2001, s. 7, Applied:10 Oct 2001] A combined planning authority may impose a further fee in respect of an application for a permit after receipt of that application, in order to recoup previously unanticipated costs reasonably incurred by the combined planning authority in the performance of its functions including the costs of carrying out an assessment of the proposal but not including the costs of enforcing a permit granted by the combined planning authority.
(7) Notwithstanding any other law, a combined planning authority may refuse to grant a permit until fees imposed in accordance with subsections (5) and (6) have been paid.
(8) The refusal of a combined planning authority to grant a permit until fees imposed in accordance with subsections (5) and (6) have been paid is not a failure to determine the application for the permit for the purposes of section 59 of the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 .
(11) [Section 17 Subsection (11) inserted by No. 64 of 2001, s. 7, Applied:10 Oct 2001] In determining whether costs which have been incurred by a combined planning authority in enforcing a condition or restriction of a permit are reasonable, a court is to have regard to whether the Crown has undertaken to enforce that condition or restriction.
17AA
Enforcement of conditions or restrictions of permit
17AA Enforcement of conditions or restrictions of permit
(1) If a combined planning authority is satisfied that all works authorised or required by a permit granted by the combined planning authority have been completed, the combined planning authority is to issue a certificate to that effect to each planning authority which normally administers a planning scheme or special planning order which is relevant to the works to which the certificate relates.
(2) A combined planning authority which issues a certificate under subsection (1) is to give a copy of the certificate to the holder of the permit.
(3) A planning authority to which a certificate is issued under subsection (1) is responsible for the enforcement of the permit to which the certificate relates to the extent that the permit deals with matters which would normally be within the jurisdiction of the planning authority.
(4) A planning authority which, under subsection (3) , is responsible for the enforcement of a permit may recover the reasonable costs of enforcing the permit from the holder of the permit.
(5) Costs which are payable to a planning authority under subsection (4) may be recovered as a debt in any court of competent jurisdiction.
18
Provisions with respect to meetings and administration of combined planning authority
18 Provisions with respect to meetings and administration of combined planning authority
(1) The chairperson and deputy chairperson of a combined planning authority are to be appointed by the combined planning authority from the members of the combined planning authority.
(2) The chairperson and deputy chairperson of the combined planning authority may attend and vote at the same meeting of the combined planning authority.
(4) A combined planning authority is to have a general manager.
(5) The general manager of a combined planning authority is to be appointed by the combined planning authority.
(6) The administrative support for a combined planning authority is to be provided by such specified planning authority as the combined planning authority determines.
(7) The costs and expenses incurred by a combined planning authority in performing its functions are to be shared equally between the specified planning authorities unless the combined planning authority otherwise determines.
(8) An amount due from one specified planning authority to another under subsection (7) may be recovered as a debt in any court of competent jurisdiction.
(9) A combined planning authority must maintain insurance which indemnifies it against any liability which it may incur in the performance of its functions.
18AA
Suspension of operation of combined planning authority
18AA Suspension of operation of combined planning authority
relevant day means the day specified in an order made under subsection (2) on which a combined planning authority is dissolved or the day specified in an order made under subsection (3) on which the operation of a combined planning authority is suspended, as the case may be.
(2) The Governor may make an order which dissolves a combined planning authority.
(3) The Governor may make an order which suspends the operation of a combined planning authority or which revokes the operation of such an order.
(4) If the Governor makes an order under subsection (3) which suspends the operation of a combined planning authority, the membership of the combined planning authority lapses and, on and from the relevant day and until the order is revoked –
(a) the operation of the combined planning authority is suspended, and the combined planning authority has no responsibilities, obligations or powers under this Act or any other law; and
(b) a specified planning authority which was represented on the combined planning authority has no obligation to maintain its membership of the combined planning authority.
(5) If the Governor makes an order under subsection (2) which dissolves a combined planning authority or an order under subsection (3) which suspends the operation of a combined planning authority –
(a) any assets of the combined planning authority owned by the combined planning authority immediately before the relevant day vest in the Crown on the same terms and conditions as they were vested in the combined planning authority; and
(b) all rights, obligations and liabilities of the combined planning authority subsisting immediately before the relevant day are transferred to the Crown; and
(c) any contract or agreement entered into by or on behalf of a combined planning authority before the relevant day is to be treated for all purposes as a contract or agreement entered into by the Crown; and
(d) a reference to a combined planning authority in a contract or other instrument to which the combined planning authority became a party before the relevant day is to be construed as a reference to the Crown; and
(e) any legal or other proceeding which might otherwise have been instituted or continued by or against a combined planning authority in respect of any matter arising before the relevant day may be instituted or continued by or against the Crown; and
(f) a permit granted by the combined planning authority may be corrected in accordance with section 55 of theLand Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 by any specified planning authority which was represented on the combined planning authority, as if the permit had been granted by the specified planning authority; and
(g) a permit granted by the combined planning authority may be amended in accordance with section 56 of theLand Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 by any specified planning authority which was represented on the combined planning authority, as if the permit had been granted by the specified planning authority; and
(h) subject to subsection (7) , any permit which is required for the implementation of the major infrastructure project may be issued by the planning authority which normally administers the planning scheme or special planning order which is relevant to the use or development to which the permit relates.
(6) Paragraphs (f) and (g) of subsection (5) do not apply unless the specified planning authority has first obtained the consent of each other specified planning authority which was represented on the combined planning authority.
(7) Subsection (5)(h) ceases to apply in relation to an order under subsection (3) which suspends the operation of a combined planning authority if that order is revoked.
(8) As soon as practicable after an order under subsection (2) or (3) has taken effect, the Minister must –
(a) give written notice of the taking effect of the order to –
(i) the Commission; and
(ii) each specified planning authority which, at the time when the order was made, was represented on the combined planning authority; and
(b) advertise the taking effect of the order in a newspaper circulating in the area over which the combined planning authority had jurisdiction.
(9) If the Governor makes an order under subsection (3) which revokes an order which suspends the operation of a combined planning authority –
(a) each specified planning authority which is to be represented on the combined planning authority must, within 28 days of the receipt by the specified planning authority of notice of the revocation order from the Minister under subsection (8) , nominate in writing to the Minister the persons to be appointed by the Minister to the combined planning authority as members and deputy members representing the specified planning authority; and
(b) the Minister must appoint members and deputy members to the combined planning authority within 14 days of receiving all of the nominations required under paragraph (a) .
(10) Any instrument made for the purposes of subsection (5) is exempt from stamp duty and may be filed, recorded or registered without payment of any fee.
18A
Order declaring part of order declaring major infrastructure project to cease to have effect
18A Order declaring part of order declaring major infrastructure project to cease to have effect
(1) The Governor may make an order which declares that a provision or part of a provision included in an order made under section 7(2) pursuant to section 10(3) is to –
(a) cease to have effect; or
(b) cease to have effect in such manner or to such extent as is specified in the order –
from a date specified in the order.
(2) On the making of an order under subsection (1) , each provision or part of a provision to which the order relates ceases to have effect in accordance with the terms of the order.
19
Amendment of order declaring major infrastructure project
19 Amendment of order declaring major infrastructure project
(1) The Minister may recommend to the Governor the making of an order which amends an order made by the Governor under section 7(2) .
(2) Before making a recommendation to the Governor under subsection (1) , the Minister must determine whether the proposed amending order will alter the order made by the Governor under section 7(2) to such an extent or to such effect that the amending order should be submitted to Parliament for its approval.
(3) The Governor may make an order in accordance with a recommendation made under subsection (1) .
(4) An order under subsection (3) is to be published in the Gazette.
(5) An order under subsection (3) is to state that the Minister has determined –
(a) that the order will not alter the order made by the Governor under section 7(2) to such an extent or to such effect that the amending order should be submitted to Parliament for its approval; or
(b) that the order will alter the order made by the Governor under section 7(2) to such an extent or to such effect that the amending order should be submitted to Parliament for its approval.
(6) The Minister must cause an order under subsection (3) to be laid before each House of Parliament within the first 10 sitting days of the House after it is published in the Gazette.
(7) An order which includes a statement under subsection (5)(b) is of no effect until it has been approved by both Houses of Parliament.
(8) For the purpose of subsection (7) , a House of Parliament is taken to have approved an order under subsection (3) if a copy of it has been laid on the table of that House and –
(a) it is approved by that House; or
(b) at the expiration of 15 sitting days after it was laid on the table of that House, no notice has been given of a motion to disallow it or, if such notice has been given, the notice has been withdrawn or negatived; or
(c) if any notice of a motion to disallow it is given during that period of 15 sitting days, the notice is, after the expiration of that period, withdrawn or negatived.
20
Revocation of order declaring major infrastructure project
20 Revocation of order declaring major infrastructure project
(1) The Minister may recommend to the Governor the making of an order which revokes an order made under section 7(2) on the ground that –
(a) there has been a breach or failure to comply with a requirement, term or condition of the order; or
(b) there has been a failure to apply to a planning authority for a permit for each use or development comprised in the major infrastructure project within a period of 12 months from the date of the order or such further period as the Minister may have allowed in accordance with section 11(6)(b) ; or
(2) The Governor may make an order in accordance with a recommendation made under subsection (1) .
(3) An order under subsection (2) is to be published in the Gazette.
(4) The Minister must cause an order under subsection (2) to be laid before each House of Parliament within the first 10 sitting days of the House after it is so published.
(5) No action may be brought against the Crown or any servant or agent of the Crown for loss sustained by reason of the making of an order under subsection (2) .
(a) any permit granted since the making of the order under section 7(2) for a use or development comprised in the major infrastructure project ceases to have effect; and
(b) section 73(3)(a) of the Land Acquisition Act 1993 applies to any land acquired by the Crown under that Act for the purposes of the major infrastructure project to which the order relates.
21
Referral of planning approval process to Commission by Minister
21 Referral of planning approval process to Commission by Minister
(1) If a specified planning authority or a combined planning authority fails to fulfil any of its obligations under this Act and does not remedy that failure within 14 days of being required by notice in writing from the Minister to do so, the Minister may by order declare that the planning approval process in respect of the major infrastructure project is to be administered by the Commission.
(2) If the Minister determines that –
(a) a combined planning authority has become unworkable; and
(b) the situation cannot be suitably remedied using the Minister's powers under section 16 –
the Minister may by order dismiss the members and deputy members of the combined planning authority and declare that the planning approval process in respect of the major infrastructure project is to be administered by the Commission.
(3) The Minister must cause an order under this section to be laid before each House of Parliament within the first 10 sitting days of the House after the order is made together with a statement of the Minister's reasons for making the order.
22
Assessment and approval of major infrastructure project by Commission
22 Assessment and approval of major infrastructure project by Commission
(1) This section applies if –
(a) an order under section 7(2) declares that the planning approval process in respect of a major infrastructure project is to be administered by the Commission; or
(b) an order is made by the Minister under section 21 declaring that the planning approval process in respect of a major infrastructure project is to be administered by the Commission.
(2) Where this section applies, the Commission –
(a) is taken, for all purposes in connection with the major infrastructure project, to be the planning authority which administers each planning scheme or special planning order under which a permit is required for the implementation of the major infrastructure project; and
(b) is the sole planning authority with responsibility for –
(i) the receipt of any application for a permit for a use or development comprised in the major infrastructure project; and
(ii) the setting of fees for such an application; and
(iii) exercising the powers and performing the functions of the planning authority under any relevant planning scheme or special planning order in relation to the application; and
(iv) exercising the powers and performing the functions of a planning authority under any Act in relation to the application; and
(5) The fee imposed by the Commission for an application for a permit may be fixed with reference to the reasonable cost of the performance by the Commission of its functions with respect to the application including the costs of carrying out an assessment of the proposal.
(6) The Commission may impose a further fee in respect of an application for a permit after receipt of that application, in order to recoup previously unanticipated costs reasonably incurred by the Commission in the performance of its functions with respect to the application including the costs of carrying out an assessment of the proposal.
(7) Notwithstanding any other law, the Commission may refuse to grant a permit until fees imposed in accordance with subsections (5) and (6) have been paid.
(9) If the Commission assumes the administration of the planning approval process in respect of a major infrastructure project by reason of an order made by the Minister under section 21 , the Commission may adopt anything previously done by the combined planning authority or may, by notice to the proponent, elect to repeat anything so done.
(10) A notice to the proponent under subsection (9) is to specify the thing done by the combined planning authority which the Commission has elected to repeat and the Commission's reasons for electing to repeat that thing.
(11) Except to the extent specified by a notice under subsection (9) , anything done by the combined planning authority in relation to the major infrastructure project before the Minister's order is to be taken to have been done by the Commission.
Part 3
Miscellaneous
Part 3 Miscellaneous
23
Regulations
23 Regulations
(1) The Governor may make regulations for the purposes of this Act.
(2) Regulations made under this Act may –
(a) authorise any matter to be determined, applied or regulated by a person or body specified in the regulations; and
(b) be made subject to conditions or so as to apply differently according to matters, limitations or restrictions, whether as to time, circumstance or otherwise, specified in the regulations.
(a) the administration of this Act is assigned to the Minister for Primary Industries, Water and Environment; and
(b) the department responsible to the Minister for Primary Industries, Water and Environment in relation to the administration of this Act is the Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment.
25.
The amendment effected by this section has been incorporated into the authorised version of the Land Acquisition Act 1993 .*
Sourced from Tasmanian Legislation Online (legislation.tas.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.
Part 1 Preliminary
Part 1 Preliminary
1 Short title
1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the Major Infrastructure Development Approvals Act 1999 .
2 Commencement
2 Commencement
This Act commences on the day on which this Act receives the Royal Assent.
3 Interpretation
3 Interpretation
(1) In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears –
combined planning authority means a combined planning authority established by the Minister under section 16 ;
[Section 3 Subsection (1) amended by No. 28 of 2009, s. 34, Applied:01 Sep 2009][Section 3 Subsection (1) amended by No. 28 of 2009, s. 34, Applied:01 Sep 2009]Commission means the Tasmanian Planning Commission established under the Tasmanian Planning Commission Act 1997 ;
council has the same meaning as in the Local Government Act 1993 ;
council committee has the same meaning as in the Local Government Act 1993 ;
Crown lands contract means a contract made under the Crown Lands Act 1976 or a corresponding previous enactment;
general manager means the person appointed under section 18(5) as the general manager of a combined planning authority;
major infrastructure project means a project declared by the Governor to be a major infrastructure project by an order under section 7(2) ;
municipal area has the same meaning as in the Local Government Act 1993 ;
The Act interlocks with LUAPAA and other statutes rather than replacing them: it requires assessment under LUAPAA and the Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994 (s 5) but gives the Governor and Minister targeted powers to modify procedural requirements, create combined planning authorities (ss 16-18), and allocate costs and liabilities (s 18; s 18AA). It also preserves certain immunities and protections, for example shielding planning authorities from action for good faith acceptance of applications where notice rules were deficient (s 11(4AAA)-(4AA)).
Practical consequences: the Act centralises decision‑making for large linear infrastructure (roads, rail, pipelines, powerlines, telecoms and prescribed linear infrastructure) where the executive declares a project to be "major", enables corridor‑based approvals and title registration, permits financial assurances and fees to be imposed on proponents, and provides routes to transfer responsibility to the Commission or to revoke orders where terms are breached.
Main concepts
Definitions and statutory labels in s 3 and across the Act organise the machinery. The following are the core concepts and the statutory mechanics that flow from them.
Major infrastructure project. The project must be declared by Governor in Executive Council on Ministerial recommendation (s 7). The Act constrains the Minister before making such a recommendation: the project must principally comprise construction of linear infrastructure specified in s 8(1)(a) (road, railway, pipeline, powerline as defined in the Electricity Supply Industry Act 1995, telecommunications cable or link, or other prescribed linear infrastructure), the Minister must have a comprehensive proponent report (s 8(1)(b)), must give councils at least 28 days' notice and consider their representations (s 8(1)(c),(3)), and the Minister must be satisfied the declaration is in the public interest (s 8(1)(d)). In determining public interest, the Minister must have regard to matters that may be prescribed (s 8(2)).
Proponent. Defined in s 3, the proponent is the person proposing to proceed with the project. The order identifying the proponent can impose obligations on that person including bonds or pecuniary payments to the Crown (s 10(1)(a); s 10(3)(e),(f)) and terms and conditions (s 10(3)(g)).
Notified corridor and corridor plans. Where a project is defined by reference to a corridor, the proponent must lodge a plan identifying corridor boundaries with sufficient accuracy so owners can determine impact (s 14(1)-(2)). The Minister must serve notice of the proposed corridor on the Commission, affected planning authorities and each owner of land within the corridor (s 14(3)). A notified corridor can be registered on title or deed registers and entries must be lodged within statutory timeframes (s 15(1)-(3)). A notified corridor remains a notified corridor even if some notices were defective or late (ss 14(6A), 14A(8)).
Combined planning authority. The Act allows the Governor, by order, to require that a combined planning authority administer the planning approval process where a project spans multiple municipal areas (s 10(3)(b)). The Minister establishes a combined planning authority by instrument appointing members on nominations from specified planning authorities (s 16(1),(3)-(4)). For the major infrastructure project the combined planning authority is the sole planning authority for receipt and determination of permits, setting fees, exercising powers and enforcing permits (s 17(2)). The Local Government Act 1993 provisions listed in Schedule 1 and certain meeting procedures apply to a combined planning authority as if it were a council (s 18(3); Schedule 1).
The Commission. Where the order provides, or where the Minister later directs, the Commission may administer the approvals process (s 10(3)(c); ss 21-22). The Commission must amend planning schemes or special planning orders to remove inconsistencies as soon as practicable (s 11A), must exhibit and finalise planning criteria for assessment of proposals (s 12), and is the sole planning authority when it assumes administration (s 22(2)).
Financial assurance, costs and fees. Orders can require the proponent to deliver a bond or specified pecuniary sum to be forfeited on default (s 10(3)(e)). Orders can require payment to the Crown to cover assessment costs (s 10(3)(f)); such amounts are debts recoverable by the Crown (s 11(7)). Combined planning authorities and the Commission may fix fees reflecting the reasonable costs of performing their functions, may impose further fees to recoup unanticipated costs, and may refuse to grant a permit until fees are paid (s 17(5)-(8); s 22(5)-(8)). Combined planning authorities may recover reasonable enforcement costs from permit holders and sue to recover those costs (s 17(9)-(10)); planning authorities which receive certificates under s 17A may likewise recover enforcement costs (s 17A(4)-(5)).
Compensation and injurious affection. Owners of land injuriously affected by the corridor proposal or by grant of a permit within the corridor are entitled to compensation from the initial proponent, with claims governed by procedures analogous to the Land Acquisition Act and subject to a 12‑month limitation (s 14(12)-(15)). Compensation payable under the Land Acquisition Act excludes duplication in respect of injurious affection (s 14(17)).
Ministerial amendment, urgent amendment and revocation. The Minister may recommend amendments to orders and may request the Governor to make amendment or revocation orders (ss 19-20). There is a separate urgent amendment route for permits via the Minister to extend corridors beyond notified boundaries and to amend permits (s 14B). Revocation is authorised where terms or conditions of the order are breached, or where a proponent fails to apply for permits within prescribed time frames (s 20).
These concepts form a procedural architecture that centralises and, in many respects, compresses the ordinary planning process for specified large linear projects by giving the executive scope to modify notification and scheme rules, select the approval administrator, require financial security from proponents, and create corridor‑based rights and encumbrances recorded on title.
Who it affects
The Act allocates duties, costs and rights across several discrete groups. The statutory positions are explicit and the operational incentives are consequential.
Proponents. The primary target of the statutory regime is the proponent identified in the Governor's order (s 10(1)(a)). The proponent must provide a comprehensive project report to the Minister prior to recommendation (s 8(1)(b)), lodge plans for corridors (s 14(1)), and may be required by the order to lodge a bond or specified pecuniary sum with the Crown or to pay amounts to cover assessment and approval costs (s 10(3)(e),(f); s 11(6)-(7)). If the proponent fails to comply with order terms, the bond may be forfeited (s 11(6)(a)-(c)), and revocation of the order can result (s 20(1)-(6)).
Owners of land and purchasers under Crown lands contract. Owners within notified corridors are explicitly put on notice: the Minister must serve notice on each owner of land within the corridor (s 14(3)). Owners are entitled to compensation from the initial proponent for injurious affection arising from the corridor proposal or a permit grant (s 14(12)-(15)), subject to the 12‑month claim window. Purchasers under Crown lands contract are included in several definitions and rights (s 3 definition of owner) and the Director‑General of Lands must register notices affecting Crown land or land under Crown contract (s 15(1)(c)-(2)). Land acquired by the Crown for a project is treated as acquired for a "public purpose" under the Land Acquisition Act (s 11(1)(c)), and sale of such land has additional parliamentary and permit preconditions (s 13).
Councils and specified planning authorities. Councils in affected municipal areas must be given at least 28 days' notice before the Minister recommends designation and must have their representations considered (s 8(1)(c)-(3)). Councils have a statutory duty to respond in writing within 21 days, stating support or reasons for non‑support (s 9(1)). Where a combined planning authority is established, the specified planning authorities nominate members and deputy members to it within 28 days (s 16(3)). Councils remain involved: if a combined planning authority issues a certificate under s 17A, the normal local planning authority assumes enforcement responsibility for ongoing obligations (s 17A(3)).
Combined planning authorities. Created by Ministerial instrument on nominations (s 16(1)), combined planning authorities become the sole planning authority for the project for the purposes specified in s 17(2). They set fees (s 17(5)-(6)), may refuse to grant permits until fees are paid (s 17(7)-(8)), and may recover enforcement costs from permit holders (s 17(9)-(10)). Administrative support and cost‑sharing rules are codified: general manager appointment and administrative support by a specified planning authority; costs are shared equally unless the combined planning authority decides otherwise (s 18(4)-(8)).
The Tasmanian Planning Commission. The Act gives the Commission a central role where it is specified to administer the approvals process or where the Minister refers administration to it (s 10(3)(c); s 21). The Commission must amend inconsistent planning schemes as soon as practicable (s 11A) and has functions mirroring those of a planning authority when it administers the process (s 22(2)). The Commission also performs a public exhibition role in finalising planning criteria for use by planning authorities (s 12).
The Crown and Crown instrumentalities. The Act binds the Crown (s 4(1)). Orders can impose duties on Crown instrumentalities and agencies to supply guidelines and information to the proponent by specified dates (s 10(3)(d)). If a combined planning authority is dissolved or suspended, its assets, liabilities and contracts vest in the Crown and proceedings may be continued by or against the Crown (s 18AA(5)).
Interested third parties: regulators with specialist mandates. The Minister must consider environmental and heritage consequences when exercising emergency corridor amendment powers, and may obtain advice from the Director, Environment Protection Authority, the Board of the Environment Protection Authority, or the Tasmanian Heritage Council in determining "public interest" or urgent amendments (s 14B(7)(c)-(d)). These statutory referral points bring specialist regulators into the process.
Costs, burdens and incentives are concentrated: the proponent bears upfront reporting, corridor‑plan and financial assurance obligations, and is the primary payor of compensation for injurious affection. Councils and owners have procedural participation rights and potential compensation rights, but notification and other procedural protections can be disapplied by order (s 10(3)(a); s 11(2)-(4)). The Commission and combined planning authorities gain concentrated administrative powers and fee‑raising capacity. The Crown takes on contingent obligations and potential liabilities where combined authorities are suspended or dissolved (s 18AA).
Key duties and rights
The Act allocates a sequence of duties on different actors and recognises specific statutory rights. The duties are procedural and substantive; cross‑statutory obligations import LUAPAA and the Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994 (s 5).
Duties of the Minister and Governor
Recommendation and order. The Minister may recommend and the Governor may make an order declaring a major infrastructure project (s 7(1)-(2)). The Minister must publish the order in the Gazette and lay it before both Houses within 10 sitting days (s 7(3)-(4)). An order is of no effect until approved by both Houses (s 7(5)-(6)).
Notification duties. After an order takes effect, the Minister must notify the Commission, each planning authority affected, and each instrumentality or agency of the Crown on which obligations are imposed (s 7(7)(a)). The Minister must advertise the order in a local newspaper (s 7(7)(b)).
Corridor notice. If a corridor is part of the order definition, the proponent must lodge a plan and the Minister must serve notice on the Commission, planning authorities and each owner of land within the corridor (s 14(1)-(3)). The Minister must also lodge copies with the appropriate title or deed registries within 14 days (s 15(1)).
Duties of the proponent
Report and plan. Before the Minister can recommend a declaration, the proponent must supply a comprehensive project report containing prescribed information (s 8(1)(b)). For corridor projects the proponent must lodge a corridor plan with the Minister as soon as practicable after the order takes effect (s 14(1)).
Financial assurances and payments. The order may require the proponent to lodge a bond or guarantee or to pay specified pecuniary sums by specified dates to cover costs; failure can result in forfeiture or debt recovery (s 10(3)(e),(f); s 11(6)-(7)).
Liability for injurious affection. Owners of land injuriously affected by a corridor proposal or permit are entitled to compensation from the initial proponent (s 14(12)-(15)).
Duties and rights of councils and planning authorities
Pre‑declaration engagement. Councils must receive at least 28 days' notice of a proposed recommendation and may make representations; the Minister must consider those representations (s 8(1)(c),(3)). Councils must respond in writing within 21 days stating support or reasons for opposition (s 9(1)).
Request for Commission administration. A council may request that the Commission administer the approvals process for the project (s 9(2)).
Performance obligations when combined authority exists. If a combined planning authority is established, councils which are specified must nominate members, and once the combined authority functions, specified planning authorities must perform functions with due regard to the consequences of the project (s 16(3); s 11(8)).
Duties of the combined planning authority and Commission
Sole authority for project permits. A combined planning authority, once established, is the sole planning authority for receipt, fee setting, exercising powers and functions, correcting and amending permits for the project (s 17(2)(b)(i)-(vi)). The Commission has the equivalent role when it administers the process (s 22(2)).
Fee and cost recovery. Combined planning authorities and the Commission may fix fees to reflect reasonable costs and may impose further fees to recover unanticipated costs (s 17(5)-(6); s 22(5)-(6)). They may refuse to grant a permit until those fees are paid and such refusal is not a failure to determine for the purposes of s 59 LUAPAA (s 17(7)-(8); s 22(7)-(8)).
Enforcement and cost recovery. Combined planning authorities may recover reasonable costs of enforcing a permit from the permit holder and sue for those costs in court (s 17(9)-(10)). The Commission, when it issues permits, leaves enforcement to the normal planning authority per s 22(4), and that planning authority may recover enforcement costs under s 17A(4)-(5).
Rights of owners and permit applicants
Compensation for injurious affection. Owners (and purchasers under Crown lands contracts) are entitled to compensation from the initial proponent where their land is injuriously affected by a corridor proposal or by grant of a permit (s 14(12)). Claims must be made within 12 months of notice of the corridor or of the grant of the permit (s 14(14)). Disputed claims are determined in the same manner as disputed claims under the Land Acquisition Act 1993, treating the initial proponent as an acquiring authority (s 14(15)).
Participation and notice rights. Where the order disapplies s 52(1) LUAPAA, special notice provisions apply: the applicant must serve notice at least 14 days before application on the owner of the land and, for corridor applications, owners of all land within the corridor (s 11(2)). The Act prescribes contents of those notices (s 11(3)) and provides that an application accepted despite defective or missing notices is taken to be valid and that planning authorities acting in good faith are protected from action (s 11(4AAA)-(4AA)).
Ministerial and Parliamentary safeguards
Parliamentary approval and laying requirements for orders and amending orders are carefully set out (ss 7, 19). Where an amending order would alter the original order to such an extent that Parliamentary approval is needed, the Minister must determine that and the amending order is of no effect until both Houses approve it (s 19(2), (5)-(8)). Revocation grounds are identified (s 20(1)), and the Minister must lay any revocation before Parliament (s 20(3)-(4)). The Act also includes an express bar on bringing action against the Crown or Crown servants for loss sustained by reason of the making of a revocation order (s 20(5)).
Cross‑statutory duties
The Act requires assessment and approval under LUAPAA and the Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994 (s 5), and requires that everyone exercising functions under this Act further the LUAPAA planning objectives in Schedule 1 LUAPAA (s 6). The Commission must also amend inconsistent planning schemes and special orders as soon as practicable (s 11A).
These duties and rights set up a regime where the executive can reconfigure ordinary planning procedure for specified projects, at the same time imposing upfront financial and information obligations on proponents and preserving specified participation and compensation rights for owners.
Penalties and enforcement
The Act provides statutory mechanisms for enforcement of permits, recovery of costs and forfeiture of financial securities, but it contains few express criminal penalties. Enforcement and remedy paths are primarily civil and administrative, often conducted under LUAPAA.
Enforcement of permit conditions
Combined planning authorities may enforce conditions or restrictions of permits they grant under the enforcement provisions of the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993, specifically ss 63 and 64 of LUAPAA, and s 17AA confirms for the avoidance of doubt that a condition of a permit granted by a combined planning authority is enforceable as if it were imposed by a planning authority under LUAPAA (s 17AA). The combined planning authority may itself enforce permits while it retains jurisdiction (s 17(2)(b)(vii) as amended; s 17AA).
Where the combined planning authority is satisfied all authorised or required works have been completed, it must issue a certificate to each planning authority normally administering a relevant planning scheme (s 17A(1)-(2)); thereafter the local planning authority becomes responsible for enforcement to the extent the permit concerns matters within its jurisdiction (s 17A(3)). That local authority may recover reasonable enforcement costs from the permit holder and recover those costs as a debt in court (s 17A(4)-(5)).
Cost recovery and debts
The Act expressly provides that amounts required by an order to be paid to the Crown to cover costs and expenses are debts due to the Crown and recoverable in any court of competent jurisdiction (s 11(7)). Combined planning authorities and the Commission may fix application fees reflecting reasonable costs and may impose further fees to recoup unanticipated costs (s 17(5)-(6); s 22(5)-(6)), and may refuse to grant a permit until such fees are paid (s 17(7)-(8); s 22(7)-(8)). Combined planning authorities may recover reasonable enforcement costs from permit holders and sue for those costs (s 17(9)-(10)).
Forfeiture of bonds and financial assurances
Where the order requires the proponent to lodge a bond or specified pecuniary sum to be forfeited on failure to comply with terms or conditions of the order, the bond or sum is forfeited to the Crown on failure to comply with those terms, failure to apply for permits within the prescribed windows (12 months or an allowed extension up to 24 months), or where a permit lapses under LUAPAA s 53(5) (s 11(6)(a)-(c)). Forfeiture is a civil consequence; the Act does not create a separate criminal offence for breach.
Revocation and consequential effects
The Governor may revoke an order declaring a project to be a major infrastructure project on grounds including breach of order conditions or failure to apply for permits within timeframes, or lapse of a permit (s 20(1)-(3)). If an order is revoked, any permits granted since the initial order cease to have effect (s 20(6)(a)). The Act also provides that no action may be brought against the Crown or any Crown servant or agent for loss sustained by reason of the making of a revocation order (s 20(5)). This provides a protective ring around Crown decision‑making when revoking orders.
Immunities and procedural protections
The Act shields planning authorities from action for decisions to accept an application where notices were defective, if that decision was taken in good faith (s 11(4AA)). This both reduces litigation risk for authorities and concentrates any dispute on merits and compensation claims rather than procedural challenges to validity of the application where the application has already been accepted (s 11(4AAA) confirms validity despite deficient notice).
Appeals and review
Appeals in respect of the grant or amendment of permits granted by a combined planning authority or by the Commission are to be taken against the combined planning authority or the Commission respectively under LUAPAA appeal provisions (s 17(3); s 22(3)). The Act references LUAPAA sections governing determination periods (s 11(1)(f) referencing s 57(6)(b) and s 59 LUAPAA) and the LUAPAA appeal window (s 13 referencing s 61 LUAPAA). Thus judicial or merits review of permit decisions will ride on LUAPAA processes and the normal appeal avenues.
Regulatory rule‑making and penalties
The Governor may make regulations for the Act (s 23). The Act does not itself list criminal penalties for contraventions; enforcement remedies provided are civil (forfeiture, debt recovery, cost recovery, cancellation of permits). Any additional offences or penalties would therefore be located in LUAPAA or in regulations if enacted.
Practical enforcement implications
Enforcement costs can be recovered and are recoverable as debts, which puts financial pressure on permit holders to comply with conditions and to pay fees imposed by combined planning authorities or the Commission (s 17(9)-(10); s 22(5)-(8); s 11(7)). The possibility of bond forfeiture and the debt recovery power for Crown‑required payments create enforceable financial sticks on proponents (s 11(6)-(7)). Revocation of an order has the extreme effect of invalidating permits and triggering Land Acquisition Act consequences for Crown‑acquired land (s 20(6)(a)-(b)). The combination of civil enforcement powers, fee recovery and bond forfeiture is the Act’s practical enforcement architecture.
How it interacts with other laws
The Act is integrative and overtly cross‑references multiple existing instruments. It does not create an autonomous planning code; instead it modifies and superimposes special rules over the existing statutory architecture for planning, heritage, environment and land acquisition.
Primary interactions
Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 (LUAPAA). LUAPAA provides the baseline planning assessment and approval regime. The Act requires that, subject to the Act’s modifications, assessment and approval of uses or developments comprised in a major infrastructure project are to be conducted in accordance with LUAPAA and the Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994 (s 5). The Governor’s order may declare that compliance with LUAPAA s 52(1) (the notice to owners requirement) is not required (s 10(3)(a)); where that happens, the Act specifies alternative notice rules (s 11(2)-(3)). The Act also references LUAPAA provisions governing discretion to permit or refuse (s 11(1)(a)), periods for determination (s 11(1)(f) citing s 57(6)(b) and s 59 LUAPAA), correction and amendment of permits (s 17(2)(b)(v)-(vi); s 22(2)(b)(v)-(vi)), appeals (s 17(3); s 22(3)), and enforcement under LUAPAA ss 63 and 64 (s 17AA).
Land Acquisition Act 1993. The Act treats an order declaring a project a major infrastructure project as making the project a "public purpose" for the Land Acquisition Act (s 11(1)(c)). It also states that s 73(3)(a) of the Land Acquisition Act does not apply to land acquired for the project (s 11(1)(d)). The Act further restricts sale of land acquired under the Land Acquisition Act for the project, requiring authorisation in the original order or parliamentary approval and a permit to be granted before sale (s 13). Revocation of an order triggers application of s 73(3)(a) of the Land Acquisition Act to any land acquired by the Crown for the project (s 20(6)(b)). Compensation dispute procedures for injurious affection are to be determined in the same manner as disputed claims under the Land Acquisition Act, treating the initial proponent as an acquiring authority (s 14(15)).
Crown Lands Act 1976. The Act defines "Crown lands contract" and allows the Crown to sell easements without a dominant tenement acquired pursuant to this Act and to grant easements in gross over Crown land for the purposes of a project (s 13A). The Act also requires the Minister to lodge notices affecting unallocated Crown land or land under Crown contract with the Director‑General of Lands (s 15(1)(c)-(2)).
Local Government Act 1993. The Act borrows governance and meeting procedure provisions for combined planning authorities: it applies specified provisions of the Local Government Act and the Local Government (Meeting Procedures) Regulations 2005 to a combined planning authority as if the authority were a council (s 18(3); Schedule 1 lists the applicable provisions). The combined planning authority must share costs among specified planning authorities (s 18(7)) and members are appointed from specified planning authorities (s 16).
Valuation of Land Act 2001 and Land Titles Act 1980; Registration of Deeds Act 1935. The Act specifies where notices and plans must be lodged and registered: for land under the Land Titles Act with the Recorder of Titles, for land not under the Land Titles Act but not unallocated Crown land, with the Registry of Deeds, and for unallocated Crown land or land being purchased under a Crown lands contract with the Director‑General of Lands (s 15(1)-(2)). Notices and permits that alter the notified corridor must be lodged appropriately (s 15(3)-(5)).
Environmental and heritage legislation. The Act requires that assessment and approval be conducted in accordance with the Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994 (s 5). When the Minister exercises urgent amendment powers under s 14B, the Minister must have regard to potential environmental effects and may obtain advice from the Director of the Environment Protection Authority or the Board of the Environment Protection Authority (s 14B(7)(c)). The Minister must also have regard to potential effects on archaeological, architectural, cultural, historical, scientific, social or technical values and may obtain advice from the Tasmanian Heritage Council (s 14B(7)(d)).
Operational interactions and consequences
The Act modifies the operation of LUAPAA rather than replacing it: it sets up alternative notice regimes where LUAPAA s 52(1) is disapplied (s 10(3)(a); s 11(2)-(4)), and requires planning criteria to be prepared, exhibited and finalised by the Commission (s 12). Where a combined planning authority or the Commission administers approvals, they act as the planning authority for all relevant purposes, exercising LUAPAA powers and functions in relation to the project (s 17(2); s 22(2)). Appeals in relation to these decisions are to be taken against the combined planning authority or the Commission under LUAPAA (s 17(3); s 22(3)).
Registration and land title effects. Notified corridors are lodged on titles or deeds (s 15(1)), producing entries on folios of the register; permits that describe corridors which differ from notified corridors must be lodged and will produce appropriate entries or caveats (s 15(3)-(5)). The Act makes a notified corridor effective even where some notices were late or defective (s 14(6A); s 14A(8)). This interacts with ordinary title notice regimes by producing Crown‑protected encumbrances noticeable on registers.
Compensation and acquisition. Compensation for injurious affection is payable by the initial proponent under the Act and disputes are determined in the same way as Land Acquisition Act disputes (s 14(12)-(15)). Where land has been acquired under the Land Acquisition Act for the project, the Act places limits on sale and imposes Parliamentary oversight (s 13).
In short, the Act operates as a targeted overlay on top of existing planning, environmental and land acquisition laws, creating special procedural and substantive rules for defined major infrastructure projects while relying on, and modifying, existing legal frameworks.
Amendment history
The text provided contains embedded amendment annotations identifying specific insertions and modifications. Below is a collated list of the amendments that appear in the source text, with the sections affected and the statutory instruments and dates cited in the text. This list is limited to the amendments shown in the provided instrument and does not purport to be an exhaustive historical account outside that text.
Section 3(1) amendments: The definition block in s 3(1) indicates an amendment by No. 28 of 2009, s 34, applied 01 Sep 2009. The annotation appears alongside the definitions (s 3(1) amended by No. 28 of 2009, s 34).
Sections introduced or amended in 2001:
s 3(1) also carries an amendment note by No. 19 of 2001, s 4, applied 12 Apr 2001 (annotation adjacent to "notified corridor" definition).
s 11: multiple later subsections were inserted or amended by No. 64 of 2001 and No. 102 of 2001 with application dates. Specifically, s 11(3A) inserted by No. 64 of 2001, s 4, applied 10 Oct 2001; s 11(3A) amended by No. 102 of 2001, Sch. 1, applied 28 Jun 2002. Also, s 11(4AAA) and s 11(4AA) are marked as inserted by No. 64 of 2001, s 4, applied 10 Oct 2001. s 11(4A) was inserted by No. 19 of 2001, s 5, applied 12 Apr 2001.
Sections introduced or amended in 2001 relating to corridors and permits:
s 11A was inserted by No. 19 of 2001, s 6, applied 12 Apr 2001.
s 13A was inserted by No. 19 of 2001, s 7, applied 12 Apr 2001.
s 14A and s 14B were inserted by No. 19 of 2001, s 8, applied 12 Apr 2001.
s 15 subsection (1) was amended by No. 19 of 2001, s 9, applied 12 Apr 2001; s 15(6) was inserted by No. 19 of 2001, s 9, applied 12 Apr 2001 (noted as inserted).
s 16-19 contain amendment annotations in the source relating to the 2001 changes.
Later amendments:
s 18(3) was amended by No. 9 of 2005, Sch. 2, applied 01 Jul 2005; Schedule 1 references that amendment. Schedule 1 was also amended by No. 9 of 2005, Sch. 2, applied 01 Jul 2005 in some items.
s 14B(7) was amended by No. 76 of 2007, Sch. 1, applied 01 Jul 2008 (annotation attached to s 14B(7)).
s 17: multiple subsections reference amendment by No. 64 of 2001, s 7, applied 10 Oct 2001 for insertion of subsections and further changes.
s 17AA was inserted by No. 28 of 2003, s 4, applied 04 Jun 2003.
s 18AA was inserted by No. 28 of 2003, s 5, applied 04 Jun 2003.
s 18A was inserted by No. 19 of 2001, s 10, applied 12 Apr 2001.
s 22 subsections were amended by No. 64 of 2001, s 10, applied 10 Oct 2001.
Schedule and cross‑references:
Schedule 1 (Local Government Act provisions applied to combined planning authority) includes annotation showing amendment by No. 9 of 2005, Sch. 2, applied 01 Jul 2005 with respect to items 4 and 13 and references to the Local Government (Meeting Procedures) Regulations 2005.
s 15(1)(a)-(c) and related lodging provisions show amendments by No. 19 of 2001, s 9, applied 12 Apr 2001.
These annotations in the text indicate a pattern of post‑enactment modification in the early 2000s (2001-2003), the mid‑2000s (2005, 2007-2008) and a later 2009 change. The source text indicates the specific inserted subsections and the amending Acts and schedules for the insertions and amendments it contains, with application dates. The Act itself contains multiple provisions labelled as "inserted by" or "amended by" which are reproduced in the working text.
Note on limits. The list above is restricted to the amendment annotations shown in the supplied Act text. It does not attempt to summarise any legislative history, explanatory memoranda, or parliamentary debates beyond what the Act itself annotates. For a comprehensive legislative history beyond the embedded notes, consult the parliamentary records and the statutes register.
Litigation history
The provided Act text does not itself cite decisions or list litigation history. It contains procedural protections and references to appeal and dispute processes under the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 and the Land Acquisition Act 1993 which establish substantive pathways by which disputes and litigation may arise. From the statutory text one can identify the statutory routes that would generate litigation or administrative review, although the Act as provided does not record any reported cases.
Key statutory litigation and appeals pathways implied by the Act
Appeals under LUAPAA. The Act explicitly states that appeals in respect of the grant or amendment of a permit by a combined planning authority or the Commission are to be taken against that body under LUAPAA (s 17(3); s 22(3)). Consequently standard LUAPAA appeal mechanisms (including the time limits in s 61 LUAPAA referred to in s 13 of this Act) will govern merits appeals.
Compensation disputes under the Land Acquisition Act framework. Claims for compensation for injurious affection against the initial proponent are to be determined in the same manner as disputed claims under the Land Acquisition Act 1993, as if the initial proponent were an acquiring authority (s 14(15)). That cross‑reference creates an administrative and judicial review pathway consistent with Land Acquisition Act dispute resolution procedures.
Debt recovery and enforcement litigation. The Crown may recover amounts specified in an order as debts (s 11(7)). Combined planning authorities and planning authorities enforcing permits may recover costs as debts (s 17(10); s 17A(5)). Such recoveries would typically proceed through civil court processes.
Statutory immunities that limit litigation
Protection for planning authorities accepting applications. The Act provides that an application accepted by a planning authority is taken to be valid notwithstanding failure to serve required notices or defects in notice (s 11(4AAA)) and that no action may be taken against a planning authority in respect of a decision to accept an application if that decision was made in good faith (s 11(4AA)). These provisions are intended to reduce procedural litigation about the validity of an application acceptance decision and to steer challenges toward merits or compensation remedies rather than technical invalidity.
Crown immunity on revocation. Section 20(5) provides that no action may be brought against the Crown or any servant or agent of the Crown for loss sustained by reason of the making of a revocation order under s 20(2). That is an explicit statutory bar on certain claims arising from revocation decisions.
Practical note on litigation sources
Because the Act imports LUAPAA appeal regimes and the Land Acquisition Act dispute resolution mechanism, most litigation arising from decisions under this Act will be traceable to those statutes rather than to a freestanding body of cases under this Act. Parties seeking to litigate grant decisions, conditions, compensation or cost recovery will use LUAPAA appeals, Land Acquisition Act procedures and ordinary civil debt enforcement.
Absence of case law in the source
The provided text contains no case citations and does not provide a litigation ledger. For reported decisions interpreting the Act as applied to particular projects, consultation of court and tribunal databases, Commission decisions and tribunal records would be necessary. The Act itself sets out the appeal routes and immunities which shape the likely contours of litigation.
Gotchas
The Act contains several procedural, timing and interactional traps that practitioners should watch for. The following are concrete operational issues grounded in the statutory text.
Parliamentary approval requirement and timing
An order declaring a project to be a major infrastructure project is of no effect until approved by both Houses of Parliament (s 7(5)). Although s 7(6) describes constructive approval where no notice to disallow is given within 15 sitting days, reliance on the order taking effect before Parliamentary processes are complete is risky; project proponents and planning authorities should not assume the order is operative until the approval condition in s 7(5) is satisfied.
Disapplication of LUAPAA s 52(1) and substituted notice regime
The Governor’s order can declare that compliance with LUAPAA s 52(1) is not required (s 10(3)(a)). Where that occurs, s 11(2) creates a different minimum notice requirement: at least 14 days before making the application, the applicant must serve notice on the owner of the land and, for corridor applications, the owners of all land within the corridor (s 11(2)(b)(i)-(ii)). Failure to follow the specific substituted rules will prevent the planning authority from accepting the application (s 11(4)). Practitioners must therefore scrutinise whether the order disapplies s 52(1) and ensure the substituted notice obligations under s 11(2)-(3) are met with prescribed content.
Notified corridor formalities, registration and effectiveness
The proponent must lodge a corridor plan and the Minister must serve notice and then lodge copies with title/deed registries within 14 days (s 14(1); s 15(1)). However, a notified corridor is declared to be a notified corridor notwithstanding failures to serve notice, late service, deficiencies in notice, or failure to supply the plan to particular owners (ss 14(6A); 14A(8)). That means a corridor can bind land and create entitlement to compensation even where technical notice steps were defective; but owners are not entitled to compensation for injurious affection occurring before they were served under s 14(13). Practitioners should therefore be careful about timing: owners lose compensation for pre‑notice diminution, but a corridor may still be effective despite imperfect notice.
Bonds and forfeiture windows
If the order requires a bond or sum to be lodged, forfeiture can be triggered by several events: failure to comply with terms, failure to apply for permits within 12 months (or Minister‑allowed extension up to 24 months), or lapse of a permit under LUAPAA s 53(5) (s 11(6)(a)-(c)). Proponents must calendar these deadlines and ensure permit applications proceed within required timeframes to avoid forfeiture.
Sale of Crown‑acquired land requires extra steps
Land acquired by the Crown under the Land Acquisition Act for a major infrastructure project may not be sold unless the sale is authorised in the original order or the sale has been published and approved by both Houses under Crown Lands Act s 64, and a permit for a use or development has been granted and either appeal windows have closed or appeals determined (s 13). Practitioners arranging sale of Crown‑acquired land should confirm these cumulative preconditions.
Fee and enforcement cost traps
Combined planning authorities and the Commission may set fees tied to reasonable costs of performing their functions and may impose additional fees to recoup unanticipated costs (s 17(5)-(6); s 22(5)-(6)). They may refuse to grant permits until fees are paid and such refusal does not constitute non‑determination for LUAPAA s 59 purposes (s 17(7)-(8); s 22(7)-(8)). A permit holder may face recovery action for enforcement costs and combined authorities can sue for those amounts (s 17(9)-(10)). Proponents should budget for these fees and potential enforcement cost exposure.
Urgent amendment by Minister and owner consent requirements
The Minister has a power to urgently amend a permit corridor (s 14B). The Minister may grant such amendments only if satisfied it is not practicable or expedient for the proponent to seek an amendment through the planning authority and it is in the public interest (s 14B(6)). Critically, the Minister must obtain consent of each owner of affected parcels or serve notice and consider representations (s 14B(8)). If owner consents are lacking, the Minister must give those owners an opportunity to make representations within short windows (7 or 14 days depending on service method) (s 14B(8)(b)). Practitioners seeking urgent changes must compile owner consents or allow for short response windows.
Combined planning authority suspension or dissolution consequences
If the Governor dissolves or suspends a combined planning authority, assets vest in the Crown, rights and liabilities transfer to the Crown, contracts become contracts of the Crown, and ongoing permits may be issued by the normal planning authority (s 18AA(5)). Paragraphs (f) and (g) are subject to inter‑authority consent (s 18AA(6)). This shift can produce discontinuities in enforcement responsibility and obligations; parties dealing with combined authorities should monitor any suspension orders.
Immunity for planning authority acceptance decisions
A planning authority that accepts an application despite defective notice is protected from action if the decision was taken in good faith (s 11(4AA)). This limits procedural challenges to the acceptance decision but leaves open merits challenges and compensation claims. Practitioners should not assume procedural invalidity will be a successful litigation strategy where applications were accepted.
Compensation time limits and scope
Claims for injurious affection must be made within 12 months of service of notice of the proposed corridor or of the grant of the permit (s 14(14)). Moreover, compensation is not payable for injurious affection occurring before the owner was served (s 14(13)). Time limits and scope of compensable loss are therefore narrow; claimants must act promptly.
Interplay with other statutory duties and requirement to follow planning objectives
All persons exercising powers under the Act must perform functions to further the objectives in Schedule 1 of LUAPAA (s 6). The Commission must amend planning instruments to remove inconsistencies as soon as practicable (s 11A). Parties should not treat the Act as unconstrained executive power; decisions must still be made in the light of LUAPAA objectives and the environmental and heritage statutes referenced in s 5 and s 14B(7).
Taken together, these provisions create a regulatory environment where the executive can compress and centralise approvals while imposing tight time constraints, financial securities and compensation regimes. Practitioners should map the order text, the notice and corridor timelines, the bond and payment deadlines, and the specific delegation of assessment to a combined planning authority or the Commission as early steps in any project plan.
How to comply
Compliance under this Act is a procedural exercise requiring strict attention to notice, document lodgement, timelines and financial conditions. The practical steps below are organised by actor and are grounded in the relevant statutory provisions.
For proponents (persons identified in the order)
Pre‑declaration: prepare and lodge the comprehensive project report required by s 8(1)(b) before the Minister may recommend the declaration. Ensure the report contains the information prescribed in regulations and be ready to provide further material on request.
Post‑declaration corridor plan: where the order defines the project by corridor, lodge a corridor plan with the Minister "as soon as practicable" after the order takes effect (s 14(1)); the plan must identify boundaries with sufficient accuracy to enable landowners to determine whether their land is affected (s 14(2)).
Notices and owner engagement: compile lists of owners using the valuation roll and other title data; anticipate that the Minister will serve notice on owners but be prepared to assist. Ensure you have owner contact details for consent processes under s 14B(5)(e) if urgent amendments are proposed. If the order disapplies s 52(1) LUAPAA, prepare to serve notice at least 14 days before making any permit application on owners affected by the land or corridor (s 11(2)) and ensure notices contain prescribed content (s 11(3)).
Financial assurance and payments: if the order requires a bond or specified sum, arrange the bond, guarantee or security and lodge it by the specified date (s 10(3)(e)). Budget and provision for payments the order may require to cover Crown or third‑party assessment costs (s 10(3)(f)); these amounts are debts if unpaid (s 11(7)). Calendar the 12‑month permit application window and any Ministerial extensions (s 11(6)(b)) to avoid bond forfeiture.
Permit applications and compliance with criteria: when the administering planning authority issues planning criteria under s 12, treat them as the assessment framework. Provide documentation and studies required by environmental, heritage and planning criteria, and be prepared to respond to requests from the combined planning authority or the Commission.
Compensation and mitigation planning: because owners may claim injurious affection under s 14(12), set aside contingency funds and consider early negotiations with affected owners to manage compensation exposure; claims must be made within 12 months (s 14(14)).
For councils and specified planning authorities
Response to Ministerial intention: when notified of the Minister’s intention to recommend a declaration, prepare a written response within 21 days indicating support or reasons for non‑support (s 9(1)). If the council prefers the Commission to administer approvals, make that request in the response (s 9(2)).
Nomination to combined planning authority: if the order establishes a combined planning authority, ensure nomination of members and deputies to the Minister within 28 days of receipt of notice (s 16(3)). Have processes in place to select nominees who can operate within combined authority responsibilities.
Participation and cost sharing: if a combined planning authority is established, be ready to share administrative costs equally unless the combined planning authority decides otherwise (s 18(6)-(7)). Ensure the council’s finance arrangements can meet its share or prepare to negotiate the combined authority’s determination.
For combined planning authorities
Establish governance and secretariat: appoint chairperson and deputy from among members, and recruit and appoint a general manager (s 18(1), (4)-(5)). Identify the specified planning authority that will provide administrative support (s 18(6)). Ensure compliance with the Local Government Act meeting procedures and the specified schedule (s 18(3); Schedule 1).
Fee setting and cashflow: set application fees on the basis of the reasonable cost of performing functions including assessment costs, but not enforcement costs (s 17(5)). If unanticipated assessment costs arise, impose further fees reasonably to recoup them under s 17(6). Ensure mechanisms exist to refuse to grant permits until fees are paid (s 17(7)) and to record the reasons for fees to withstand review.
Enforcement cost recovery: establish procedures for identifying, documenting and recovering reasonable enforcement costs from permit holders (s 17(9)-(10)). Maintain insurance to indemnify the combined planning authority against liability incurred in performance of its functions (s 18(9)).
Criteria and public exhibition: work with the Commission to receive and implement finalised planning criteria (s 12). Make final criteria available for public inspection and comply with prescribed advertising obligations (s 12(6)-(7)).
For the Commission where it administers approvals
Prepare and exhibit criteria: when given draft criteria by the administering planning authority, place them on public exhibition for at least 14 days, advertise as prescribed, receive representations, finalise criteria within 7 days of exhibition close or within Ministerially allowed extension, and communicate finalised criteria to the planning authority and proponent (s 12(2)-(6)).
Amend planning schemes: as soon as practicable after an order is made, amend relevant planning schemes or special planning orders to remove inconsistency with the order and s 11(1)(a) of this Act; these amendments are exempt from LUAPAA procedures (s 11A(1)-(2)) and are taken to operate from the date of the order (s 11A(3)(a)).
Fee and assessment arrangements: set fees to reflect the reasonable cost of performing Commission functions with respect to applications; adopt processes for imposing and collecting further fees to recoup unanticipated costs (s 22(5)-(6)); ensure refusal to grant a permit until fees are paid is recorded and defensible (s 22(7)-(8)).
For owners of land and potential claimants
Track notices and registers: monitor whether a notified corridor affects your land by checking Gazette notices, Ministerial notices, and entries on the Register or Registry of Deeds; the Minister must lodge copies with the Recorder of Titles, Registry of Deeds, or Director‑General of Lands within 14 days of serving notice (s 15(1)).
Prompt claim windows: if your land is injuriously affected, note the 12‑month limitation for compensation claims under s 14(14). Compensation is not payable for injurious affection occurring before notice is served (s 14(13)), so seek advice promptly if you suspect your land is affected by a proposed corridor.
Responses to urgent amendments: where the Minister seeks to urgently amend a permit corridor under s 14B, owners listed in s 14B(5)(c) must be given notice and if they do not consent the Minister must take into account any representations within short statutory windows (s 14B(8)). If you receive such a notice, act quickly to lodge representations.
Administrative and record‑keeping checklist for all actors
Keep dated copies of all notices served and received, including Gazette notices, Ministerial notices, plans lodged with registries, and copies lodged with the Recorder of Titles/Registry of Deeds/Director‑General of Lands (s 15).
Maintain contemporaneous records of fees charged, invoices, and correspondence proving payment or refusal to grant due to unpaid fees (s 17(5)-(8); s 22(5)-(8)).
If a bond or pecuniary sum is required by an order, retain proof of the security and track time windows for application submissions and permit lapses to avoid forfeiture (s 11(6)).
For entities performing enforcement, document the steps and costs of enforcement to support recovery actions in court if necessary (s 17(9)-(10); s 17A(4)-(5)).
Regulatory and procedural review
Consider whether any amending or revocation orders will be laid before Parliament and whether Parliamentary approval is required for amending orders (s 19(2)-(7)). Track timelines for laying orders and for implied Parliamentary approval periods (s 7(6); s 19(6)-(8)).
Following these steps aligns project actors with the statutory commands of the Act and with the cross‑referenced obligations under LUAPAA, the Land Acquisition Act and associated land registry rules. Early engagement with councils, the Commission, and affected owners, together with disciplined calendar management of statutory windows, bond and fee obligations, and registry lodgements, is the practical path to compliance.
Section 5Conduct of assessment and approval of use or development comprised in major infrastructure project
[Section 3 Subsection (1) amended by No. 19 of 2001, s. 4, Applied:12 Apr 2001]notified corridor means a corridor of which notice has been served by the Minister under section 14(3) or section 14A(4) ;
owner has the same meaning as in the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 , and includes the purchaser of land under a Crown lands contract;
planning authority includes a combined planning authority;
proponent, in relation to a project, means the person proposing to proceed with the project;
public office means the place at which the planning authority carries on its administrative activities;
Register has the same meaning as in the Land Titles Act 1980 ;
Registry of Deeds has the same meaning as in the Registration of Deeds Act 1935 ;
sale, in relation to land, means the disposal of land by sale, lease, exchange for proper consideration or any other means;
specified planning authority means a planning authority which is specified in an order under section 7(2) in accordance with section 10(3)(b)(ii) .
(2) Words or expressions used both in this Act and in the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 have in this Act, unless the contrary intention appears, the same respective meanings as they have in that Act.
4 Application of Act
4 Application of Act
(1) This Act binds the Crown in right of Tasmania, and so far as the legislative power of Parliament permits, in all its other capacities.
(2) This Act does not apply to public land, within the meaning of the Public Land (Administration and Forests) Act 1991 , that is the subject of a reference to the Commission.
5 Conduct of assessment and approval of use or development comprised in major infrastructure project
5 Conduct of assessment and approval of use or development comprised in major infrastructure project
Subject to this Act, the assessment and approval by a planning authority of an application for a permit for a use or development comprised in a major infrastructure project is to be conducted in accordance with the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 , the Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994 and any other Act which relates to land use planning and approval, other than any Act which may be prescribed.
6 Objectives to be furthered
6 Objectives to be furthered
It is the obligation of any person on whom a function is imposed or a power is conferred under this Act to perform the function or exercise the power in such a manner as to further the objectives set out in Schedule 1 to the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 .
Part 2 Major Infrastructure Projects
Part 2 Major Infrastructure Projects
7 Declaration of major infrastructure project
7 Declaration of major infrastructure project
(1) The Minister may recommend to the Governor the making of an order declaring a project to be a major infrastructure project.
(2) The Governor may make an order in accordance with a recommendation made under subsection (1) .
(3) An order under subsection (2) is to be published in the Gazette.
(4) The Minister must cause an order under subsection (2) to be laid before each House of Parliament within the first 10 sitting days of the House after it is so published.
(5) An order under subsection (2) is of no effect until it has been approved by both Houses of Parliament.
(6) For the purposes of subsection (5) , a House of Parliament is taken to have approved an order under subsection (2) if a copy of it has been laid on the table of that House and –
(a) it is approved by that House; or
(b) at the expiration of 15 sitting days after it was laid on the table of that House, no notice has been given of a motion to disallow it or, if such notice has been given, the notice has been withdrawn or negatived; or
(c) if any notice of a motion to disallow it is given during that period of 15 sitting days, the notice is, after the expiration of that period, withdrawn or negatived.
(7) As soon as practicable after an order under subsection (2) has taken effect, the Minister must –
(a) give written notice of the taking effect of the order to –
(i) the Commission; and
(ii) each planning authority on which obligations are imposed by the order, or which is otherwise affected by the making of the order; and
(iii) each instrumentality or agency of the Crown on which obligations are imposed by the order; and
(b) advertise the taking effect of the order in a newspaper circulating in the area within which the major infrastructure project is to be implemented.
8 Conditions precedent to Ministerial recommendation
8 Conditions precedent to Ministerial recommendation
(1) The Minister may not make a recommendation under section 7(1) that a project be declared to be a major infrastructure project unless –
(a) the project wholly or principally comprises the construction of one or more of the following:
(i) a road;
(ii) a railway;
(iii) a pipeline;
(iv) a powerline, within the meaning of the Electricity Supply Industry Act 1995 ;
(v) a telecommunications cable or link;
(vi) such other linear infrastructure as may be prescribed; and
(b) the Minister has received a report from the proponent which provides a comprehensive description of the project and contains such information in relation to the project as may be prescribed; and
(c) the Minister has given the council of each municipal area within which the project is proposed at least 28 days' notice of the Minister's intention to make the recommendation and has considered any representations made by any such council following receipt of the notice; and
(d) the Minister is satisfied that it is in the public interest for the declaration to be made.
(2) In determining whether it is in the public interest for the proposed order to be made, the Minister must have regard to such matters as may be prescribed.
(3) Notice given to a council under subsection (1)(c) is to include –
(a) a copy of the report received by the Minister under section 8(1)(b) ; and
(b) a statement of the Minister's reasons for proposing that the project be declared to be a major infrastructure project; and
(c) a draft of the order that the Minister proposes to recommend.
9 Response of council to proposal to make Ministerial recommendation
9 Response of council to proposal to make Ministerial recommendation
(1) Within 21 days of receiving notice of the Minister's intention to make a recommendation under section 7(1) , a council must provide the Minister with a written response which states –
(a) whether the council supports the proposed recommendation; and
(b) if the council does not support the proposed recommendation, the council's reasons for not doing so.
(2) In responding to the Minister under subsection (1) , a council may request that the Commission administer the planning approval process in respect of the proposed major infrastructure project.
10 Content of order declaring major infrastructure project
10 Content of order declaring major infrastructure project
(1) An order made by the Governor under section 7(2) is to –
(a) identify the proponent; and
(b) define the major infrastructure project by specifying the nature and location of each use or development which is comprised in the project.
(2) For the purpose of section 10(1)(b) , the location of a use or development may be described by reference to a corridor of a specified width between two places, without indicating the exact location of the corridor or the exact location within that corridor at which the use or development is intended to occur.
(3) An order made by the Governor under section 7(2) may –
(a) declare that compliance with section 52(1) of theLand Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 is not required; and
(b) if the major infrastructure project is to be implemented within more than one municipal area, declare that the planning approval process in respect of the major infrastructure project is to be administered by a combined planning authority, specifying –
(i) the name by which the combined planning authority is to be known; and
(ii) the planning authorities which are to be represented on the combined planning authority; and
(iii) the number of members which are to represent each of the specified planning authorities on the combined planning authority; and
(c) if a council has made a request under section 9(2) , declare that the planning approval process in respect of the major infrastructure project is to be administered by the Commission; and
(d) require an instrumentality or agency of the Crown or planning authority which is specified in the order to provide the proponent or any other person with such guidelines or other information as the order may specify by such date as the order may specify; and
(e) require the proponent identified in the order to lodge with the Crown a financial assurance in the form of a bond (supported by a guarantee or other security) or specified pecuniary sum, in an amount specified in the order and by a specified date, to be forfeited on failure to comply with terms or conditions specified in the order; and
(f) require the proponent identified in the order to pay to the Crown an amount specified in the order by a specified date, to cover costs and expenses which may be incurred by the Crown or any person in connection with the assessment or approval of the major infrastructure project; and
(g) require compliance by the proponent or any other person with terms or conditions set out in the order; and
(h) authorise the sale by the Crown to the proponent of any land specified in the order which is acquired by the Crown under the Land Acquisition Act 1993 for the purpose of the major infrastructure project.
11 Effect of order declaring major infrastructure project
11 Effect of order declaring major infrastructure project
(1) If an order under section 7(2) declaring a project to be a major infrastructure project is made –
(a) notwithstanding the terms of any relevant planning scheme or special planning order, each use or development comprised in the major infrastructure project is taken to be a use or development which the planning authority which administers that planning scheme or special planning order has a discretion to refuse or permit under section 57 of theLand Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 ; and
(b) notwithstanding the terms of any relevant planning scheme or special planning order, the planning authority which administers the planning scheme or special planning order may, subject to section 12(1) and the requirements of any State Policy, determine an application for a permit in respect of a use or development comprised in the major infrastructure project in such manner as it thinks fit; and
(c) the major infrastructure project is taken to be a public purpose for the purposes of section 4(3) of theLand Acquisition Act 1993 ; and
(d) section 73(3)(a) of theLand Acquisition Act 1993 does not apply to any land acquired under that Act for the purposes of the major infrastructure project; and
(e) an application to a planning authority under section 51(1A) of the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 may relate to all of the uses or developments comprised in the major infrastructure project, or such number of the uses or developments comprised in the major infrastructure project as the applicant may choose; and
(f) for the purpose of section 57(6)(b) of the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 , the Minister may by order specify a further period within which a planning authori
This is an opening excerpt, not the complete document.