The SRL Act introduces new Division 1AA of Part 6 of the MTPF Act to provide some new options for dealing with land by agreement. They include:
- project authorities may deal with land, by agreement, before a project becomes an approved project (currently land powers arise only once a project area is designated) (s 111B).
- project authorities, once a project is approved, may acquire land from and transfer land to, certain government bodies ('specified entities'), including for nominal consideration. This will enable (for example) railway land to be more readily transferred to VicTrack, or drainage infrastructure land to be transferred to a water authority (s 111C).
To avoid doubt, section 111D provides that any such agreements will not be subject to the procedural requirements of the LAC Act, even if the project authority is empowered to compulsorily acquire land under another provision or Act.
Updated