National Lands Act 1992.

The Act provides for a system for the disposal of national lands, i.e. lands held by the Government. National lands can be disposed of through lease (sect. 7) or sale (sect. 13). Leases are granted against payment of rent, arrears of which are recoverable in court (sect. 10). Applicants for leases in excess of 500 hectares must file an Environmental Impact Assessment, prior to the grant and every five years thereafter. The Minister has authority to impose this same requirement on applicants for leases covering a lesser land surface (sects. 9(4) and (5)). It is an implied condition of every lease that land on steep slopes shall not be used so as to cause erosion or ecological damage; that the lessee will be liable to pay reasonable compensation for damage to the land; and that a strip of land along running or open waters shall be left undisturbed (sects. 12(6)) to (8)). Records of leases and grants are kept in the National Lands Books, to be kept by a Registrar (sect. 16). Rural land parcels must be in one block and, possibly, of a rectangular form (sect. 26). Certain standard statutory reservations are entered in all grants or leases of national lands, such as access to all waters thereon, and the right to depasture (sect. 29). The unlawful occupation of national land constitutes an offence, and is punished with a fine (sects. 31(1) and 32). The Act is complemented by four Schedules containing various forms.