Governor for New Ireland, Sir Julius Chan, will be presenting the Private Member’s Bill on Land (Amendment) Bill 2023 in this June session of Parliament.
The Bill makes provision to empower the provinces, apart from the State, to reserve land for certain purposes and compulsorily acquire land in the province.
Although power is given to the provinces to reserve land for certain purposes and compulsorily acquire land located within their provinces, the State still has the power to reserve land for certain purposes and compulsorily acquire land.
The provinces are only empowered to reserve land for certain purposes and compulsorily acquire land, which are located within their provinces; and have no power to reserve land for certain purposes or acquire land located in other provinces.
The Governor, on behalf of the Provincial Government, is given the powers to reserve land or to compulsorily acquire land, located within the province.
The Governor shall give notice of a reservation of land or acquisition of land, by compulsory process, acting with and in accordance with the advice of the Provincial Executive Council.
A reference to the acquisition of land or of an interest in land by a compulsory process includes a reference to the extinction of an interest in land.
A province is required by the law to keep, store and maintain proper records, in an electronic form or otherwise, of land being reserved for certain purposes or compulsorily acquired in the province.