AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

DISTRICTS ORDINANCE

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

No. 5 of 1966

	Approval has been given to repeal the Districts Ordinance 1927‑1959 and to replace it with a new Ordinance.

	Section 4 of the existing Ordinance provides that the Minister shall publish in the Gazette a plan of the Territory showing the names and boundaries of the districts.

	Sub-section 1 of Section 8 of the Ordinance also provides that, where the Minister divides a district into divisions or portions, or alters the boundaries of any district, division or portion, he shall publish in the Gazette a plan of the district showing the boundaries of the divisions or portions, or the alterations as the case may be.

	In the proposed new Ordinance the districts are prescribed in Section 5 and the boundaries of districts are described in a schedule to the Ordinance.  Any future variations to districts or boundaries will, when the Ordinance is promulgated, need to be made by amendment of the Ordinance.

	The new Ordinance will not require the Minister to publish in the Gazette a plan of the boundaries of divisions or portions, but instead he will be required to lodge with the Registrar of Titles a deposited plan setting out the boundaries and distinguishing number or name in respect of each division, section or block.  This procedure will simplify existing administrative arrangements.

	The inclusion of the districts and boundaries in the Ordinance will provide a readily ascertainable reference to the description of lands in the Australian Capital Territory.

J.D. ANTHONY