AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

AMENDMENTS OF THE LEASES REGULATIONS

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

No. 19 of 1975

	Generally, residential and business leases are granted under the provisions of the City Area Leases Ordinance 1936-1974 which is designed specifically with a view to the grant of long-term leases of land for urban development.  The Leases Ordinance 1918-1972 permits greater flexibility in leasing arrangements.  It restricts the transfer of leases without the Minister’s approval and does not confer upon lessees any automatic entitlement to compensation for improvements at the end of the lease term.

	The existing Regulations discriminate unfairly against persons and new companies establishing in the Territory where the Minister is otherwise prepared to grant a lease for a reasonable term.

	The repeal of Regulations 11, 16 and 17 and the amendment of Regulation 10 to enable the Minister to grant a lease to any person as he thinks fit are proposed to remedy the existing unsatisfactory situation.