This Act amends the Land Reform Act by addition of provisions (replacing sections 6,7 and 8) concerning, among other things; the certification of negotiator of land rights or land disputes of custom land owners; the identification of custom owners or disputing groups by the National Coordinator; consultation with the custom owners; procedures of the negotiation process including a custom owners consultation report; consent to a negotiated lease; notification of intention to register lease instrument; appointment of the Land Ombudsman; lodging of complaints with the Land Ombudsman; functions and investigative powers of the Land Ombudsman; application for a rural subdivision or change of lease type; Ministerial consent to a rural subdivision or change of lease type; establishment of the Land Management Planning Committee. An agreement, lease or any other transaction relating to custom land is void and of no legal effect unless it has been: (a) approved by the Minister in accordance with the process specified in section 6; and (b) registered in the Land Records Office.
This Act also inserts a new part on the lease of State land and declaration of the Minister of State land as a World Heritage Site and land as a public reserve. Public reserves may be, among other things: (a) a nature reserve; (b) a special purpose reserve; (c) the protection of a water supply; (h) a river. The Act places restrictions on the lease of public reserves.