The Australian Waste Lands Act 1855 (18 & 19 Vict. c. 56) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that repealed the earlier Imperial statutes governing the sale and disposal of Crown waste land in the Australian colonies, and made new provision under which the legislatures of New South Wales, Victoria, Van Diemen's Land and South Australia could in future regulate the disposal of Crown land, and the revenue arising from it, within their own territories.
Background By 1855, the colonies of New South Wales and Victoria were moving towards responsible government under new constitutions, and control of the revenue from Crown land sales was regarded, alongside representative government itself, as one of the powers the colonies most wished to obtain from the Imperial Parliament. Introducing the bill for the act in the House of Commons on 17 May 1855, alongside the bill to confirm New South Wales's new constitution, Lord John Russell described it as giving the colony "that control over its own waste lands which it and other colonies ... much desire to possess."
Provisions Repealed enactments Section 1 of the act repealed 2 enactments, listed in that section. CitationShort titleDescriptionExtent of repeal5 & 6 Vict. c. 36Australian Colonies Waste Lands Act 1842An Act for regulating the Sale of Waste Land belonging to the Crown in the Australian Colonies.The whole act.9 & 10 Vict. c. 104Waste Lands (Australia) Act 1846An Act to amend an Act for regulating the Sale of Waste Land belonging to the Crown in the Australian Colonies, and to make further Provision for the Management thereof.The whole act.
Subsequent developments The act extended to New South Wales, and its provisions were inherited by the colony (later state) of Queensland when it was separated from New South Wales in 1859. It remains part of Queensland's statute book, with the exception of sections 1, 2 and 7.
Notes
References
External links