Landscape South Australia Act

In reply to the Hon. B.R. HOOD ().10 September 2024).

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector): The Minister for Climate, Environment and Water has advised:

The Independent Review of the Landscape South Australia Act 2019 outlines in its findings specific reasons where increasing powers of landscape officers authorised under the act without a warrant could be beneficial, for example, to obtain evidence such as documentation.

It does not recommend that authorised officers be given powers to 'seize, retain or act with force without a warrant', as was reported in the media (Naracoorte Community News, 23 August 2024).

As required by the legislation, the review was conducted by an independent person, the Hon. John Hill. The recommendations of the review represent his view, based on the submissions and representations provided to him, and do not represent the government's position on any proposed changes to the act or associated policies.

Currently, legal compliance actions under the act are always undertaken after more intermediary approaches aiming to educate and encourage voluntary compliance by landholders. The specific powers outlined in the review for strengthening authorised officer powers would need to be further tested for appropriateness and consultation undertaken prior to any consideration to amend the act.