1Purpose
The purpose of this Act is to make provision for the naming of places and the registration of place names, to amend the Survey Co-ordination Act 1958 and the Local Government Act 1989.
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Bill homepage (legislation.vic.gov.au)The purpose of this Act is to make provision for the naming of places and the registration of place names, to amend the Survey Co-ordination Act 1958 and the Local Government Act 1989.
This Part comes into operation on the day on which this Act receives the Royal Assent.
Subject to subsection (3), the remaining provisions of this Act come into operation on a day or days to be proclaimed.
If a provision referred to in subsection (2) does not come into operation before 31 December 1998, it comes into operation on that day.
In this Act—
Committee means a Geographic Place Names Advisory Committee appointed under section 12;
geographic name, in relation to a place, means the name registered in the Register as the name for that place;
guidelines means the guidelines having effect under Part 2;
place means any place or building that is, or is likely to be, of public or historical interest and includes, but is not restricted to—
township, area, park, garden, reserve of land, suburb and locality;
topographical feature, including undersea feature;
street, road, transport station, government school, government hospital and government nursing home;
Register means the Register of Geographic Names established under section 9;
Registrar means the Registrar of Geographic Names appointed under section 7.
s. 4
This Act—
does not apply to the naming of—
S. 4(a)(i) amended by Nos 24/1999 s. 47, 2/2003 s. 51.
an electoral region or district; or
a municipal district or a ward of a municipal district; and
does not affect the powers and authorities conferred by or under any other Act on the Governor in Council or on any person to assign or amend the name of a place.
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Part 2—Guidelines for Geographic Names
s. 5
The Governor in Council, on the recommendation of the Minister, by Order published in the Government Gazette, may make guidelines relating to procedures to be implemented in selecting, assigning or amending names of places.
Without limiting the generality of subsection (1), the guidelines—
must set out the rules and process to be followed in selecting, assigning or amending a name of a place;
must set out the process to be followed before selecting or assigning an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander name of a place;
must specify criteria for the assessment of cultural heritage or other significance in relation to the naming of places;
must set out requirements for consultation before a name of a place is selected, assigned or amended; and
may specify any other matter or thing appropriate in relation to the naming of places.
The Registrar must ensure that the guidelines are reviewed at least once every 5 years and that a report on any review is given to the Minister.
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Part 3—Registration of Geographic Names
s. 7
The Minister may appoint a person to be the Registrar of Geographic Names.
S. 7(2) amended by No. 80/2009 s. 94.
The Registrar holds office for a period not exceeding 5 years specified in his or her instrument of appointment.
The Registrar may be re-appointed.
The functions of the Registrar are—
to carry out the functions under this Act of registering names of places;
to keep and maintain the Register;
to advise the Minister on the establishment and development of the guidelines;
to disseminate information on the guidelines;
to monitor and review compliance with the guidelines; and
such other functions as are conferred on the Registrar by or under this Act.
The Registrar has such powers as are necessary for the carrying out of the functions of the Registrar under this Act.
There is established a Register of Geographic Names.
The Register is to be kept in such form as the Registrar determines.
The register of place names and the register of the names of streets and roads under Part II of the Survey Co-ordination Act 1958 form part of the Register under this Act.
s. 10
Subject to and in accordance with the guidelines, a person or body may apply to the Registrar for the registration of a name of a place or the amendment of a geographic name.
The Registrar must enter in the Register each name for which an application for registration is made in accordance with this Act and the guidelines, other than an application that is referred to a Committee for advice.
The Registrar must amend a geographic name in accordance with an application for amendment made in accordance with this Act and the guidelines, other than an application that is referred to a Committee for advice.
The Registrar, upon receiving advice in accordance with this Act and the guidelines from a Committee to which a matter is referred under this Act, must make such entries or alterations in the Register as are necessary to give effect to that advice.
The Registrar may make such entries in the Register as the Registrar determines are appropriate to record the names of places for which names are assigned by or under any other Act.
The Registrar must comply with any directions given by the Minister from time to time concerning the registration of names in the Register and must not make an entry inconsistent with any such direction as in force from time to time.
The Registrar must cause to be published in the Government Gazette, and in such newspapers circulating generally in the State as the Registrar thinks appropriate, a notice of each entry of a place name, and of each amendment of an entry, in the Register.
s. 12
The Minister may, in writing, direct the Registrar to refer a matter relating to the naming of a place, or class of places, to a Committee for its advice.
The Registrar may refer—
an application under section 10; or
any matter relating to the name of a place, or class of places—
to a Committee for its advice.
The Registrar must appoint a chairperson and at least 2 other persons from the panel maintained under section 14 as the Committee for the purposes of a reference under this section.
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