Land Act 1958

Where the Minister is of opinion that an approved applicant for a selection purchase lease or for a conditional purchase lease of land is for some special cause not likely to be able to pay the rent or the instalments under the lease for any period not exceeding in the case of land other than land in the Mallee country five years, or in the case of land in the Mallee country three years, he may in his discretion, at the request of such applicant (if he has lodged with his application the amount required by the Minister) enter into an agreement with him that no payment of any rent or instalments shall be made for a period not exceeding five years or three years (as the case may be) on condition that in addition to the fencing and improvements required under the lease he shall during such period effect to the satisfaction of the Minister such further improvements as may be specified in the agreement, which may provide also for part of the proceeds derived from the land or the use thereof to be paid to the Crown and to be applied if the Minister thinks fit towards the liquidation of the rent or the instalments which become due under the lease.

On any breach of such agreement the Minister may take any proceedings for the recovery of all unpaid rents or instalments in the same manner and to the same extent as if such agreement had not been made and entered into without any prejudice to the right of the Minister to enforce any obligation arising under the agreement.

If at any time after any such agreement is entered into it is proved to the satisfaction of the Minister that in connexion with such request or any proceedings thereon the applicant wilfully made any false statement or representation, the Minister may without further or other authority than this section cancel such agreement and thereupon all rent or instalments shall become due and payable in the same way and to the like extent as if the agreement had not been entered into.