Inquiry into the Review of the Fences Act 1968
"The first review of the Fences Act in thirty years".
PLEASE NOTE: The Committee is not able to provide advice about fences. If you are unable to find an answer to your question in the Fencing QuickGuide, please do not contact the Committee as we will be unable to assist you. We suggest that you contact a community legal centre (http://www.communitylaw.org.au/find_a_clc.php) or a solicitor instead.
Terms of Reference
Under the powers found in Section 4F (1) (a) (ii) and Section 4F (3) of the Parliamentary Committees Act 1968 the Governor in Council refers the following matters to the Law Reform Committee-
- The Committee is requested to review the Victorian Fences Act 1968 ("the Act") and in particular to consider:
- whether the Act meets the objectives of planning schemes in Victoria as defined in Section 4 (1) of the Planning and Environment Act 1987, especially having regard to the need to encourage the development of well-designed medium-density housing;
- whether the Act otherwise adequately deals with all situations associated with separating the lands of different occupiers, such as where buildings form a part of a common boundary between properties;
- whether the Act should be amended to provide a quicker, less expensive and more accessible means of resolving fencing disputes.
- The Committee is requested to make its final report to Parliament by the first sitting day of the 1998 Spring Parliamentary sittings.
Reports
The final report for this inquiry was tabled in Parliament in November 1998. It is available for download as a .pdf file (594Kb). The media release issued on 11 November 1998 is available for download as a .pdf file (19Kb).
The Government's response to the final report is available for download as a .pdf file (115Kb).
The Committee has also created the Fencing Quickguide: The Layperson's Guide To Fencing Law which may be of assistance to people who have a fencing-related problem.