Offshore Minerals (Registration Fees) Act 1981

Administered by Department of Industry, Science and Resources

Legislation au C2004A02463 In force Act

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Offshore Minerals (Registration Fees) Act 1981

Act No. 86 of 1981 as amended

This compilation was prepared on 30 July 2001
taking into account amendments up to Act No. 55 of 2001

The text of any of those amendments not in force
on that date is appended in the Notes section

Prepared by the Office of Legislative Drafting,
AttorneyGeneral’s Department, Canberra

 

 

 

Contents

1 Short title [see Note 1]

2 Commencement [see Note 1]

3 Interpretation

4 Imposition of registration fees

5 Regulations

Notes 

 

An Act to provide for the payment of fees for the lodgment for registration of certain documents under the Offshore Minerals Act 1994

1  Short title [see Note 1]

  This Act may be cited as the Offshore Minerals (Registration Fees) Act 1981.

2  Commencement [see Note 1]

  This Act shall come into operation on the day on which the Minerals (Submerged Lands) Act 1981 comes into operation.

3  Interpretation

  Expressions used in this Act that are used in the Offshore Minerals Act 1994 have, unless the contrary intention appears, the same meanings as they have in that Act.

4  Imposition of registration fees

 (1) There is payable to the Designated Authority, in respect of a document that is lodged for registration under section 338 (a section 338 document) or 339 (a section 339 document) of the Offshore Minerals Act 1994 a fee equal to the prescribed percentage of:

 (a) the value of the consideration for the document; or

 (b) the value of the licence, share or interest transferred or otherwise dealt with by the document;

whichever is the greater.

 (1A) The percentage prescribed for the purposes of subsection (1) is not to exceed 10%.

 (2) Where, but for this subsection, the amount of the fee imposed by subsection (1) in respect of a section 338 or section 339 document would be less than the amount prescribed for the purposes of this subsection, the amount of the fee imposed in respect of the document is that prescribed amount.

 (2A) The amount prescribed for the purposes of subsection (2) is not to exceed $2,000.

 (3) For the purpose of calculating the fee payable under subsection (1) in respect of a section 338 document or a section 339 document that is lodged for registration, the value, as determined by the Joint Authority, of any approved exploration works to be carried out in pursuance of the document shall be deducted:

 (a) where the fee is to be calculated in accordance with paragraph (1)(a)—from the value referred to in that paragraph; and

 (b) where the fee is to be calculated in accordance with paragraph (1)(b)—from the value referred to in that paragraph.

 (4) Where:

 (a) a section 338 document or a section 339 document was executed for the purpose of giving effect to a prior agreement; and

 (b) a party to the transfer or other dealing to which the section 338 document or section 339 document relates holds a certificate in respect of the document under subsection (6);

no fee is payable under subsection (1) or (2) for the lodgment for registration of that document but there is payable for the lodgment for registration of that document a fee of the amount prescribed for the purposes of this subsection.

 (4A) The amount prescribed for the purposes of subsection (4) is not to exceed $20,000.

 (5) Where:

 (a) 2 or more parties to a transfer to which a section 338 document relates, or a dealing to which a section 339 document relates are related corporations within the meaning of the Corporations Act 2001; and

 (b) any of those parties is the holder of a certificate in respect of the document under subsection (7);

no fee is payable under subsection (1) or (2) for the lodgment for registration of that document but there is payable for the lodgment for registration of that document a fee of the amount prescribed for the purposes of this subsection.

 (5A) The amount prescribed for the purposes of subsection (5) is not to exceed $20,000.

 (6) Where the Joint Authority is satisfied that a prior agreement referred to in subsection (4) was not entered into, or is not proposed to be entered into, substantially for the purpose of avoiding or reducing the registration fees that would, but for the issue of a certificate under this paragraph, be payable under subsection (1) or (2) for the lodgment for registration of a section 338 document or a section 339 document that was entered into or is to be entered into to give effect to the prior agreement, the Joint Authority may, on an application in writing made at any time by a person who is or proposes to be a party to the prior agreement, grant a certificate that the Joint Authority is so satisfied.

 (7) Where the Joint Authority is satisfied that a document referred to in subsection (5):

 (a) was or is proposed to be entered into solely for the purpose of the reorganization or the better administration of the related corporations or any of them; and

 (b) was not entered into, or is not proposed to be entered into, substantially for the purpose of avoiding or reducing the registration fees that would, but for the issue of a certificate under this paragraph, be payable under subsection (1) or (2);

the Joint Authority may, on an application in writing made at any time by any of those related corporations, grant a certificate that the Joint Authority is so satisfied.

 (8) Moneys received by the Designated Authority as fees payable under this Act shall be deemed to be received by the Designated Authority on behalf of the Commonwealth.

5  Regulations

  The GovernorGeneral may make regulations prescribing matters:

 (a) required or permitted by this Act to be prescribed; or

 (b) necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to this Act.

Notes to the Offshore Minerals (Registration Fees) Act 1981

Note 1

The Offshore Minerals (Registration Fees) Act 1981 as shown in this compilation comprises Act No. 86, 1981 amended as indicated in the Tables below.

For application, saving or transitional provisions made by the Corporations (Repeals, Consequentials and Transitionals) Act 2001, see Act No. 55, 2001.

Table of Acts

Act

Number
and year

Date
of Assent

Date of commencement

Application, saving or transitional provisions

Minerals (Submerged Lands) (Registration Fees) Act 1981

86, 1981

18 June 1981

1 Feb 1990 (see Gazette 1989, No. S387)

 

Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act (No. 1) 1982

26, 1982

7 May 1982

Part XXVII (ss. 162, 163): 1 Feb 1990 (see s. 2(6) and Gazette 1989, No. S387) (a)

Offshore Minerals (Consequential Provisions) Act 1994

29, 1994

25 Feb 1994

(b)

Corporations (Repeals, Consequentials and Transitionals) Act 2001

55, 2001

28 June 2001

Ss. 4–14 and Schedule 3 (item 400): 15 July 2001 (see Gazette 2001, No. S285) (c)

Ss. 414

(a) The Offshore Minerals (Registration Fees) Act 1981 was amended by Part XXVII (sections 162 and 163) only of the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act (No. 1) 1982, subsection 2(6) of which provides as follows:

 (6) Part XXVII shall come into operation on the day on which the Companies Act 1981 comes into operation or the day on which the Minerals (Submerged Lands) (Registration Fees) Act 1981 comes into operation, whichever is later.

 The Minerals (Submerged Lands) (Registration Fees) Act 1981 came into operation on 1 February 1990.

(b) The Offshore Minerals (Registration Fees) Act 1981 was amended by the Offshore Minerals (Consequential Provisions) Act 1994, section 2 of which provides as follows:

 2. This Act commences immediately after the Offshore Minerals Act 1994 commences.

 The Offshore Minerals Act 1994 came into operation on 25 February 1994.

(c) The Offshore Minerals (Registration Fees) Act 1981 was amended by Schedule 3 (item 400) only of the Corporations (Repeals, Consequentials and Transitionals) Act 2001, subsection 2(3) of which provides as follows:

 (3) Subject to subsections (4) to (10), Schedule 3 commences, or is taken to have commenced, at the same time as the Corporations Act 2001.

Table of Amendments

ad. = added or inserted      am. = amended      rep. = repealed      rs. = repealed and substituted

Provision affected

How affected

Title....................

am. No. 29, 1994

S. 1....................

am. No. 29, 1994

S. 3....................

am. No. 29, 1994

S. 4....................

am. No. 26, 1982; No. 29, 1994; No. 55, 2001

S. 5....................

ad. No. 29, 1994

 

Overview

The Offshore Minerals (Registration Fees) Act 1981 was enacted to address the need for structured payment of fees for the lodgment of certain documents related to offshore mineral exploration and exploitation. This Act was introduced to ensure that there is a systematic and regulated approach to the collection of fees for the registration of such documents, which are pivotal in the governance and administration of offshore mineral activities. The Act is an integral part of the legislative framework established to manage and regulate offshore mineral activities in Australia, as it provides the necessary financial mechanisms for the oversight bodies to function effectively. The policy objective underpinning this legislation is to facilitate the efficient administration of offshore mineral rights by ensuring that the appropriate fees are collected, thereby supporting the regulatory process and maintaining the integrity of the offshore mineral sector. The enacting body for this legislation is the Parliament of Australia, which has the authority to legislate on matters related to the exploration and exploitation of minerals offshore. The Act, by specifying the fees to be charged for the registration of documents under the Offshore Minerals Act 1994, ensures that the financial underpinnings of the regulatory framework are robust and transparent. The fees imposed under this Act are intended to cover the administrative costs associated with processing and registering these documents, and are designed to be proportionate to the value of the transactions or interests they represent.

Scope and Application

The Offshore Minerals (Registration Fees) Act 1981 applies to the imposition of registration fees for certain documents lodged under the Offshore Minerals Act 1994, such as section 338 and section 339 documents. These documents pertain to the transfer or dealing of offshore mineral licences, shares, or interests. The Act is applicable to the Commonwealth of Australia and operates within its jurisdiction, specifically concerning offshore mineral activities. The fees are calculated based on a prescribed percentage of the value of the consideration for the document or the value of the licence, share, or interest transferred or dealt with, whichever is greater, but the percentage cannot exceed 10%. Additionally, the Act allows for certain exemptions and reduced fees under specific conditions, such as when a prior agreement exists or when related corporations are involved, provided the transactions are not substantially for the purpose of fee avoidance. The Governor-General may also make regulations necessary for carrying out or giving effect to the Act. This Act is part of a series of legislative amendments and updates that ensure its relevance and effectiveness in regulating offshore mineral activities within Australian waters.

Key Provisions

The Offshore Minerals (Registration Fees) Act 1981 outlines the payment of fees for the registration of certain documents under the Offshore Minerals Act 1994. Specifically, section 4 of the Act states that a fee is payable to the Designated Authority for documents lodged for registration under sections 338 and 339 of the Offshore Minerals Act 1994. The fee is equal to a prescribed percentage of either the value of the consideration for the document or the value of the licence, share, or interest transferred by the document, whichever is greater. However, this percentage cannot exceed 10%, and if the calculated fee is less than a prescribed minimum, the fee must be the prescribed minimum amount, which cannot exceed $2,000. Additionally, for section 338 documents, the value of any approved exploration works to be carried out pursuant to the document is deducted from the value used for fee calculation. The Act further provides exceptions to the fee payment. For example, section 4(4) states that no fee is payable if a document was executed to give effect to a prior agreement and a party to the transfer or dealing holds a certificate under section 6. Similarly, section 4(5) exempts fees if two or more parties to the transfer or dealing are related corporations and one of them holds a certificate under section 7. The Joint Authority can issue these certificates if it is satisfied that the prior agreement or the document was not entered into substantially to avoid or reduce registration fees. Under section 5 of the Act, the Governor-General can make regulations to prescribe matters required or permitted by the Act, or necessary or convenient for carrying it out. This includes setting the percentage for fee calculation and the prescribed minimum and maximum fees. The obligations imposed by the Act primarily require entities to pay the specified registration fees upon lodging documents for registration, and the Joint Authority to issue certificates if certain conditions are met. Breach of the Act’s provisions can lead to civil or criminal consequences. For instance, failure to pay the prescribed fees when lodging documents for registration can result in the document not being registered, which may in turn affect the legal validity of the transaction. The Act does not specify criminal penalties but implies that non-compliance could lead to legal actions or penalties under related legislation. Additionally, the maximum penalty for offences under the Act, if any, would be determined by the specific provisions of the relevant sections of the Offshore Minerals Act 1994 or any other applicable legislation.

Legal classification tags

Area of Law
Environmental Law
Instrument
Act
Concepts
Definitions & Interpretation
Imposition of registration fees
Regulatory Standards

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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.