Tasmania's LIST system was introduced in 1997 as a
new land information system which would update land data
collection in the state.
The LIST system is one of the new GIS (geographic information
systems) which are meant to revolutionize land recording.
The presentation of land information in a graphical way is
obviously important as this allows everyone to see how
local land tenures are working in an immediate way.
However just because a system is computerized it does not mean
that it is perfect. Rubbish in - rubbish out and the new system
does show the same ambiguities and anomolies as are present in
the other manual land records systems.
The Property Law Committee of the Law Society of Tasmania is meeting each month
with the Recorder of Titles. In February, the group received a briefing on the
proposal to establish a digital co-ordinate based cadastre. The reference for boundaries
under this proposal would be fixed co-ordinates on earth's surface rather than
physical evidence on the ground. (See THE LAW LETTER April 1999 No 87)
This seems to be reasonable and it would be a way of dealing with the problem of
dysfunctional filing which historically afflicts land title registries. However it
is important that the implementation of a new system is not used by powerful vested
interest groups to create land which does not exist in the real world.
For example let us look at the area coloured yellow and orange in the
image below.
The address of this large parcel is given as Elouera St, Riverside. However
there is no road at all in this area of Riverside let alone a street called
Elouera St. There is a street called Eloeura St, miles away on the banks of the Tamar
River.
It should also be noted that a large section of the main street in this area -
Pitt Avenue, is missing from this LIST plan.
This can be seen from the image taken from a road map of the area.
What happens if someone gets caught speeding on a road which is not to be found
on the state's most comprehensive record of land holdings? Is this section of Pitt Avenue
some sort of private holding?
The interesting point is that the non-existent road Elouera St, becomes a means of creating
a seperate parcel of land. If Elouera St, was not present then this parcel would most likely
be consolidated with the other main parcel comprising the HEC easement and would therefore
be most likely not available for subdivision at a later date.
