The Commonwealth Property Management Framework (the Framework) applies to property owned or leased by the Commonwealth in Australia, including external territories and for those located overseas.
As part of its reporting obligations under the Framework, the Department of Finance maintains the Australian Government Property Register for leased and owned Commonwealth property.
A data-set landholdings owned by non-corporate Commonwealth entities, including title and address information, along with a geospatial link to each site, is available for download at data.gov.au as well as the National Map.
Under the ownership and disposal part of the Framework, property should only be held by the Commonwealth where it demonstrably contributes to government service delivery outcomes and ownerships represents value for money.
Alternative use proposals
All Australians are able to propose alternative use arrangements for Commonwealth land. Other levels of government, businesses, members of the public and other stakeholders could have local knowledge of individual Commonwealth landholdings and suggestions for better and innovative uses.
While the Commonwealth, through the Department of Finance, welcomes alternative use proposals for any landholding owned by non-corporate Commonwealth entities, proposals will need to be assessed when received to determine whether the landholdings are surplus to Commonwealth requirements.
Upon receipt of an alternative use proposal, the Department of Finance, in conjunction with the owning-entity, will undertake an in-depth assessment of the landholding. All Commonwealth divestment must comply with the Commonwealth Property Disposal Policy which generally requires property be sold on the open-market for full market value, unless one of a limited number of exceptions is met.
How to propose an alternative use
Search the property listings and note the corresponding AGPR land identification number.
An alternative use of land might be to deliver more houses, community amenities, key services or employment hubs.
Submit your completed proposal, ensuring the land identification is clearly stated and the criteria is addressed (see “How proposals will be considered for assessment criteria), to LandProposals@Finance.gov.au.
Once submitted, the proposal will be formally acknowledged.
How proposals will be considered
| 1. SUBMIT PROPOSAL |
Department of Finance (Finance) receives a proposal. |
|---|---|
| 2. PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT |
Finance will conduct a preliminary assessment of the proposal against the following criteria, to determine if the proposal warrants further consideration:
If the proposal does not progress to the next stage Finance will advise the proponent of the outcome. |
| 3. CONSULTATION AND ASSESSMENT |
Finance will undertake an in-depth assessment of the proposal which will include consulting with the owning entity and other relevant Government stakeholders to consider the options, risks and opportunities for the proposed alternative use. |
| 4. OUTCOME |
Finance will advise the proponent of the outcome following consideration by Government |
Please note, timeframes for considering alternative use proposal may vary depending on the location, nature and complexity of the property/proposal.
How land disposals will be conducted
The submission of an alternative use proposal does not constitute a right to buy or use a property by the person submitting the form.
If a proposal leads to the disposal of land, the sale will be conducted in the accordance with the Commonwealth Property Disposal Policy. The Policy requires surplus land to be sold on the open market unless agreed otherwise by the Minister for Finance.
Depending on the nature of the proposal, the sale conditions may require that the purchaser must use the land for an agreed specified purpose.
Intellectual Property
While all reasonable steps will be taken to protect the intellectual property of the proposer, participation in a process where an alternative land purpose is proposed, could be publicly disclosed, for example, through an open market disposal process.
Privacy
The Department of Finance’s Privacy Policy sets out its personal information collection and handling practices.