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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1986
LAND OFFICE CARDS BEING COMPUTERISED
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THE COMPUTERISATION OF LAND OFFICE REGISTER CARDS WILL BEGIN TOMORROW (SATURDAY), THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, MR NOEL GLEESON, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).
THE REGISTER CARDS RECORD PARTICULARS OF THE TITLE TO ALL LAND AND BUILDINGS THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY, IN THE LAND OFFICE (VICTORIA) AROUND 1.2 MILLION REGISTER CARDS WILL BE CONVERTED INTO COMPUTERISED DATA. THE CONVERSION, WHICH WILL REQUIRE A TEAM OF 67, WILL TAKE ABOUT TWO YEARS TO COMPLETE.
AS EACH REGISTER CARD IS COMPUTERISED THE INFORMATION RECORDED ON IT WILL BE AVAILABLE FROM THE COMPUTER TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ON PAYMENT OF THE PRESCRIBED FEE, $10 FOR CURRENT DATA ONLY, $20 FOR CURRENT AND HISTORICAL.
THE PROJECT IS ESTIMATED TO COST $21.2 MILLION WHICH INCLUDES THE COST OF HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE ($8.5 MILLION), COMPUTER SITE PREPARATION ($1.4 MILLION), STAFF AND ACCOMMODATION.
MR GLEESON SAID THAT COMPUTERISATION OF LAND OFFICE REGISTER CARDS WOULD ENABLE THE REGISTRAR GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE A BETTER SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC.
IT WOULD REDUCE THE TIME REQUIRED FOR MAKING A LAND SEARCH FROM ABOUT 30 MINUTES TO ABOUT 10 MINUTES, SIMPLIFY SEARCH PROCEDURES AND REDUCE THE TIME FOR REGISTRATION OF A DEED FROM FOUR WEEKS TO ABOUT 10 DAYS.
COMPUTERISATION, WHEN COMPLETED, WOULD ALSO RESULT IN ANNUAL SAVINGS OF ABOUT $6 MILLION IN STAFF COSTS AND ABOUT $1.3 MILLION IN ACCOMMODATION COSTS.
THERE ARE PLANS TO LINK THE LAND OFFICE COMPUTER SYSTEM TO COMPUTER TERMINALS AT THE OFFICES OF SOLICITORS AND OTHER PROFESSIONAL FIRMS SO THAT SEARCHES OF THE COMPUTERISED REGISTER CAN BE MADE AT THE FIRMS' OFFICES.
FEES FOR SUCH SEARCHES WILL BE PAID MONTHLY BY THE FIRMS.
THERE ARE ALSO PLANS FOR THE COMPUTERISED SYSTEM TO BE EXTENDED TO THE NEW TERRITORIES DISTRICT LAND REGISTRIES, MR GLEESON SAID.
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