207: Oct 2020

New Registrar of Titles and acting Chief Executive, Land Use Victoria

Following the recent retirement of Ian Ireson from Land Use Victoria (LUV), Melissa Harris has been appointed Registrar of Titles, Registrar, Victorian Water Register, and acting Chief Executive, LUV.

Ian Ireson, who left LUV earlier this month, completed 45 years of exemplary public service dedicated to land administration excellence in Victoria.  After starting his career as a cadet surveyor at Treasury Place in 1975, Ian has been a driving force behind LUV becoming the world-class organisation it is today, providing a solid foundation for all land, titling and property services in Victoria.  Highlights of Ian’s career include the automation of the titles register and the introduction of digital transaction lodgment enabling electronic conveyancing.

Prior to her appointment, Melissa was Executive Director of the Strategic Land Assessment and Information (SLAI) division in LUV, leading a team of more than 270 valuation, surveying and geospatial professionals.   Melissa has 30 years’ experience in the property, technology and regulatory functions of government and has a thorough understanding of land development processes, strategic and statutory planning, spatial services, the surveying industry, local government and valuation processes.

Christmas and new year closure

Land Registry Services offices at 2 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne and 57 Cherry Lane, Laverton remain closed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions, although registration, call centre and search services have continued to be provided remotely.

Registration and call centre services will be unavailable during the end of year holiday period, from 4.00 pm on Thursday 24 December 2020 to 8.30 am on Monday 4 January 2021. Online services including electronic lodgment will continue to be available during this period.

Customer queries (telephone message or email) will be responded to when offices reopen.

Answering requisitions, stopped case notices and other correspondence

Customers are reminded that all correspondence to the Registrar, including responses to a requisition or stopped case notice, should only be sent by email to the relevant Land Registry branch.

Correspondence should not be emailed directly to the Registrar of Titles or anyone else in Land Registry (unless specifically directed to do so).  Please note that facsimile (fax) machines for either sending or receiving communications are no longer used.

Earlier this year changes were made to enquiries in the following areas within the Land Registry. Please refer to CIB 200 April 2020 and the list below for current contact information.

*    Subdivisions Branch – unless the enquiry relates to receiving updates about the progress of a plan of a subdivision or dealing, in which case you may track a document, including by obtaining a property transaction alert, through LANDATA® or an authorised information broker. For all other enquiries and responses to requisitions, please email Subdivision.Branch@delwp.vic.gov.au

*    Applications and Survey Branch – for enquiries on adverse possession, easements, roads and general law land matters and responses to requisitions please email APS.Branch@delwp.vic.gov.au

*    Water Register – enquiries on dealings and responses to requisitions with water shares please email Lvwater.Register@delwp.vic.gov.au

*    Enquiries on service of court documents and relating to folios of the register affected by a Notice of Action (NARF) must be communicated by email to Lv.warrants@delwp.vic.gov.au

The Victorian Land Registry Services Customer Call Centre can be contacted on 9102 401 and by email at advice.enquiries@victorianlrs.com.au

Model Participation Rules and Model Operating Requirements for electronic conveyancing transactions

The Australian Registrars' National Electronic Conveyancing Council (ARNECC) has published for additional consultation Model Participation Rules Consultation Draft 6.1 and Model Operating Requirements Consultation Draft 6.1.

In addition, Feedback Tables providing substantial information and outlining the action taken in response to the submissions received during the first round of consultation have also been published.

Written submissions can be made to chair@arnecc.gov.au by the due date of 6 November 2020.

For further information, please see the ARNECC notice to stakeholders under News on https://www.arnecc.gov.au/