Land Administration Workshop: Knowledge Sharing for the Future

For the full program including presenter biographies and abstracts, click here.

The Honorable Annette Ellis - Opening Address.pdf [21.9 KB]

Session 1 Chair - Prof. Ian Williamson

Tony Burns  - Good Governance in Land Administration.pdf  [257 KB]
Raewyn Porter - Approaches to Developing Land Policy.pdf  [761 KB]
Ian Lloyd - Philippines LAMP II.pdf  [499 KB]
Chris Lunnay - Lao-Australia Property Registration and Land Titling Project.pdf  [611.KB]

Session 2 Chair - Toni Bauman

Brian Roberts - Urbanisation and Sustainability: Lessons from Good Practice.pdf  [592 .KB]
Kate Dalrymple - Gender Approaches to Community Participation.pdf  [835 KB]
Spike Boydell - Building Capacity through Education & Training.pdf  [1.2 Mb]

Session 3 Chair - Kath Wellman

Steve Wawrzonek - Making Land Work: AusAID’s Support for Land Policy Reform in the Pacific.pdf [79 KB]
Jim Fingleton - Pacific Land Tenure - new ideas for reform.pdf [58 KB]
Neil Pullar - Computerisation: Sustainable Land Registration/Land Administration in the Pacific.pdf [214 KB]

Tony Burns

Abstract: Good Governance in Land Administration
    The topic of governance in economic development is one that has increasingly drawn the attention of policymakers, donors, and researchers. That good governance is important for development outcomes is hardly controversial - it is by now universally accepted that a state that can function effectively is a precondition for generating sustained economic growth and poverty reduction. Governments have a vital role to play in fostering the development of markets, as well as in addressing market failures, and cross-country empirical evidence confirms that aspects of governance such as a strong rule of law are strongly linked to economic growth. Recognition of the importance of these issues has led to increasing interest in achieving a better understanding of the various aspects of what good governance means, and how it can be achieved.
    Land administration is often perceived as one of the most corrupt sectors in public administration. Land itself, considered a primary source of wealth, often becomes the trading medium and motivation of political issues, economic and political power gains, and other self fulfilling interests. The need to ensure there is good governance in land administration is thus very important. A key theme in the land sector among development professionals, policy makers and academics, is how to address governance within land administration. Current research and a draft Conceptual Framework are presented in this paper to contribute to on-going discussion and provide a tool for focussing assessment of governance within land administration systems.

Raewyn Porter

Abstract: Approaches to Developing Land Policy
   The presentation examines land policy through the lens of an idealised ‘policy cascade’ and then compares recent examples of land policy development in three countries: Uganda, Philippines and West Bank & Gaza. Lessons are drawn from these land policy experiences and extrapolated to suggest potential characteristics of engagement in the Pacific States.

Ian Lloyd

Abstract: Outcomes, Innovations, Impediments and Lessons Learned on two of AusAID's Land Administration Projects – LAMP II
    LAMP II has been used as a testing ground for a new and innovative approach to AusAID funding. The project supports an Innovation Support Fund (ISF) which is an AUD $ 1.5 Million AusAID fund facility. This fund is intended to encourage local governments with key local land administration and management agencies to initiate, implement and institutionalise focused interventions and processes leading to local reforms on land administration and management, integration and improvement in land administration and management service delivery. Reforms are especially focused in land tenure security, land valuation, land titling and land records management at the city and municipal levels.

Chris Lunnay

Abstract: Outcomes, Innovations, Impediments and Lessons Learned on two of AusAID's Land Administration Projects – PRLTP
    The Lao – Australia Property Rights and Land Titling Project (Lao Land Titling Project) commenced in 1997 and has been successful in developing a land registration system and land offices in 14 of the 17 provinces of Lao PDR (remaining 3 provinces to be included following World Bank approval). The project has completed the issuing of land use rights over 509,800 land parcels; supported the successful development and implementation of a High Diploma in Surveying and Land Administration; developed a sustainable geodetic survey system; implemented a successful approach to community education and gender awareness and increased government revenue from land registration fees by over 300% in 5 years. In achieving these results the project has faced numerous hurdles in developing capacity and sustainability and there are a number of lessons that can be learnt.

Brian Roberts

Abstract: Urbanisation and Sustainability: Lessons from Good Practice
  This presentation on Good Practice Cases of Sustainable Urban Development in Selected Asian Countries outlines examples of approaches to sustainable development projects and programs which have been implemented to improve the quality of urban environments in Asian countries. The presentation commences by setting in context issues related to urbanization in Asia, where 1.1 billion people are expected to be added to the population of cities in the next 25 years. A series of case studies on sustainable urban development good practices will be presented. These draw upon research from two books: “Urbanization and Sustainability in Asia: Good Practice Approaches to Urban Region Development” and “Managing Asian Cities” published recently by the ADB, which Professor Roberts was extensively involved in writing. The case studies demonstrate aspects of sustainability in good governance, urban management, infrastructure/service provision, financing and cost recovery, social & environmental sustainability, innovation and change and leveraging official development assistance. The presentation concludes with an outline of important lessons to be learned about sustainability for the design, development and implementation of urban projects in the future by international development agencies.

Kate Dalrymple

Abstract: Gender Approaches to Community Participation
  Community education services are an integral pathway to ensuring project goals are achieved in a sensitive and collaborative manner. These services are also essential for ensuring clear communication and understanding between the project goals and beneficiaries.
  Engaging men and women equally in both policy making and implementation on development projects is critical. The integration of the Lao Women’s Union within the Lao Land Titling Project has been invaluable in terms of realising a gendered approach to titling. Success is also due to the level of ownership and coordination in communicating the gender message and opening a networking platform for gathering participation momentum. This presentation provides tangible lessons from the Lao Land Titling Project for countries attempting to reach Millennium Development Goal 3 – promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Spike Boydell

Abstract: Building Capacity through Education & Training
   This presentation takes a Pacific focus, highlighting that the role of customary land in the development of Pacific Islands is now firmly on the good governance agenda of donors and regional agencies. Tasked with negotiating these challenges are a small cohort of property professionals. The majority are land management graduates (in land management, real estate, planning or geomatics) from the University of the South Pacific or the Papua New Guinea University of Technology, who have studied their degree in their second (or third) language. Unlike their counterparts in developed countries, these graduates often return to senior positions in Government lands departments, without the support of mentors or professional bodies to help them navigate the early years of their career.
   In a major step towards post university support and professional representation, the Pacific Islands Land Professionals Association (PILPA) was established in July 2008. This initiative of the Commonwealth Association of Surveying and Land Economy (CASLE) was almost thirty years in the making. As a representative professional body, PILPA can seek international recognition and support from other professional bodies. The mandate of PILPA largely overlaps and embraces the emergent Pacific Island Planning Association (PIPA).
   Professional representation, whilst a major step for the region, can only advance its members in the region so far. Critical to making land work to support development in the region, this presentation discusses the engagement of kindred professional bodies (such as the Australian Property Institute, the Planning Institute of Australia, the Institute of Surveyors Australia, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the Spatial Science Institute) to provide both expertise and essential mentor support to the young and aspiring Pacific land professionals.

Steven Wawrzonek

Abstract: Making Land Work: AusAID’s Support for Land Policy Reform in the Pacific
   AusAID is supporting land policy reform in the Pacific with a $54 million investment over the next four years. AusAID’s land initiatives in the Pacific are being informed by the background research and publication of the “Making Land Work” report. AusAID’s Pacific Land Program will build on the results of this research in guiding the implementation of Phase II of the Program. This presentation will focus on the types of reforms that AusAID will support and the approach AusAID is taking to development assistance in the land sector.

Jim Fingleton

Abstract: Pacific Land Tenure - new ideas for reform
   Land reform is never easy but, after many decades without much change in their land laws, there are signs of a mood for change in the Pacific Islands region. Under the Pacific Land Program (PLP), the Australian Government has committed $54 million to support land reforms in Pacific Island countries and East Timor. The first phase of the PLP was the conduct during 2007 of 17 case studies, to look at major land tenure issues in the Pacific region and the innovative ways they were being addressed.
  The talk will identify the main lessons for reform which can be drawn from the case studies, and offer views on how to apply those lessons to land reform in the Pacific. As always, it will be necessary to balance – the need for local “ownership” of any reforms; and ensuring that those reforms are based on good research, and will in fact promote sustainable development.

Neil Pullar

Abstract: Computerisation in the context of sustainable Land Registration/Land Administration in the Pacific
   Computerisation has the potential to support most land administration reform initiatives. The land administration applications typically considered for computerisation in Pacific countries will be identified as will the common characteristics of the implementations of these applications. Computerised applications known to the presenter in Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Marshall Islands and Samoa are reviewed. Finally, a number of issues that are considered important to ensure land administration reforms are sustainable (particularly in Pacific countries) are identified.