Rural
Issues
The Rural Issues Committee monitors legal issues of relevance to rural practitioners and their clients, focusing on the provision of legal education programs of specific benefit to rural practitioners.
Learn more about committees
Current committee members
How to join a committee
Contract for the Sale and Purchase of Water Entitlement 2016
The contract for the Sale and Purchase of Water Entitlement 2016 is now available from the Law Society's Shop. Please note, the 2016 edition is available in hard copy only.
A sample copy of the 2016 edition of the Contract for Sale and Purchase of Water Entitlement is available for inspection here.
Publishers and Educational Institutions wanting to include the sample Contract as part of their publications or teaching materials must obtain a Copyright Clearance from the Copyright Officer by sending an email to corpLegal@lawsociety.com.au.
Use of the sample Contract by Publishers and Educational Institutions is subject to the Copyright Guidelines.
Updates
Practitioners acting in transfers for Western Lands Leases should be aware of the fencing requirements of the lease. Non-compliance with boundary fence maintenance requirements by the holder of the lease may effect obtaining the consent to transfer. Further information on this notice.
Rural Issues Conference
Each year the Committee organises the Rural Issues Conference. Featuring an array of presentations from prominent figures, this one-day conference allows practitioners holding NSW Practising Certificates to claim one CPD unit for each hour of instruction.
Recent policy submissions
Letter to the DPI – Proposed Game and Feral Animal Control Regulation 2022 – 12 July 2022
Letter NSW Independent Flood Inquiry – 21 June 2022
Letter to Department of Planning and Environment – Planning certificate fees – 19 June 2023
Letter to Department of Primary Industries – NSW Animal Welfare Reform – 17 September 2021
Visit the Rural Issues policy submissions archive
2023 Committee list
Ms Georgiena Ryan (Chair), Mr Peter Moffitt (Dep Chair), C. Banks, C. Colwell, A. Ferguson, J. Fletcher, A. Gordon, S. Morgan, A. Parbery, N. Savage, N. Scanlon, J. Sheen, J. Spear, P. Vagg, J. Van Der Plaat, K. Whitley.
How to join a committee
Law Society Committees have powers, authorities and tasks delegated by the Council. Consisting of dedicated volunteers, each committee focuses on a particular area of law, pooling together specialist skills and experience in order to scrutinise legislation, court decisions and other government policies.
There are three broad categories of committees:
- Regulatory committees – perform statutory duties under the Legal Profession Uniform Law (NSW)
- Liaison committees – linked to other professions or organisations
- Policy committees
By drawing on the insights of committees, the Law Society can meet its statutory duties and act as a major player in law reform and policy debates.