**7. Notice of entry**

Mutual trust for compatible, sustainable land access for upstream petroleum operations are traditionally indemnified with formal land access agreements struck between licensees, potentially affected people and enterprises. To provide impetus for fair and sustainable land access for petroleum, geothermal energy and gas storage operation in the State, the PGE Act was amended in 2009 to expand the 'owner of land' definition to cover all persons who may be directly affected by regulated activities, entitling them to notices of entry and compensation. This amendment has proved to be a driver for mutual respect. With this incremental legislated requirement, owners of land are provided with opportunities to raise concerns prior to the commencement of regulated activities.

Landowners are provided with information on the nature of the activities to be carried out including any anticipated events and the management of their consequences to minimise risks to an acceptable level, to enable the landowner to make informed decisions on whether this would have an impact on the land.

Landowners are entitled to object to the licensees proposed entry by giving notice to the licensee within 14 days of the licensee notice of proposed entry and the activity cannot be undertaken until the dispute is resolved. The licensee and the landowner should attempt to reach an agreement of terms under which the licensee may enter the land, or if the risks of the activity to the landowner are too high the licensee may choose to modify the activity and reissue the Activity Notification. Landowners may also raise any issues or concerns associated with the conduct of activities with DMITRE. In rare cases where the licensee and the landowner cannot resolve the dispute, then the Minister may attempt to mediate between the parties or either party may apply to the Warden's court for resolution. To date, disputed Notices of Entry have been resolved through satisfactory negotiation and have not reached the Warden's Court.

Also, under the PGE Act, owners of land are entitled to appropriate compensation from petroleum licensees for any losses, deprivation or reasonable costs sustained during both the process of negotiating land access and for the full period of land access, right through to the decommissioning of any facilities.
