This Act makes provision for the protection of the environment and vegetation and provides rules to environmental sanitation and physical planning and development. It shall promote the conservation of the natural environment and landscape beauty of Norfolk Island and to ensure, so far as is practicable, that physical works and other activities are in harmony with the natural environment. The Act establishes the Norfolk Island Planning Board. The Board shall consider applications for authorization of activities for which approval is required under this Act.

This Act provides rules relative to lease of Crown lands, i.e. Crown land of the Commonwealth in respect of which the Administrator is authorized by the Minister to make grants or other dispositions, and deal with in accordance with this Act, on behalf of the Minister. The Administrator may grant a lease of unleased Crown land to an applicant for a lease.

This Act provides for the imposition of an annual levy on land owned by an absentee (as defined by this Act. The levy shall be charged on the unimproved value of the land, i.e. the capital sum that might be expected to be offered for the fee simple with vacant possession of the land at a bona fide sale on such reasonable terms and conditions as a bona fide seller would require, it being assumed that no improvements had been made on or to the parcel of land. The Act allows for objections to be lodged against assessment of value.