If your council is working on reshaping your Land Information Memorandum (LIM) template to align with the updated Local Government and Official Information Act 1987 (LGOIMA) natural hazard requirements, take comfort: almost every council across the country is in the same boat.
The recent changes around natural hazard disclosure have prompted a nationwide rethink of how LIMs are structured and written. The intention behind the changes is clear and well-meaning; LIMs should be easier to understand and provide comprehensive information for property owners and purchasers. But the practical reality for councils is far more complex.
More hazards, more explanation, more responsibility
Under the updated LIM provisions under LGOIMA, councils are now required to include significantly more detail about natural hazards and in a way that is clear and understandable. It’s no longer sufficient to provide a simple “yes/no” response. LIMs now need to cover:
- Any hazards (or potential hazards) that affect the property.
- The cumulative or combined effects of hazards.
- The source of the information.
- A summary of technical reports.
This is a substantial shift from previous LGOIMA requirements. For many councils, it means revisiting LIM templates that have been refined over years and a process that requires time, resources, and careful attention to detail.
Template it right
We’re hearing the same story from councils:
“We know we need to change our template, but we don’t know where to start… we’re unsure how much information to include or where it should come from.”
This is completely understandable. Getting the template right involves:
- Undertaking a stocktake of the known hazard information.
- Reconciling information from multiple internal and external sources (teams, consent files, legacy systems, and regional councils).
- Translating technical information into plain language.
- Restructuring the LIM to maintain readability despite additional content.
- Ensuring wording is accurate, consistent, and legally sound.
Information often involves highly technical language that needs to be distilled into something a typical homeowner or purchaser can easily understand. This is not a quick afternoon update; it’s a full rebuild. Councils are dedicating substantial time to reviewing templates, updating databases, remapping internal processes, and seeking legal guidance to get it right.
The good news? The hard work pays off
Councils want to provide accurate, clear, and useful information. The law now requires more detail, and delivering it in a way that the public can actually digest is both a skill and a process.
If you’re still working on your template, you’re not behind—you’re being careful. And that’s exactly what this environment requires.
Our Regulatory team are supporting councils to navigate these changes, interpreting new requirements, reshaping LIM structures, and testing draft wording. So, whether you’re fine-tuning your template or staring at a blank section wondering how to summarise a hazard without writing a novel, we’re here to help.
