Northern Territory Consolidated Acts Northern Territory Consolidated Acts(1) This section applies if:
(a) a rate in respect of an allotment is due and unpaid; and
(b) a person is in lawful occupation of the allotment; and
(c) the person pays rent in relation to the allotment.
(2) The Minister may serve a notice in writing on the lawful occupier to pay the rent to the Territory in payment of the rate that is due and unpaid, if the ratepayer for the allotment:
(a) resides outside the Territory; or
(b) is not known; or
(c) has not been served with any process in legal proceedings for the recovery of the rate after reasonable efforts have been made to do so; or
(d) has become bankrupt; or
(e) has applied to take the benefit of a law for the relief of bankrupt or insolvent debtors; or
(f) has compounded with creditors or made an assignment of the ratepayer's remuneration for their benefit; or
(g) has died; or
(h) has had a verdict or judgment given against him or her by a court of competent jurisdiction for the amount of the rate and for 14 days has failed to pay the amount of that verdict or judgment.
(3) The notice must state the amount of rent to be paid to the Territory.
(4) A payment made to the Territory by the lawful occupier in accordance with the notice is a valid discharge to the occupier against any person claiming against the occupier for that rent.