Cadastre, Legal Certainty, and Land Digitalization: A Comparative Study of Australia and Indonesia

Indra Haditama

doi:10.31292/mj.v6i1.212

Authors

Indra Haditama Doctoral Program in Law, Trisakti University, Jakarta

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31292/mj.v6i1.212

Keywords:

Cadastral System, Land Registration, Legal Certainty, Digitalisation of Land Administration, Comparative Legal Studies, Torrens System

Abstract

Cadastre and land registration systems constitute the foundation of legal certainty regarding land rights and are currently evolving in tandem with the digital transformation of land administration. This study aims to conduct a comparative analysis of the cadastral and land registration systems of South Australia and Indonesia, with a view to identifying best practices that may be adapted within the framework of national land administration reform. The research employs a normative legal research method, utilizing a comparative legal studies approach through the examination of statutory regulations, scholarly literature, and technical guidelines for cadastral surveying. The analysis focuses on regulatory structures, geodesy-cadastre integration, survey documentation, boundary dispute resolution, land registration systems, and land administration digitalization. The findings reveal that South Australia establishes legal certainty through the integration of a coordinated cadastre, positional uncertainty, rigorous survey documentation, the Torrens system, and electronic conveyancing. By contrast, Indonesia has made significant progress through GeoKKP, electronic certificates, and the One Map Policy, yet continues to face challenges pertaining to regulatory fragmentation, data interoperability, and spatial-juridical integration. This study offers a conceptual synthesis that interlinks the regulatory, cadastral, land registration, and digitalization dimensions as a foundation for strengthening an adaptive, accountable, and legally-certainty-oriented land administration reform.

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