Search results

Your search for Environment returned 38 record/s.
Environmental Offsets Bill 2014 The Environmental Offsets Bill 2014 sets the foundation for the State’s environmental offset framework, standardising the currently inconsistent offset arrangements in the five existing Queensland Government offset policies. The Bill provides the foundation for what an offset is and how it is to be provided; complementing assessment provisions in existing legislation, which govern if and when an
Govt Response to Committee Report No 59 Inquiry into Coastal Sea Freight In December 2014, the Transport, Housing and Local Government Committee tabled Report No. 59, ‘Inquiry into Coastal Sea Freight’. The Transport, Housing and Local Government Committee made 16 recommendations as practical strategies that aim to facilitate the development of a robust coastal shipping service along the Queensland coastline. The Report concluded a regular sea freight service along the
Underground coal gasification activity in Queensland Since 2009, underground coal gasification (UCG) pilot trial projects have been undertaken to demonstrate the technical, commercial and environmental viability of the technology, including the management of environmental impacts. The UCG trial projects have been conducted on a limited scale only. A legislative moratorium will be introduced on all activities relating to mineral (f) under the Mine
Queensland Gas Supply and Demand Action Plan Discussion Paper In July 2015, in response to emerging challenges and the desire to develop a strategic policy blueprint for the Queensland gas sector, the Queensland Government released the terms of reference for the development of a Queensland Gas Supply and Demand Action Plan. Following extensive analysis and research, a discussion paper was developed. The discussion paper contains a number of reform initiati
Queensland Government Response to the Statutory Review of the Biodiscovery Act 2004 The Biodiscovery Act 2004 (the Act) regulates the take and use of native biological material collected from State land or in Queensland waters for the purpose of biodiscovery. Biodiscovery is the analysis of molecular, biochemical or genetic information about native biological material, and the subsequent use of it for commercial purposes. The Act provides the regulatory and contractual framework
Management of Queensland abandoned mines and addressing risks associated with resource authorities In 2016, the government commissioned the Queensland Treasury Corporation (QTC) to undertake a review of the financial assurance (FA) framework for the resources sector. The review recommended an alternative financial assurance system and a range of complementary measures to reduce the state’s financial exposure to the costs of managing mined land. The Financial Assurance Framework Reform discussio
Abandoned Mines Management Policy and regulatory efficiency consultation report In 2016, the Queensland Government commissioned the Queensland Treasury Corporation to review Queensland’s financial assurance framework. The review made a number of recommendations to reduce Queensland’s exposure to the financial and environmental costs of managing land disturbed by resource activities. In response to that investigation and to further support the transparency of abandoned mine
Mineral and Energy Resources (Financial Provisioning) Bill 2018 The Mineral and Energy Resources (Financial Provisioning) Bill 2018 establishes a financial provisioning scheme to replace the current financial assurance arrangements for resource activities and a legislative basis for the Mined Land Rehabilitation framework. The Bill will require mine operators with a site specific environmental authority to prepare a plan for how and when mined land is rehabil
Amendments to Mineral and Energy Resources (Financial Provisioning) Bill 2018 The Mineral and Energy Resources (Financial Provisioning) Bill 2018 (the Bill) was introduced to Parliament on 15 February 2018. It establishes a financial provisioning scheme to replace the current financial assurance arrangements for resource activities and a legislative basis for the Mined Land Rehabilitation framework. The Economics and Governance Committee provided its report on the Bill on 2
Outcomes of Financial Assurance and Mining Rehabilitation Reforms In 2016, the Queensland Government undertook a review of the financial assurance framework for the resources sector. The review made recommendations to reduce the State’s exposure to the financial and environmental costs of managing land disturbed by resource activities. The recommendations related to final assurance, mining rehabilitation, Queensland’s tenure framework, residual risk and the Gove
Appointments to Financial Provisioning Scheme Advisory Committee The Mineral and Energy Resources (Financial Provisioning) Act 2018 (the Act) came into force on 1 April 2019 and established the Financial Provisioning Scheme (the Scheme). In accordance with the Act, the Government has established the Financial Provisioning Scheme Advisory Committee which will provide advice to a requesting entity on funding proposals relating to expenditure on pre-commencement
Biodiscovery and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2019 Biodiscovery makes a valuable contribution to the State’s economy through innovative research and the commercialisation of research products using native biological material. The Biodiscovery Act 2004 (the Act) regulates the take and use of native biological resources from State land or Queensland waters for biodiscovery research and commercialisation. Since the Act’s commencement, the biodiscover
Appointments to Land Restoration Fund Investment Panel The $500 million Land Restoration Fund (LRF) is a first of its kind initiative that supports farmers, landowners and Traditional Owners to put in place sustainable land use practices that deliver improved yields, diversify income streams, create jobs and protect Queensland’s unique environment. The LRF was officially launched in December 2019 with the first funding round opening on 28 January 2020
Waste Reduction and Recycling (Plastic Items) Amendment Bill 2020 On 7 November 2019, the Queensland Government released Tackling Plastic Waste – Queensland’s Plastic Pollution Reduction Plan (the Plan). The Plan identifies and prioritises actions to reduce plastic waste and the economic and environmental impacts of plastic pollution. To help meet these objectives, a key action of the Plan is the introduction of legislation to enable a ban on the supply of singl
Lapsed Legislation for reintroduction to Legislative Assembly The Parliament was dissolved on 6 October 2020 for the 2020 State election, held on 31 October 2020. The dissolution had significant effects on the Parliament as follows: All business on the Notice Paper including Government Bills, Private Members Bills and Questions On Notice lapsed; All notices of motions remaining on the Notice Paper such as revocation motions lapsed, except for disallowance m
Appointment of the Native Timber Advisory Panel On 4 November 2019, the Premier and the Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries jointly announced the Palaszczuk Government’s Native Timber Action Plan. The plan supports actions to help deliver a sustainable native timber industry, balancing both jobs and the environment. As part of the announcement, the Government committed to establishing the Native Timber Advisory Panel re
Flood Risk Management Framework and Strategic Flood Warning Infrastructure Plan Flooding causes more damage in Queensland than any other natural hazard, and effective and strategic flood risk management is important for the long-term economic, social and environmental sustainability of Queensland. Flood risk management is a multi-disciplinary endeavour. Across Queensland, flood risk management is based on a decentralised model with roles and responsibilities shared across Com
Draft Queensland Organics Strategy 2022-2032 On 1 July 2019, the Queensland Government released the Waste Management and Resource Recovery Strategy (the Waste Strategy), which seeks to transition Queensland to a zero-waste society, where waste is avoided, reused and recycled to the greatest extent possible. The Waste Strategy identified that a material-specific action plan would be beneficial to improve the management of organic waste in Que
Wet Tropics Management Authority Board Appointments The Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Area is managed under the Wet Tropics World Heritage Protection and Management Act 1993 (the Queensland Act) and the Commonwealth Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Area Conservation Act 1994 (the Commonwealth Act). These Acts implement Australia’s international duty for the protection, conservation, presentation, rehabilitation and transmission t
Climate Action Plan 2020 - 2030 The Queensland Government accepts the science of climate change and committed to taking action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and transition the economy to zero net emissions by 2050 in line with global action to do the same. The Queensland Government has committed to developing a Climate Action Plan to map the pathway forward for Queensland’s emissions over the next decade. The Climate Acti
Queensland State of the Environment 2020 Report The Queensland State of the Environment (SoE) 2020 Report (SoE 2020) is a collation of published data and information about the condition of Queensland’s environmental assets and the pressures affecting those assets. The SoE 2020 is presented through an interactive online format and provides Queenslanders with greater access to, and understanding of, regionally specific environmental performance
Appointments Board of Directors of Wet Tropics Management Authority The Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Area is managed under the Wet Tropics World Heritage Protection and Management Act 1993 (the Act) and the Commonwealth Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Area Conservation Act 1994 (the Commonwealth Act). These Acts implement Australia’s international duty for the protection, conservation, presentation, rehabilitation and transmission to future ge
Environmental Protection (Ministerial Designations) Amendment Bill 2021 The Environmental Protection Act 1994 (EP Act) regulates activities that cause environmental harm, including environmental nuisance and prescribes when an activity that causes serious or material environmental harm, environmental nuisance or that contravenes a noise standard will be unlawful. The EP Act also provides for where certain types of environmental nuisance are excluded from being an offe
Queensland Organics Strategy 2022–2032 and Action Plan 2022-2032 In July 2019, the Queensland Government released the Waste Management and Resource Recovery Strategy (the Waste Strategy), which seeks to transition Queensland to a zero-waste society, where waste is avoided, reused, and recycled to the greatest extent possible. The Waste Strategy identified that clear and progressive policy focusing on organic waste is required to improve the management of organi
Queenslands Zero Emission Vehicle Strategy 2022-2032 and Action Plan 2022-2024 The Queensland Government has committed to significant emissions reductions targets. Reducing transport and energy sector emissions is a complex and challenging task which requires a multifaceted and holistic solution to deliver greater dividends in the future and minimise higher future costs. Queensland Government (and industry) action and investment is required to deliver a range of broader econ
Conserving Nature – a Biodiversity Conservation Strategy for Queensland The Queensland Auditor General’s report ‘Conserving threatened species (Report 7: 2018- 19)’ included a recommendation to develop an “integrated and comprehensive conservation strategy for Queensland, to meet the requirements of the Nature Conservation Act 1992”. The report recommended the strategy be supported by plans for: investment and implementation; engagement and communication; and monitori
Appointments to Gondwana World Heritage Advisory Committee The Department of Environment and Science (DES) represents the Queensland Government in assisting the Commonwealth to meet Australia’s obligations under the World Heritage Convention. Responsibilities are detailed in the Australian World Heritage Intergovernmental Agreement and include the establishment of advisory committee arrangements for the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Are
Appointment to Board of Directors of Wet Tropics Management Authority The Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Area is managed under the Wet Tropics World Heritage Protection and Management Act 1993 (the Act) and the Commonwealth Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Area Conservation Act 1994 (the Commonwealth Act). These Acts implement Australia’s international duty for the protection, conservation, presentation, rehabilitation and transmission to future ge
Government Response to Native Vegetation Scientific Expert Panel Report The Native Vegetation Scientific Expert Panel (the Panel) was convened in March 2022 following a decision by the Deputy Premier and then acting Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef and Minister for Science and Youth Affairs to investigate the findings of the 2018-19 State-wide Landcover and Trees Study (SLATS) report, which showed that 680,000 hectares of native vegetation had b
Implementing response to review of powers and penalties under Environmental Protection Act In April 2022, retired Judge Richard Jones and Barrister Susan Hedge were engaged to undertake an independent review into the adequacy of existing powers and penalties under the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (EP Act). The review aimed to identify whether the tools available to the enforce the duties under the EP Act, particularly in relation to nuisance, are sufficiently contemporary to deal w
Response to Independent review of Environmental Protection Act The Department of Environment and Science (DES) engaged retired Planning and Environment Court judge, Mr Richard Jones, and former Senior Crown Prosecutor Susan Hedge, to undertake an independent review into the adequacy of existing powers and penalties under the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (EP Act). The review has established that, to a significant extent, the EP Act contains adequate power
Appointments to Land Restoration Fund Investment Panel The Queensland Government’s Land Restoration Fund (LRF) is expanding carbon farming in the state by supporting land-sector carbon projects that deliver additional environmental, socio-economic and First Nations co-benefits. The LRF supports landholders, farmers and First Nations peoples to generate new, regular income streams through carbon farming projects whilst providing valuable co-benefits s
Review of Great Sandy Marine Park Zoning Plan - release of Decision RIS The Great Sandy Marine Park (GSMP) is a multiple use marine protected area that provides for a variety of recreational, commercial and tourism activities in addition to its primary purpose of conserving the marine environment. It contains a diverse range of natural and cultural values such as extensive seagrass meadows and mangrove communities, some of the world’s most southerly coastal fringing c
Clean Economy Jobs Bill 2024 The primary objective of the Clean Economy Jobs Bill 2024 (the Bill) is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Queensland. This is principally achieved through legislating Queensland’s emissions reduction targets. Queensland’s emissions reduction targets are to: reduce emissions to 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030 reduce emissions to 75 per cent below 2005 levels by 2035 achieve zero net e
EPA Powers and Penalities OLAB 2024 In May 2023, the Queensland Government released its response to a report from retired Judge Richard Jones and Barrister Susan Hedge’s 2022, Independent Review of the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (Qld) Report: Independent review into the adequacy of existing powers and penalties. The Government noted support for all 18 recommendations except for Recommendation 12 which was supported in-princip
Marine Parks (Great Sandy) Zoning Plan 2024 The Great Sandy Marine Park (GSMP) is a marine protected area that provides for a variety of recreational, commercial and tourism activities in addition to its primary purpose of conserving the marine environment. It contains a diverse range of natural and cultural values. These include extensive seagrass meadows and mangrove communities, some of the world’s most southerly coastal fringing coral r
Improving SEQ koala habitat regs The Planning Regulation 2017 plays an important role in achieving protections for koala habitat in South East Queensland (SEQ), by ensuring that development is planned and carried out in a way that appropriately considers koala conservation outcomes. In February 2020, following the recommendations of an independent Koala Expert Panel, the Nature Conservation and Other Legislation (Koala Protecti
Final Progress Report on commitments to UNESCO The Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area has been subject to consideration at successive World Heritage Committee meetings since 2012. At the 2021 World Heritage Committee meeting, it was recommended that the Reef be listed ‘in danger’, but the Committee did not agree and requested a Reactive Monitoring Mission. The Mission visited the Reef in March 2022 and published its ‘Report on the Joint Wo