Queensland to expand Ministerial fast-tracking powers
Sydney (2 June)
The Queensland Government has introduced legislation to allow Ministers and the state’s Coordinator-General to waive planning requirements and override consent conditions, respectively, for state significant developments, it announced on 2 June.
Ministers can waive planning rules for significant projects if they are satisfied that the rules are duplicative or unsuitable for the type of project being proposed, under the legislation, the Government said in an explanatory note.
But Ministers can not waive significant project requirements – including the need to secure environmental approvals and land-owner permissions – it added.
The legislation also allows the state’s Coordinator-General to override consenting conditions from state agencies to avoid inconsistencies and support government-wide infrastructure planning.
Queensland’s expanded Ministerial and Coordinator-General powers are meant to speed up approvals for critical mineral developments and other complex projects, the Government said.
Mining and resources trade groups have welcomed the proposed changes and expect them to support critical mineral developments.
“Timely approvals that get new projects to production faster are a key consideration for investors in the resources sector, so this Bill introduced by the Government is a positive step for the industry,” Queensland Resources Council Chief Executive Officer Jannette Hewson said.
“Strengthening coordination across government … will improve project timelines, reduce duplication, and enhance Queensland’s attractiveness as an investment destination,” the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies CEO Warren Pearce added.
Queensland’s Coordinator-General and Ministers will – collectively – have similar powers to the Northern Territory’s (NT) Territorial Coordinator and Western Australia’s (WA) Coordinator-General, if the legislation passes.
WA’s Coordinator-General and the NT’s Territorial Coordinator can set decision deadlines for agencies, modify how legislation is applied to specific projects, and direct planners to consider specific issues when evaluating applications.
On 1 June, the NT Government selected Arafura Rare Earths’ Nolans project as the first individual development to be fast-tracked under its Territorial Coordinator scheme.
The Federal and South Australian Governments run less comprehensive, bespoke regulatory support schemes to support significant developments.
By Avinash Govind