Vegetation Management Amendment

The Vegetation Management Framework Amendment Bill 2013 was referred to the Qld State Development, Infrastructure and Industry Committee for consideration.  The committee was headed up by the Honourable David Gibson.  

A report was tabled to the House on Tuesday 14 May 2013, recommending the Bill be passed.

The Bill proposes to remove regulations regarding regrowth control on freehold and indigenous land, these regulations will still apply to leasehold land and in reef watercourses.

While it seems inevitable that this legislation will be passed by the Qld LNP Majority Government any day now, it would be nice to have some sensible discussion of the issues.

At one end of the spectrum, the World Wide Fund for Nature are running television and radio advertisements, which they say aims to prevent one of the largest environmental rollbacks in Australia’s history.

At the other end: AgForce's reinstated the AgForce Vegetation Management Committee have been gathering information on their perceived limitations of the current Vegetation Management Act 1999. AgForce are seeking public support for farmers in their bid to sustainably produce food. AgForce are painting Vegetation Management legislation as an unworkable administrative burden.

Vested interests - Economic Development in Qld

Changes to Queensland’s development system under the Economic Development Bill 2012

Before the last Qld State election, the LNP promised to review the Urban Land Development Authority and return planning powers to local governments. 

Since being elected in March 2012, the Qld Government has not had a great record on acting in the 'public interest'.  However, the LNP also promised to "fast track" economic development of the State.  At the same time, the LNP Government is cutting red tape and green tape.

The Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning, Jeff Seeney, on the 30 October 2012, has said:

“The essential reforms to existing planning and development legislation contained in this Bill will put the government in a position to facilitate economic development and development for community purposes and to deliver our election commitments, particularly where there are identified and persistent market gaps. Our government has committed to building a four-pillar economy for Queensland. Enacting the Economic Development Bill will equip us with the legislative tools necessary to identify and drive development projects that contribute to a strong and sustainable State economy by combining the powers of the former ULDA and the former Minister for Industrial Development.”

The repeal of the Urban Land Development Authority Act 2007

The Economic Development Bill 2012:

• repeals the Urban Land Development Authority Act 2007;

• creates a new Minister for Economic Development Queensland (MEDQ);

• provides for the optional establishment of local representative committees;

• allows the functions of the MEDQ to be delegated to other entities; and 

• introduces changes to the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971.

The Economic Development (ED) Bill essentially replicates all of the provisions of the ULDA Act, but the powers and functions of the Authority will reside within the machinery of the State government rather than in an independent statutory corporation. As a result, the ED Bill maintains Queensland’s bifurcated planning system, allowing for impact assessment through the Integrated Development Assessment System (IDAS) to be by-passed where it is considered that there are particular economic and community benefits to be gained from development in the area, and there would be unacceptable impacts on delivery of the development were the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 (SPA) to apply.

The ED Bill provides for local government engagement in the process for making development schemes. The consultation and submission provisions relating to proposed development schemes are similar to those in effect under the ULDA Act. The most significant difference can be seen by comparing section 97(3) of the ULDA Act with section 13(3) of the ED Bill. While the ULDA is free to act alone in performing its functions, the MEDQ “…in planning for, or developing land in, priority development areas… must consult with each relevant local government”. This consultation is mandatory.

The ED Bill amends a number of Acts including the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971 (State Development Act). ‘Significant projects’ become ‘coordinated projects’ under the amendments. This is said to ensure that there is no implication that such projects have some form of State support. The criteria for determining an application for a declaration of a project as a coordinated project have been broadened and made more discretionary.

The ED Bill seeks to achieve similar outcomes as the ULDA Act, while engaging with local governments in the plan making processes for PDAs, and potentially bringing them within the decision-making framework relating to development in PDAs. The legal mechanism to achieve this involves the appointment of local government members or officers to local representative committees and delegation to those committees, their members, or to local governments

of the MEDQ’s powers and functions. The concept is obviously worthwhile, but its implementation may prove difficult unless there is a clear demarcation of lines of responsibility and separation of the laws, powers and duties under which the delegate is acting.

The amendments to the State Development Act will improve the State’s capacity to fast track projects that are economically important. However, the ability of the Coordinator-General to cancel a declaration of a coordinated project on ‘public interest’ grounds is concerning, because it is only through what are essentially public interest grounds that a project is declared in the first place. 

one-stop environmental approval process

The following Media Statement scares the willies out of me........

Queensland Government supports one-stop environmental approval process

Queensland’s Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development Jeff Seeney today welcomed the Federal Coalition’s commitment to enable states to implement a one-stop-shop environmental process.

Mr Seeney said the LNP Government would take up a future Federal Coalition Government’s offer to simplify and speed up the approvals process.

“Some development projects are strangled in a tangled web of green tape as they navigate their way through a myriad of federal, state and local rules and regulations.

“Currently 135 development proposals from Queensland are awaiting decisions at the federal level. It is a costly and time consuming process that can deter investment.

“Tony Abbott’s proposal to have a one-stop-shop with a single lodgement and documentation process handled by the states is an eminently sensible policy approach.

“This is exactly what Premier Campbell Newman proposed to the current Prime Minister at the last Council of Australian Governments meeting.”

Mr Seeney said having a one-stop process at the state level would provide an effective and efficient environmental assessment and approval process.

“Australia’s high environmental standards would be maintained, but the decision making process would be shorter with firm outcomes.”

Media Contact: John Wiseman – 0409 791 281

CanDo's Cost Cuts

The following press release from the PremierThe Honourable Campbell Newman was sent out yesterday.


First Newman Government Cabinet Meeting focusses on cost of living savings

The focus of today’s first Newman Government Cabinet Meeting was action to deliver the LNP’s Lower Cost of Living for Families Package for Queenslanders.

Premier Campbell Newman said cost of living in Queensland had skyrocketed under Labor and the LNP Government’s focus was to act immediately to start addressing cost of living issues.

Premier Campbell Newman said at today’s meeting, Cabinet had resolved to move forward with regulation to freeze private motor vehicle registration for three years from 1 July 2012.

“Cabinet also formally approved the reinstatement of the principal place of residence stamp duty concession from 1 July 2012, which will save Queenslanders up to $7,000 when they purchase an average family home,” Mr Newman said.

Mr Newman said Cabinet approved plans to halve the previous Labor Government’s scheduled fare increases in 2013 and 2014 to 7.5 per cent, and to implement a new weekly nine journey cap on the go card, so the 10th journey and any additional journey a commuter takes each week will be free commencing 1 July.

“By making these changes, we are delivering real public transport and cost of living savings for Queenslanders,” Mr Newman said.

“Cabinet also resolved to remove Labor’s flawed waste levy, which was a huge slug on businesses, families and councils - and we will be looking at alternative funding streams to deliver an industry driven waste strategy as part of the budget process.”

Mr Newman said Cabinet also looked at some options to address the issue of high electricity costs for Queenslanders.

“As a first action, the LNP government will legislate to ensure carbon tax costs can be displayed on Queenslanders’ electricity bills by 1 July to coincide with the introduction of the Carbon Tax,” Mr Newman said.

“That means people will get to see the real cost of the Carbon Tax on their electricity bills.”
Following Cabinet consideration today, the Queensland Water Commission and Treasury will also deliver an accelerated review of bulk water prices, with options for a new price path to be brought back to Cabinet by 31 May 2012.

The Newman Government committed to a Lower Cost of Living for Families Package prior to the election, which included:
· Freezing or lowering the standard domestic electricity tariff and showing the cost of the Commonwealth’s carbon tax on electricity bills;
· Reducing the cost of water for families in South East Queensland;
· Freezing family car registration fees for the next three years;
· Halving the two scheduled increases in public transport fares and making the 10th and any additional journey each week on the go card free;
· Abolishing the waste levy from 1 July 2012;
· Re-introducing transfer duty concessions for the principal place of residence.

10 April 2012 Media Contact: Kylie Jacobson 0419 850 223