Budget
This week’s budget formalises the merger of key water entities in
South-East Queensland and formalises the end of the Queensland Water
Commission.
The Qld State Government has shut down most of Queensland’s climate
and Environment initiatives arguing that the Federal Government’s carbon
pricing scheme is duplicating this action. .
In Environment and Heritage Protection the State Government has cut
around $20m in funding including two large solar energy generation
projects. $12m has been diverted into the
Everyone’s Environment grants program.
Minister Powell say the Qld Government is refocusing his department’s
core purpose to be a strong environmental regulator facilitating appropriate,
sustainable development while also being a protector of Queensland’s heritage.
The Qld State Government aims to be fiscally prudent, pro-environment
and pro-business believing that that these elements are not mutually exclusive.
Environmental
Protection Regulation Amendment Project
On
Friday 24 August 2012, the Temporary State Planning Policy
2/12 Planning for Prosperity (TSPP 2/12)
came into effect.
This
is the new Government’s first State Planning Policy. The TSPP 2/12 has been
introduced as the pre-cursor to a single State Planning Policy that will
combine 14 existing State Planning Policies into one.
The
new policy is, indeed, concise – only 7 pages long - but its reach appears
quite long. The policy’s Preamble explains that it must be reflected in
relevant State and local government decision making.
The
Queensland Government is fast-tracking development for it four pillars:
- agriculture
- tourism
- mining/resource
extraction
- Construction.
The
TSPP 2/12 then sets forth broad objectives for each industry.
However, the policies do not apply to a local
government's assessment of development applications.
TSPP 2/12 requires referral agencies (but not
local government assessment managers) to apply the policy at the decision-
making stage of assessment, with the aim of protecting land uses and reducing
incompatible uses.
While TSPP
2/12’s policies do not apply to the assessment of a development application or
assessment of a master plan (TSPP 2/12, ss 1.3.1 and 1.3.2), conflicts with
such planning instruments are to be resolved by giving additional weight to:
· agricultural
uses in areas zoned for agricultural uses
· urban uses in areas zoned for urban uses
· tourist development shown to be complementary
to an area’s environmental, scenic and cultural values
· mineral and
extractive resources development shown to be complementary to an area’s primary
intended land use. (TSPP 2/12 s 2.3).
The policy indicates that the Government will
facilitate and removal of some costs to development. The policy aims to 'speed
not impede' development, allowing developers to maximise the economic potential
of projects.
More
specifically, TSPP 2/12 applies to the full range of circumstances set out in
the Sustainable Planning Act 2009, including a referral agency’s assessment of
a development application (TSPP2/12 s 1.3).
In addition,
TSPP 2/12 is to be applied in the making or amending of regional plans or local
plans, as well as in designations of land for community infrastructure (ss 1.4,
2.1 – 2.3).
A copy of TSPP
2/12 is available at: the
Department of State Development and Infrastructure Planning website.
Vegetation
Management
Minister for
Natural Resources and Mines Andrew Cripps announced a strategy that will aim to
streamline vegetation management across Queensland.
The management
of vegetation is currently regulated by several Acts of Parliament, including:
Each Act has a
different function and any person proposing to clear vegetation may need approvals
under one or more legislation depending upon the geographic area, tenure of the
land, whether or not the ecosystem is identified as remnant ecosystem, or if
the activity involves rare or threatened plants.
Mr Cripps plans
to make reforms to the Vegetation Management Act and underlying regulations to
allow landholders to:
• Undertake
routine management activities such as vegetation thinning, weed control, fodder
harvesting and clearing of vegetation encroachment in accordance with self
–assessable codes and without the need to regularly apply for permits;
• Receive
exemptions for vegetation management activities undertaken to allow for
environmental works, and as part of clean-up operations following natural
disasters.
In addition, the
Department of Natural Resources and Mines will work with local Natural Resource
Management and other groups to create practical Area Management Plans (AMPs).
