Committee Details

The Report

The Committee tabled its report no. 35, on Monday 17 March 2014.  

View:     Regional Planning Interests Bill 2013:
View:     Explanatory Notes
View:     Report No. 35, 54th Parliament - Regional Planning Interests Bill 2013   

About the Bill

The Bill provides the ability to manage the impacts of resource activities and regulated activities in areas of regional interest that contribute, or are likely to contribute, to Queensland’s economic, social and environmental prosperity.

The Queensland Government is preparing new generation regional plans that address critical issues affecting the state’s regions. These plans identify, and contain land use policies that protect, areas of regional interest (i.e. priority agricultural areas, priority living areas and strategic environmental areas).

The Regional Planning Interests Bill will require resource activities authorised under resource Acts and other regulated activities to align with the regional land use policies of the regional plans as well as any other areas of regional interest prescribed in the Bill. To achieve this alignment, the Bill introduces an assessment framework to manage the impact of resource activities on areas of the State identified in the Bill as an area of regional interest.

The Bill also integrates the policy objectives of the Strategic Cropping Land Act 2011 by identifying strategic cropping land as areas of regional interest. The commencement of the Bill will repeal the Strategic Cropping Land Act 2011. 

Referral

On 20 November 2013, the Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning, Hon Jeff Seeney MP, introduced the Regional Planning Interests Bill 2013 to the Queensland Parliament.

In accordance with Standing Order 131, the Bill has been referred to the State Development, Infrastructure and Industry Committee for consideration. 

The committee provided its report to the House on 17 March 2014.

Submissions closed:   25 February 2014
Public Briefing:          13 December 2013 - transcript 
Public Hearing:          30 January 2014 - transcript
                                    12 February 2014 - Toowoomba - transcript