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committee's report

The committee tabled its report on 1 September 2015.

View:  The Report No. 6, 55th Parliament - Sustainable Ports Development Bill 2015
View:  The Bill
View:  The Explanatory Notes

The Bill

On 3 June 2015, the Minister for State Development and Minister for Natural Resources and Mines, Hon Dr Anthony Lynham MP, introduced the Sustainable Ports Development Bill 2015 to the Queensland Parliament.

In accordance with Standing Order 131, the Bill was referred to the Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources Committee.  The committee must provide its report to the Legislative Assembly by 1 September 2015.

The objectives of this Bill are to manage the impacts of port development on the environment by:

• protecting greenfield areas by restricting new port development in and adjoining the GBRWHA to within current port limits
• restricting capital dredging for the development of new or expansion of existing port facilities to within the regulated port limits of Gladstone, Hay Point/Mackay, Abbot Point and Townsville (to optimise the use of infrastructure at these long established major bulk commodity ports)
• prohibiting the sea-based disposal of material into the GBRWHA generated by port-related capital dredging
• mandate the beneficial reuse of port-related capital dredged material, such as for land reclamation, or disposal on land where it is environmentally safe to do so, and
• requiring master plans at the long-established major bulk commodity ports of Gladstone, Hay Point/Mackay, Abbot Point and Townsville to optimise the use of existing port infrastructure and address operational, economic, environmental and social relationships as well as supply chains and surrounding land uses.

Inquiry timeline

Submission closed:                       2 July 2015
Public departmental briefing:    25 June 2015 - Transcript
Brisbane Public hearing:             13 July 2015 - Transcript
Regional public hearings:           29 July 2015 - Cairns - Transcript
                                                      30 July 2015 - Mackay - Transcript
Report tabled on:                        1 September 2015