Natural Resources and Other Legislation (GDA2020) Amendment Bill 2019
Bill Journey
Referred to State Development, Natural Resources and Agricultural Industry Development Committee
Referred to State Development, Natural Resources and Agricultural Industry Development Committee
Plain English Summary
Overview
This bill updates Queensland's spatial positioning framework to the national GDA2020 standard, ensuring maps stay accurate as Australia drifts north-east. It also creates easier pathways for Traditional Owners to receive land under Indigenous Land Use Agreements and streamlines state land lease renewals.
Who it affects
Surveyors and spatial professionals must transition to the new datum. Traditional Owners benefit from simplified land grant processes. State land leaseholders gain a more efficient renewal process.
Geodetic datum update
Queensland adopts GDA2020 as the new standard for measuring position, replacing the 1994 framework. This keeps Queensland's maps aligned with GPS and satellite positioning as tectonic plates continue to move.
- Adopts Geocentric Datum of Australia 2020 across Queensland legislation
- Updates coordinate references in multiple Acts including resources, transport and waterways legislation
- Clarifies historical datums (AGD66, GDA94) used in existing position references
- Creates single definition of 'blocks' and 'sub-blocks' for resource tenures
Indigenous land grants
Creates a new pathway for the government to grant freehold land to Traditional Owners under Indigenous Land Use Agreements, even where native title was previously extinguished.
- Land can be granted without competition to Aboriginal people under registered Indigenous Land Use Agreements
- Removes need for costly native title claims where native title was previously extinguished
- Land held on trust for identified Aboriginal peoples or Torres Strait Islanders
Cape York Peninsula expansion
Extends the Cape York Peninsula Region boundary to include additional Daintree National Park parcels and adjacent state land for potential Aboriginal ownership transfer.
- Four land parcels added to Daintree National Park included in CYP Region
- Three parcels of state land adjacent to the park added
- Enables land transfer to Eastern Kuku Yalanji Aboriginal ownership
State land management
Streamlines several administrative processes for managing state land, including lease renewals and competitive allocation ballots.
- Government can proactively offer lease renewals without requiring applications
- Chief executive given flexibility to design modern ballot processes
- Minister can make model by-laws directly, replacing cumbersome regulation process