Land and Other Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2023
Plain English Summary
Overview
This bill makes wide-ranging changes to how Queensland manages state land, names places, and enforces rates payments by resource companies. It streamlines land administration processes, modernises the place naming framework to enable faster removal of offensive names and smooth transitions to new names like K'gari, and requires petroleum, gas, and geothermal companies to pay local government rates as a condition of their resource authorities.
Who it affects
Regional councils gain new tools to recover unpaid rates from resource companies. Trustees of state land get more flexibility and less red tape. Communities affected by offensive place names benefit from faster, more inclusive processes for change.
State land administration
The bill simplifies how the state allocates and manages land by removing duplicative assessments and giving trustees of operational reserves and non-Indigenous deeds of grant in trust a clearer pathway to freehold. It also gives the State and statutory body trustees greater autonomy to use trust land for purposes beyond the original dedication, subject to management plans.
- Removes the duplicative requirement for the chief executive to assess 'most appropriate use' of land (already covered by the Planning Act)
- Creates new pathways for trustees of operational reserves and non-Indigenous deeds of grant in trust to convert to freehold
- Allows the State and statutory body trustees to take actions inconsistent with trust land purpose without ministerial approval, provided they prepare a management plan
- Replaces the long list of specific community purposes with six broad categories
Place naming reform
The place naming framework is modernised to allow faster responses to community concerns about offensive names and to support outcomes from Path to Treaty. The bill introduces transitional naming periods of up to five years so communities and businesses can adjust to changes, and provides legal certainty that name changes do not affect existing rights or obligations.
- Enables faster removal of offensive, derogatory, racist, or sexist place names without full public consultation
- Reduces minimum consultation period from two months to one month, matching other Australian states
- Allows existing place names to continue alongside new names for up to five years (extendable once by up to five years)
- Provides legal certainty that place name changes do not affect existing contracts, court orders, or legal proceedings
Resource authority rates and charges
The bill closes a gap where resource authority holders under four Acts were not required to pay local government rates as a mandatory condition of their leases. It provides new enforcement tools including using security deposits to recover unpaid rates and considering non-payment when processing lease renewals.
- Makes payment of local government rates and charges a mandatory condition for petroleum, geothermal, and greenhouse gas storage leases
- Allows the State to use security deposits held against resource authorities to pay unpaid local government rates
- Enables the Minister to consider unpaid rates when deciding renewal applications for resource authorities
- Applies retrospectively to existing resource authorities, not just new ones
Recreation area renaming
A minor amendment enables recreation areas to be renamed by regulation, supporting changes such as aligning the Fraser Island Recreation Area with the official name K'gari.
- Allows recreation area names to be changed by regulation rather than requiring an Act of Parliament
Bill Story
The journey of this bill through Parliament, including debate and recorded votes.
▸Committee23 Feb 2023 – 21 Mar 2024View Hansard
Referred to Transport and Resources Committee
▸Second Reading22 Feb 2023 – 16 Apr 2024View Hansard
Vote on a motion
This division is unrelated to the section content. The section contains only the Speaker's procedural ruling on the same question rule and ministerial appointment documents.
The motion was agreed to.
A formal vote on whether to accept a proposal — this could be the bill itself, an amendment, or another motion.
▸Show individual votesHide individual votes
Ayes (50)
Noes (34)
▸14 members spoke9 support5 mixed
Supported diversification of pastoral leases and mandatory rate payment by resource companies but opposed amendments to the Place Names Act, arguing the reduced consultation period and delegation of ministerial powers could enable divisive placename changes without proper community input.
“We will be opposing the clauses in this bill that amend the Place Names Act.”— 2024-04-16View Hansard
As Minister for Resources and Critical Minerals, moved the second reading and outlined the bill's reforms to state land administration, place naming, recreation area renaming and mandatory resource authority rates compliance.
“Queenslanders expect resource industries to fulfil their responsibilities to the communities in which they operate and to pay their local government rates and charges.”— 2024-03-21View Hansard
Strongly supported the bill's Place Names Act amendments, arguing they are necessary to enable removal of offensive and racist placenames including multiple instances of 'Black Gin Creek' across Queensland.
“They have to be reminded of massacres. They have to be reminded of women being raped and murdered. They have to be reminded of that by these names. That is why this bill is so important.”— 2024-04-16View Hansard
Supported several elements including farm-based tourism, coffee carts on reserves and mandatory rates compliance for resource companies, but strongly opposed the Place Names Act amendments, criticising reduced consultation periods, politicisation of the public service, and lack of consultation with stakeholders.
“I will not be supporting the amendments relating to place names, and I call on all members to ensure Queenslanders are heard by doing the same.”— 2024-03-21View Hansard
Supported the bill's provisions enabling more flexible use of state land, praising the bipartisan work to secure tenure for the Goora Gan Steiner School in Agnes Water which had been limited by restrictive land use requirements.
“It is a real pleasure to work in a bipartisan way in this place to achieve positive outcomes through legislative reform.”— 2024-04-16View Hansard
As former committee chair, supported the bill's streamlining of land administration, contemporary updates to the Place Names Act and mandatory rates compliance for resource companies.
“The resources industry must operate responsibly in the communities in which they are based, and we expect them to meet their obligations.”— 2024-03-21View Hansard
Supported the bill's amendments to state land management, place-naming reform, and mandatory payment of local government rates by resource companies, emphasising the importance of good land stewardship.
“If you do not pay your rates, you should not have the authority to mine or have that resource authority in Queensland.”— 2024-04-16View Hansard
Supported the mandatory rates compliance provisions but raised concerns about the cost implications of place name changes on local government and the lack of a fair rating framework for resource companies facing excessive rate increases.
“For a small shire like Quilpie, with a very poor rate base, that is clearly unacceptable and something needs to happen.”— 2024-03-21View Hansard
Supported the principle of renaming offensive placenames and mandatory rate payment by resource companies but raised concerns about inadequate consultation, insufficient compensation for local councils on name changes, and the potential sovereign risk to resource investment.
“Either we have a functioning democracy or we have a dictatorship. I believe that correct stakeholder engagement, correct processes, genuine consultation over a period and public debate should be held on matters that are important.”— 2024-04-16View Hansard
Supported the bill's streamlining of land administration processes, removal of regulatory duplication, and modernisation of the place naming framework.
“We hear time and time again about more cost-effective processes and the removal of red tape. The other side talks about it all the time and here we are making life so much easier.”— 2024-03-21View Hansard
Supported the bill, highlighting how it will allow more flexible use of state land reserves by community groups, require resource companies to pay local government rates, and enable pastoral lease diversification.
“We will be modernising the administrative framework to give users of this state land more agency to make those decisions, which will benefit the entire community and those particular community groups.”— 2024-04-16View Hansard
Did not oppose the bill but expressed distrust that broadened ministerial powers over state land would be used in the public interest, citing examples like the Star casino land deal. Supported place-naming reforms and mandatory resource company rate payments but called for higher royalties across the resources sector.
“The exploitation of state resources is not a right, as the fossil fuel industry has boldly assumed for generations now.”— 2024-04-16View Hansard
Supported the bill, particularly the place-naming reforms to enable faster removal of offensive placenames, noting 15 offensive names have already been changed or discontinued since 2015.
“These reforms I have described separate the roles of the minister and the chief executive to remove any potential conflict of interest.”— 2024-04-16View Hansard
As minister, replied to the debate defending the bill's reforms to state land administration, place-naming processes and mandatory resource company rate payments, tabling a list of 41 offensive placenames proposed for change.
“Let me be clear: we are not changing the local government ratings framework. It is necessary for local governments to continue to have autonomy and flexibility to develop their own rating systems.”— 2024-04-16View Hansard