State Development and Public Works Organisation (Critical Minerals) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026

Overview

This bill overhauls the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971 to help the Queensland Government fast-track major projects, especially in the critical minerals sector. It creates a new class of 'State strategic projects' that can access faster approvals, easier land access and a powerful new 'modification order' that can change how other laws apply to a project. It also modernises infrastructure planning for resource regions and updates the Coordinator-General's land, investigation and enforcement powers.

Who it affects

It mainly affects large resource and industrial project proponents (who gain fast-track tools), landowners near those projects (who may face land entry or acquisition but keep compensation rights), and people who might otherwise appeal project decisions (some merits appeal rights are removed, though judicial review remains).

Key changes

• Creates 'State strategic projects' (replacing the former critical infrastructure projects) that can access fast-track facilitation tools.
• Introduces a 'modification order' - a Henry VIII power letting subordinate legislation switch off or alter how other Acts apply to a declared project, subject to safeguards and parliamentary disallowance.
• Removes merits-based appeal rights for certain decisions (State significance notices, modification orders, infrastructure coordination plans and SDA-related development), while keeping judicial review.
• Broadens powers to acquire land - including for a private proponent's project - and to enter land for investigations and enabling works, with notice, negotiation and compensation for owners.
• Replaces the old prescribed development rules with infrastructure coordination plans for resource regions, which create no entitlement or expectation that the State will fund the infrastructure.