Natural Resources, Agricultural Industry Development and Environment Committee

Portfolio Committee

View on parliament.qld.gov.au

Bills Reviewed (2)

Waste Reduction and Recycling (Plastic Items) Amendment Bill 2020Recommended passagePASSED with amendment

Natural Resources, Agricultural Industry Development and Environment Committee: Report No. 8, 56th Parliament-Waste Reduction and Recycling (Plastic Items) Amendment Bill 2020, government response2020-11-10

Natural Resources, Agricultural Industry Development and Environment Committee: Report No. 8, 56th Parliament-Waste Reduction and Recycling (Plastic Items) Amendment Bill 20202020-08-28

Committee findings

The Health and Environment Committee examined this bill in the 57th Parliament, building on a comprehensive inquiry by the former Natural Resources, Agricultural Industry Development and Environment Committee in the 56th Parliament. All 13 submissions unanimously supported the proposed ban on single-use plastic items. The committee recommended the bill be passed, endorsing the earlier committee's five recommendations including expanding the ban to cover expanded polystyrene takeaway food containers.

Key findings
  • All 13 submissions to the inquiry unanimously supported the principle of banning certain single-use plastic items including plates, bowls, cutlery, straws and stirrers.
  • Stakeholders and the government supported expanding the ban to include expanded polystyrene takeaway food containers in the first tranche of banned items.
  • The National Retail Association and other industry groups called for education and engagement campaigns to accompany the ban, with adequate lead time for businesses to source alternatives.
  • Several submitters opposed the exemption for schools and shelf-ready packaged products, arguing these should also be included in the ban.
  • Public consultation attracted nearly 20,000 responses, with 94 per cent showing overwhelming support for introducing the ban.
Recommendations
  • The committee recommends the Waste Reduction and Recycling (Plastic Items) Amendment Bill 2020 be passed.
  • The committee recommends that the Bill be amended to include expanded polystyrene takeaway food containers in the first tranche of banned single-use plastic items.
  • The committee recommends that the Queensland Government work with other stakeholders within the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation to accelerate support for businesses to transition away from single-use plastic items, including expanded polystyrene products.
  • The committee recommends that the Department of Environment and Science review the exemption of schools from the ban on the supply of single-use plastic items as part of the two year review.
  • The committee recommends that the Department of Environment and Science review the penalties for providing false or misleading information about single-use plastic items as part of the two year review.
AI-generated summary — may contain errors
Environmental Protection and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2020Recommended passagePASSED with amendment

Natural Resources, Agricultural Industry Development and Environment Committee: Report No. 6, 56th Parliament-Environmental Protection and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 20202020-08-03

Committee findings

The Natural Resources, Agricultural Industry Development and Environment Committee examined the bill over six weeks, receiving 14 submissions and holding a public hearing with representatives from the resources industry, farming groups, environmental organisations, and government. The committee recommended the bill be passed, while noting concerns about limited stakeholder consultation and the absence of a Regulatory Impact Statement. The committee made four recommendations, including that explanatory notes should disclose whether a RIS was prepared, and that the Minister clarify key technical details around residual risk notation on land titles and the definition of 'credible residual risks'. LNP members filed a statement of reservation criticising the rushed process and lack of legislative certainty.

Key findings
  • The committee supported the establishment of a statutory Rehabilitation Commissioner to provide independent advice on mine rehabilitation, despite resources industry concerns about duplication of existing departmental functions
  • Resource industry stakeholders, including the Queensland Resources Council and APPEA, raised significant concerns about inadequate consultation, with some given as few as six days to review the draft bill
  • The committee found the residual risk framework would ensure taxpayers are not left bearing the cost of managing risks on former resource sites after environmental authorities are surrendered
  • Recording residual risks on land titles was contentious, with the petroleum and gas industry arguing it would unfairly affect properties with minimal or no resource activity, while environmental and farming groups supported transparency for prospective landholders
  • The committee noted the Department of Environment and Science provided inaccurate information in its written response to the committee regarding the Regulatory Impact Statement process, which the department subsequently acknowledged
Recommendations
  • The committee recommends that the explanatory notes provided with a Bill note the existence or absence of a RIS and outline the process undertaken by the relevant department in consideration of the development of a RIS.
  • The committee recommends the Environmental Protection and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2020 be passed.
  • The committee recommends that in the second reading speech the Minister clarify that the notation of residual risks on the land title will occur at a Lot on Plan scale, not on a resource tenure or environmental authority scale.
  • The committee recommends that in the second reading speech the Minister clarify that the term 'credible residual risks' will be included and described in the residual risk assessment guideline.
Dissenting views: LNP members (Pat Weir, Brent Mickelberg, David Batt) filed a statement of reservation criticising the rushed process, the delegation of significant legislative functions to unpublished guidelines and a residual risk calculator that were still unfinished, the establishment of a Rehabilitation Commissioner as an unnecessary additional layer of bureaucracy, and the department's provision of inaccurate information to the committee regarding the RIS process. They argued the bill created regulatory uncertainty that risked discouraging investment and jobs at a time of high unemployment.
AI-generated summary — may contain errors

Other Reports (7)

Natural Resources, Agricultural Industry Development and Environment Committee: Report No. 9, 56th Parliament-Annual Report 2019-20

Other2020-09-07

Natural Resources, Agricultural Industry Development and Environment Committee: Report No. 7, 56th Parliament-Subordinate legislation tabled between 20 May 2020 and 16 June 2020

Subordinate Legislation2020-08-03

Natural Resources, Agricultural Industry Development and Environment Committee: Report No. 5, 56th Parliament-Subordinate legislation tabled between 23 April 2020 and 19 May 2020

Subordinate Legislation2020-07-13

Natural Resources, Agricultural Industry Development and Environment Committee: Report No. 4, 56th Parliament-Subordinate legislation tabled between 18 March 2020 and 22 April 2020

Subordinate Legislation2020-07-13

Natural Resources, Agricultural Industry Development and Environment Committee: Report No. 3, 56th Parliament-Subordinate legislation No. 250 of 2019 tabled on 4 February 2020

Subordinate Legislation2020-06-19

Natural Resources, Agricultural Industry Development and Environment Committee: Report No. 2, 56th Parliament-Consideration of Auditor-General Report 12: 2019-20-Managing coal seam gas activities

audit2020-06-19

Natural Resources, Agricultural Industry Development and Environment Committee: Report No. 1, 56th Parliament-Consideration of Auditor-General Report 9: 2019-20-Addressing mine dust lung disease

audit2020-06-19