Clean Economy Jobs, Resources and Transport Committee

Portfolio Committee

View on parliament.qld.gov.au

Bills Reviewed (7)

Mount Isa Mines Limited Agreement (Continuing Mining Activities) Amendment Bill 2024Did not recommend passageLapsed

Clean Economy Jobs, Resources and Transport Committee: Report No. 13, 57th Parliament-Mount Isa Mines Limited Agreement (Continuing Mining Activities) Amendment Bill 20242024-09-06

Committee findings

The Clean Economy Jobs, Resources and Transport Committee examined this private member's bill introduced by the Member for Traeger, which sought to prevent Glencore from closing its Mount Isa underground copper operations without ministerial approval. The committee visited Mount Isa and Townsville, held a public hearing with four stakeholder groups, and received four submissions. The committee recommended the bill not be passed, finding it would unduly restrict ordinary business activities and was inconsistent with fundamental legislative principles. The committee also recommended further work to assess how legislative intervention could provide certainty to the local community and workforce.

Key findings
  • The committee concluded the bill did not provide sufficient justification for restricting ordinary business activities, and that legislating a business into contractual relations would be inconsistent with fundamental legislative principles.
  • Glencore and the Department of Resources argued the bill was unnecessary because existing regulation, including development plan requirements under the Mount Isa Mines Limited Agreement Act 1985 and the Mineral Resources Act 1989, already provides appropriate ministerial oversight.
  • The Queensland Resources Council and Glencore raised significant sovereign risk concerns, warning the bill could deter future investment in Queensland by creating uncertainty about the stability of the regulatory environment.
  • The Australian Workers' Union and Mount Isa residents highlighted the devastating community impact of the mine closure, including property value collapse, job losses, and damage to the town's economic viability as the capital of the North West Minerals Province.
  • The committee acknowledged the profound impact on the Mount Isa community but expressed optimism about the region's future role in the critical minerals industry, particularly with the government's CopperString infrastructure investment.
Recommendations
  • The committee recommends the Mount Isa Mines Limited Agreement (Continuing Mining Activities) Amendment Bill 2024 not be passed.
  • The committee recommends that further work is undertaken to more fully assess how any legislative intervention could provide additional certainty to the local community and workforce.
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Electrical Safety and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024Recommended passagePASSED

Clean Economy Jobs, Resources and Transport Committee: Report No. 9, 57th Parliament-Electrical Safety and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 20242024-08-02

Committee findings

The Clean Economy Jobs, Resources and Transport Committee examined the bill over two months, receiving 14 submissions and holding a public hearing with seven stakeholder groups. The committee recommended the bill be passed, finding the amendments to electrical safety, workplace health and safety, and industrial manslaughter laws were broadly supported. LNP members filed a Statement of Reservation raising concerns about expanded inspector powers and the potential for union overreach, though they affirmed their support for workplace safety improvements.

Key findings
  • The bill implements recommendations from five separate reviews of Queensland's safety frameworks conducted between 2017 and 2024, covering electrical safety, workplace health and safety, and industrial manslaughter provisions.
  • Stakeholders raised concerns about the interaction between the amended electrical equipment definitions and existing fire protection licensing under the QBCC framework, with the department giving assurances that regulatory impact assessments would prevent duplication.
  • The expansion of industrial manslaughter provisions to cover bystander deaths was strongly supported by unions and the Consultative Committee for Work-Related Fatalities, but opposed by the Queensland Law Society, Housing Industry Association, and employer groups who argued it duplicated existing criminal law.
  • The lowering of the Category 1 offence threshold from recklessness to include negligence was contentious, with the Local Government Association of Queensland viewing it as disproportionate, while the department argued it would improve prosecution outcomes for the most serious workplace safety breaches.
  • The new powers for health and safety representatives and entry permit holders to take photos and videos were supported by unions but opposed by employer groups and the Queensland Law Society, who raised concerns about misuse and privacy.
Recommendations
  • The committee recommends the Electrical Safety and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024 be passed.
Dissenting views: LNP members Pat Weir, Bryson Head, and Trevor Watts filed a Statement of Reservation. They highlighted the Queensland Law Society's concerns about expanded inspector powers under clause 20, which reverses the onus of proof for production of documents. They also raised the QLS's concerns about health and safety representatives and entry permit holders taking photos and videos, noting the lack of requirements to delete recordings and the risk of misuse. The LNP members expressed concern about potential union overreach but affirmed their support for workplace health and safety improvements.
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Resources Safety and Health Legislation Amendment Bill 2024Recommended passagePASSED with amendment

Clean Economy Jobs, Resources and Transport Committee: Report No. 7, 57th Parliament-Resources Safety and Health Legislation Amendment Bill 2024, government response2024-06-12

Clean Economy Jobs, Resources and Transport Committee: Report No. 7, 57th Parliament-Resources Safety and Health Legislation Amendment Bill 2024: Addendum2024-06-12

Clean Economy Jobs, Resources and Transport Committee: Report No. 7, 57th Parliament-Resources Safety and Health Legislation Amendment Bill 20242024-06-07

Committee findings

The Clean Economy Jobs, Resources and Transport Committee examined the Resources Safety and Health Legislation Amendment Bill 2024, receiving eight submissions from industry and union stakeholders and holding public hearings. The committee unanimously recommended the bill be passed, while also recommending a five-year transitional period for safety critical role holders to obtain certificates of competency, and that the scope of certain worker safety provisions be expanded rather than narrowed. The Queensland Government supported all three recommendations.

Key findings
  • The bill integrates critical control management requirements into safety and health management systems for coal mines, metalliferous mines, and quarries, aligning with International Council of Mining and Metals definitions.
  • Industry stakeholders including Peabody and the Queensland Resources Council broadly supported the introduction of critical controls into the legislation.
  • The Mine Managers Association of Australia raised concerns about the suspension or cancellation of certificates of competency under the new practising certificate compliance framework.
  • The committee found the proposed narrowing of worker safety provisions in sections 39 and 36 of the respective Acts was too restrictive and recommended the scope be expanded while retaining references to remote operating centre workers.
  • Eight submissions were received from major resources sector stakeholders including mining unions, mining companies, and the Queensland Resources Council.
Recommendations
  • The committee recommends the Resources Safety and Health Legislation Amendment Bill 2024 be passed.
  • The transitional period requiring persons in safety critical roles to hold a certificate of competency should expire 5 years after the date the Board of Examiners sets the examinations.
  • That the proposed amendments to section 39 of the Coal Mining Safety and Health Act 1999 and section 36 of the Mining and Quarrying Safety and Health Act 1999 are reversed to expand the scope of the Bill, while retaining references to remote operating centre workers.
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Mineral and Energy Resources and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024Recommended passagePASSED with amendment

Clean Economy Jobs, Resources and Transport Committee: Report No. 6, 57th Parliament-Mineral and Energy Resources and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024, government response2024-06-12

Clean Economy Jobs, Resources and Transport Committee: Report No. 6, 57th Parliament-Mineral and Energy Resources and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 20242024-06-07

Committee findings

The Clean Economy Jobs, Resources and Transport Committee examined the bill over approximately seven weeks, receiving 34 written submissions and holding public hearings in Toowoomba and Brisbane with 19 stakeholders. The committee recommended the bill be passed but called for further detailed consultation on the coal seam gas (CSG) induced subsidence management framework, which many submitters felt had been rushed. In response, the government agreed to remove the subsidence management framework from the bill entirely during consideration in detail, to allow more thorough stakeholder engagement before reintroducing it in future legislation.

Key findings
  • Submitters raised significant concerns about the consultation process, noting that the 17-day submission window was inadequate for the complexity of the amendments, particularly regarding CSG-induced subsidence.
  • The agricultural sector felt the bill did not reflect feedback previously provided in response to earlier consultation papers, and that impacted farmers may not have been aware of the proposed framework.
  • Concerns were raised about the lack of consultation with the Murray Darling Basin Authority regarding the subsidence management framework's potential impact on overland flow.
  • The government agreed to remove the subsidence management framework from the bill to allow further consultation before reintroducing it in separate legislation.
  • The government proposed amendments to ensure agricultural landholders are represented on Coexistence Queensland and any community leaders' councils.
Recommendations
  • The committee recommends the Mineral and Energy Resources and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024 be passed.
  • The committee recommends the Department of Resources undertake further detailed consultation and activities on the subsidence management framework, including consultation on stakeholder engagement for planning and regulatory requirements, preparing a full Impact Analysis Statement, clarifying Coexistence Queensland's regulatory oversight functions, consulting on technical reference groups and community leaders' council composition, consulting on the Land Access Ombudsman funding model, reviewing the land access code, consulting on baseline data collection processes, consulting on subsidence management area declarations, and considering extending public release of information provisions beyond greenhouse gas authorities.
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Energy (Renewable Transformation and Jobs) Bill 2023Recommended passagePASSED with amendment

Clean Economy Jobs, Resources and Transport Committee: Report No. 1, 57th Parliament-Energy (Renewable Transformation and Jobs) Bill 2023, government response2024-04-17

Clean Economy Jobs, Resources and Transport Committee: Report No. 1, 57th Parliament-Energy (Renewable Transformation and Jobs) Bill 20232024-03-01

Committee findings

The Clean Economy Jobs, Resources and Transport Committee (formerly the Transport and Resources Committee) examined the bill and recommended it be passed. The committee made three additional recommendations addressing stakeholder consultation on priority transmission investments, decommissioning plans for renewable energy projects, and upgrading supply chain infrastructure such as roads and bridges. The Queensland Government supported all four recommendations.

Key findings
  • The committee found broad support for enshrining the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan commitments into legislation to provide certainty for the energy transformation.
  • Stakeholders raised concerns about the extensive delegation of legislative power to regulations, particularly for prescribing eligible priority transmission investments and Renewable Energy Zone matters.
  • Local communities and councils called for stronger protections including decommissioning obligations, community contribution fees, and restrictions on fly-in fly-out workforces for renewable energy projects.
  • The committee identified the need for better consultation with stakeholders on the assessment process for determining candidate priority transmission investments.
  • Supply chain infrastructure, particularly high-risk roads and bridges in regional areas, was identified as requiring upgrades to support the renewable energy build-out.
Recommendations
  • The committee recommends the Energy (Renewable Transformation and Jobs) Bill 2023 be passed.
  • The committee recommends the Queensland Government explores additional avenues of consultation and information sharing with stakeholders in regard to the assessment process for determining candidate priority transmission investments.
  • The committee recommends the Queensland Government considers further how to incorporate decommissioning plans into applications for renewable energy projects to manage the replacement of equipment throughout the life of a project and full site rehabilitation at end stage, so proponents meet agreed environmental protocols in a timely manner.
  • The committee recommends the Department of Transport and Main Roads works with the Department of Energy and Climate to review and consider the upgrade of relevant supply chain infrastructure, particularly high-risk roads and bridges, to facilitate the achievement of the Bill's renewable energy targets.
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Clean Economy Jobs Bill 2024Recommended passagePASSED with amendment

Clean Economy Jobs, Resources and Transport Committee: Report No. 4, 57th Parliament-Clean Economy Jobs Bill 20242024-04-05

Committee findings

The Clean Economy Jobs, Resources and Transport Committee examined the Clean Economy Jobs Bill 2024 over approximately seven weeks, receiving 35 written submissions and holding a public hearing with 13 stakeholder groups in Brisbane. The committee recommended that the bill be passed, noting that the majority of contributors broadly supported its objectives. LNP members filed a Statement of Reservation expressing concerns about insufficient consultation requirements for regional communities and industry stakeholders regarding interim targets, sector plans, and the composition of the Clean Economy Expert Panel.

Key findings
  • The majority of stakeholders broadly supported the bill's objective of legislating Queensland's emissions reduction targets to provide policy certainty for investment and job creation.
  • Several stakeholders, including WWF-Australia and the Australian Marine Conservation Society, argued that the targets should be more ambitious to align with Paris Agreement goals, while the department maintained the targets represent a sustainable floor rather than a ceiling.
  • The bill does not impose legally binding targets or penalties on industry, which Queensland University of Technology and the Queensland Renewable Energy Council raised as a concern, noting that voluntary schemes are generally less effective than mandated ones.
  • Stakeholders raised significant concerns about the lack of legislated requirements for the Minister to consult with regional communities and industry when setting interim targets and developing sector emissions reduction plans.
  • The composition and functions of the proposed Clean Economy Expert Panel attracted wide comment, with numerous stakeholders requesting broader representation including local government, First Nations peoples, agricultural and resources sectors, and young people.
Recommendations
  • The committee recommends the Clean Economy Jobs Bill 2024 be passed.
Dissenting views: LNP members Pat Weir, Bryson Head, and Trevor Watts filed a Statement of Reservation. While supporting the ambition of reaching net zero by 2050, they raised concerns about the lack of legislated requirements for consultation with regional and industry stakeholders on three matters: the setting of interim targets for 2040 and 2045, the creation of sector emissions reduction plans, and the makeup of the Clean Economy Expert Panel. They emphasised that submitters wanted to be treated as genuine partners in achieving emissions reductions and called for a pathway to net zero that involves working with industry, empowering individuals, and listening to communities.
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Land and Other Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2023Recommended passagePASSED

Clean Economy Jobs, Resources and Transport Committee: Report No. 2, 57th Parliament-Land and Other Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 20232024-03-08

Committee findings

The Clean Economy Jobs, Resources and Transport Committee examined the bill over several months, receiving submissions from Brisbane City Council, the Local Government Association of Queensland, and the Queensland Resources Council. The committee recommended the bill be passed, finding that its provisions to streamline state land administration, modernise the place naming framework, and mandate payment of local government rates by resource authority holders were sound. LNP members filed a Statement of Reservation raising concerns about inadequate consultation and the need for a fairer rating system for the resources industry.

Key findings
  • The bill's amendments to the Land Act to remove the requirement to assess 'most appropriate use' before allocating land tenure were supported as reducing regulatory duplication and speeding up government project delivery.
  • The LGAQ recommended establishing a Local Government Advisory Panel for ongoing consultation on implementing the land amendments, which the Department of Resources supported.
  • The Queensland Resources Council raised concerns about excessive and unpredictable local government rate increases on resource companies, citing examples of rate rises ranging from 15 to 1,270 per cent.
  • Quilpie Shire Council reported that unpaid rates by a single resource operator amounted to approximately $6.3 million, representing roughly 90 per cent of its total budgeted general rates revenue.
  • The committee found the bill's retrospective application of mandatory rate payment conditions to be justified, given the significant impact of unpaid rates on regional councils.
Recommendations
  • The committee recommends the Land and Other Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2023 be passed.
Dissenting views: LNP members (Pat Weir, Bryson Head, and Trevor Watts) filed a Statement of Reservation acknowledging the bill's sound intent but raising concerns about inadequate consultation by the government, the absence of provisions for how rates and charges should be determined and applied, and the need for a Local Government Advisory Panel and education training package for councils. They also called for thorough consultation and significant public support before any place name changes, along with additional funding for councils to implement such changes.
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Other Reports (8)

Clean Economy Jobs, Resources and Transport Committee: Report No. 14, 57th Parliament-Subordinate legislation tabled between 13 June 2024 and 21 August 2024

Subordinate Legislation2024-09-16

Clean Economy Jobs, Resources and Transport Committee: Report No. 12, 57th Parliament-Subordinate legislation tabled between 21 May 2024 and 12 June 2024

Subordinate Legislation2024-08-26

Clean Economy Jobs, Resources and Transport Committee: Report No. 11, 57th Parliament-Annual Report 2023-24

Other2024-08-26

Clean Economy Jobs, Resources and Transport Committee: Report No. 10, 57th Parliament-2024-25 Budget Estimates-Volume of Additional Information

Other2024-08-09

Clean Economy Jobs, Resources and Transport Committee: Report No. 10, 57th Parliament-2024-25 Budget Estimates

Other2024-08-09

Clean Economy Jobs, Resources and Transport Committee: Report No. 8, 57th Parliament-Subordinate legislation tabled between 11 April 2024 and 20 May 2024

Subordinate Legislation2024-06-17

Clean Economy Jobs, Resources and Transport Committee: Report No. 5, 57th Parliament-Subordinate legislation tabled between 19 March 2024 and 10 April 2024

Subordinate Legislation2024-04-22

Clean Economy Jobs, Resources and Transport Committee: Report No. 3, 57th Parliament-Subordinate legislation tabled between 15 December 2023 and 18 March 2024

Subordinate Legislation2024-04-05