Great Barrier Reef
PlaceReferenced in 8 bills
Vegetation Management and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2018
This bill strengthens Queensland's vegetation clearing laws to protect native vegetation, reduce carbon emissions, and safeguard the Great Barrier Reef. It reinstates protections for regrowth vegetation on freehold and indigenous land, and ends broadscale clearing of remnant vegetation for agriculture.
Fisheries (Sustainable Fisheries Strategy) Amendment Bill 2018
This bill reforms Queensland's fisheries laws to implement the Sustainable Fisheries Strategy 2017-2027. It introduces harvest strategies for more responsive management of fish stocks, creates tough new penalties for illegal fish sales (black marketing), and formally recognises charter fishing and Indigenous traditional fishing as distinct sectors.
Mineral Resources (Galilee Basin) Amendment Bill 2018
This bill would have banned all coal mining in Queensland's Galilee Basin, including terminating Adani's existing mining leases for the Carmichael mine. It was a Greens private member's bill based on the 2018 IPCC report finding that coal must be phased out globally by 2050 to limit dangerous climate change. The bill lapsed and did not become law.
Environmental Protection (Great Barrier Reef Protection Measures) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2019
This bill strengthens regulations to protect the Great Barrier Reef from agricultural pollution. It introduces mandatory minimum practice standards for farmers across all six Reef catchment regions to reduce nutrient and sediment runoff, which science identifies as the main cause of poor Reef water quality. The bill also adopts a national standard for listing threatened species.
Environmental Protection and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2020
This bill establishes a Rehabilitation Commissioner to provide independent advice on mine site rehabilitation and improves the framework for managing environmental risks on former resource sites. It ensures the State receives adequate funds from mining companies to manage residual risks after sites are closed, and requires these risks to be recorded on land titles.
Agriculture and Fisheries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2023
This bill makes major reforms to dangerous dog laws, commercial fishing monitoring, and biosecurity emergency powers. It bans restricted dog breeds like pit bulls, requires cameras or observers on commercial fishing boats to protect the Great Barrier Reef, and extends the duration of biosecurity emergency orders to better respond to disease outbreaks.
Mineral, Water and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2018
This bill makes wide-ranging changes to Queensland's mining, petroleum and water laws. It improves dispute resolution for landholders dealing with mining and gas companies, strengthens climate change and First Nations considerations in water planning, creates temporary water access mechanisms, and establishes emergency powers for water quality crises.
Nature Conservation (Special Wildlife Reserves) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2018
This bill creates 'special wildlife reserves' - a new type of protected area for private land that provides the same level of protection as national parks. Landholders voluntarily enter perpetual agreements with the government to protect their land from mining, forestry and other incompatible uses, while retaining ownership. The bill also extends Great Barrier Reef environmental protections to activities crossing into Commonwealth waters.