Retail

This bill replaces Queensland's 20-year-old pharmacy ownership laws with a modern regulatory framework. It establishes a new independent Queensland Pharmacy Business Ownership Council to oversee pharmacy ownership, introduces mandatory annual licensing for pharmacy owners, and bans new pharmacies from opening inside supermarkets.

This bill bans single-use plastic straws, stirrers, plates, bowls and cutlery in Queensland to reduce plastic pollution. Healthcare facilities, pharmacies and schools are exempt so people with disabilities and healthcare needs can still access these items. The ban can be expanded to additional plastic products by regulation after public consultation.

This bill makes it illegal to sell knives, swords, machetes, axes, spear guns, spears, and replica firearms (including Gel Blasters) to anyone under 18 in Queensland. It also bans the sale of weapons marketed as suitable for violence and requires retailers to display prohibition signs and securely store dangerous items.

This bill simplifies Queensland's shop trading hours system, strengthens protections for retail workers against being forced to work extended hours, and makes permanent the COVID-era rules allowing school P&C associations and teacher registration investigators to meet remotely.

This bill reforms governance of older multi-owner property developments in Queensland that pre-date the Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997. It strengthens protections for unit owners in these older schemes by improving committee eligibility rules, financial accountability, dispute resolution, and transparency. It also enables the state's Office of Fair Trading to issue infringement notices for breaches of gift card requirements.

This bill establishes the Queensland Food Farmers' Commissioner, an independent statutory office created in response to the Supermarket Pricing Select Committee's recommendations. The Commissioner will support Queensland farmers in their dealings with major supermarkets by improving price transparency, addressing power imbalances, and providing a safe avenue for complaints about unfair supplier practices.

This bill makes Christmas Eve a part-day public holiday in Queensland from 6pm to midnight. It recognises that Christmas celebrations often begin on the evening of 24 December and ensures workers are either able to refuse work after 6pm or receive penalty rates if they do work.

This bill modernises Queensland's regulation of schools that teach overseas students, introduces external exams for senior high school students, updates home education rules, and fixes an error that stopped regional shops from opening on Easter Saturday.

This bill overhauls Queensland's smoking product laws to reduce smoking rates, combat the illicit tobacco trade, and protect more people from second-hand smoke. It introduces mandatory licensing for all tobacco and vaping product sellers, creates new offences for supplying illicit tobacco, expands smoke-free zones to outdoor dining areas, markets, and school carparks, and strengthens protections for children.

This bill gives Queensland much stronger powers to crack down on the illegal sale of vaping products and illicit tobacco. It creates new offences for supplying, possessing, advertising and promoting vaping products, with penalties of up to 2,000 penalty units or 2 years imprisonment. It also introduces powers to shut down non-compliant businesses and makes it a specific offence to litter vaping devices.

This bill permanently establishes a Queensland Small Business Commissioner to provide advice, advocacy, and affordable dispute resolution for small businesses. It replaces the temporary commissioner created during COVID-19 with a permanent statutory office and transfers administration of retail tenancy dispute mediation to the new commissioner.