{"id":"BILL-QLD-crocodile-control-and-conservation-bill-2025","name":"Crocodile Control and Conservation Bill 2025","slug":"crocodile-control-and-conservation-bill-2025","collection":"bill","jurisdiction":"qld","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":"2025-01-01","administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":446089,"registerId":"BILL-QLD-crocodile-control-and-conservation-bill-2025:current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2025-01-01","status":"in_force","reasons":null,"registeredAt":"2026-05-06T12:45:13.610Z"},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"retrieval-0001","sectionType":"document_chunk","heading":"Document excerpt 1","content":"# Crocodile Control and Conservation Bill 2025\n\nQueensland\nCrocodile Control and\nConservation Bill 2025\n\nQueensland\nCrocodile Control and Conservation Bill\n2025\nContents\nPage\nPart 1 Preliminary\n1 Short title . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4\n2 Commencement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4\n3 Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4\n4 Inconsistency with other Acts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4\nPart 2 Queensland Crocodile Authority\n5 Establishment and control of Queensland Crocodile Authority . . 4\n6 Location of authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5\n7 Functions of authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5\n8 Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5\nPart 3 Director of Queensland Crocodile Authority\n9 Appointment of director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5\n10 Functions of director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6\n11 Powers of director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9\n12 Delegation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10\n13 Terms and ending of appointment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10\nPart 4 Advisory Committee\n14 Establishment and membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11\n15 Conduct of business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12\nPart 5 Administration\n16 Annual report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12\n17 Quarterly reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14\nPart 6 Crocodile sanctuaries and populated waterways\n18 Declaration of crocodile sanctuaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15\n19 Declaration of populated waterways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16\nPart 7 Other matters\n\nContents\nCrocodile Control and Conservation Bill 2025\nPage 2\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n20 Aboriginal tradition and Island custom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16\n21 Review of Queensland Crocodile Management Plan . . . . . . . . . 17\n22 Regulation-making power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17\nPart 8 Transitional provision\n23 Implementing action to achieve policy objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . 17\nSchedule 1 Dictionary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21\n\n2025\nA Bill\nfor\nAn Act to establish the Queensland Crocodile Authority and for\nrelated matters\n\nPage 4\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n[s 1]\nCrocodile Control and Conservation Bill 2025\nPart 1 Preliminary\nThe Parliament of Queensland enacts—\nPart 1 Preliminary\n1 Short title\nThis Act may be cited as the Crocodile Control and\nConservation Act 2025.\n2 Commencement\nThis Act commences 4 months after the day of assent.\n3 Definitions\nThe dictionary in schedule 1 defines particular words used in\nthis Act.\n4 Inconsistency with other Acts\nIf there is an inconsistency between this Act and another Act,\nthis Act prevails to the extent of the inconsistency.\nPart 2 Queensland Crocodile\nAuthority\n5 Establishment and control of Queensland Crocodile\nAuthority\n(1) The Queensland Crocodile Authority is established.\n(2) The authority consists of the director and staff of the authority.\n(3) The director is to control the authority.\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n\nPage 5\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n[s 6]\nCrocodile Control and Conservation Bill 2025\nPart 3 Director of Queensland Crocodile Authority\n6 Location of authority\n(1) The business premises of the authority must be located in\nCairns.\n(2) The director and staff of the authority must reside in Cairns.\n7 Functions of authority\nThe functions of the authority are—\n(a) to act, as necessary, to assist the director to carry out the\ndirector’s functions; and\n(b) to perform another function conferred on the authority\nunder this Act or another Act; and\n(c) to perform functions incidental to a function mentioned\nin paragraph (a) or (b).\n8 Staff\nThe staff of the authority are employed under the Public\nSector Act 2022.\nPart 3 Director of Queensland\nCrocodile Authority\n9 Appointment of director\n(1) The authority must have a director.\n(2) The director is appointed by resolution of the Legislative\nAssembly on the recommendation of the Minister.\n(3) However, the Minister must not recommend a person for\nappointment as director unless the Minister is satisfied the\nperson—\n(a) has qualifications or experience relevant to the\nappointment; and\n(b) is of good character; and\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n\nPage 6\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n[s 10]\nCrocodile Control and Conservation Bill 2025\nPart 3 Director of Queensland Crocodile Authority\n(c) resides in Cairns.\n(4) The director is appointed under this Act, and not under the\nPublic Sector Act 2022.\n(5) The director must operate primarily from the business\npremises of the authority.\n10 Functions of director\n(1) The director has the following functions—\n(a) to take measures to minimise injuries and deaths caused\nby crocodiles in the State;\n(b) to authorise persons, in any part of the State, to\noperate—\n(i) a crocodile farm; or\n(ii) a crocodile sanctuary;\n(c) to decide the number of crocodile eggs that may be\nharvested each year in any part of the State;\n(d) to authorise persons to harvest crocodile eggs in any\npart of the State;\n(e) to decide the number of crocodiles that may be culled\neach year in any part of the State;\n(f) to authorise persons to carry out the culling of\ncrocodiles in any part of the State;\n(g) to authorise persons to, for the prompt management of\ncrocodiles, kill or relocate crocodiles in any part of the\nState;\nExample—\nA person may be authorised to relocate a crocodile from a\npopulated waterway to a crocodile sanctuary.\n(h) for Aboriginal land or Torres Strait Islander land—to\nauthorise the owner of the land to—\n(i) kill crocodiles on the land; or\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n29\n30\n\nPage 7\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n[s 10]\nCrocodile Control and Conservation Bill 2025\nPart 3 Director of Queensland Crocodile Authority\n(ii) allow other persons to kill crocodiles on the land,\nfor payment of a fee or free of charge; or\n(iii) relocate crocodiles on the land to a crocodile\nsanctuary or crocodile farm; or\n(iv) harvest crocodile eggs on the land; or\n(v) otherwise manage crocodiles on the land;\nNote—\nSee section 20 in relation to consultation about Aboriginal\ntradition or Island custom.\n(i) for State leasehold land or other land that is not State\nland—to authorise a person to, with the consent of the\nowner of the land, enter the land to—\n(i) kill crocodiles on the land; or\n(ii) relocate crocodiles on the land to a crocodile\nsanctuary or crocodile farm; or\n(iii) harvest crocodile eggs on the land;\n(j) to authorise persons to display, interact with, keep, or\nuse crocodiles or crocodile eggs in any part of the State;\n(k) if requested by the owner of land, to authorise a person\nto remove a crocodile from the land;\n(l) to ensure the carcasses of all crocodiles killed under an\nauthorisation granted by the director are dealt with so\nthat, as far as practicable, no part of a carcass is wasted;\n(m) to refer the suspected commission of offences relating to\ncrocodiles or crocodile eggs to the police service;\n(n) to coordinate research into, and the routine surveying\nof—\n(i) crocodile numbers and distribution in the State;\nand\n(ii) crocodile egg numbers and distribution in the\nState;\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n29\n30\n31\n\nPage 8\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n[s 10]\nCrocodile Control and Conservation Bill 2025\nPart 3 Director of Queensland Crocodile Authority\n(o) to promote the farming of crocodiles and the harvesting\nof crocodile eggs in the State;\n(p) to investigate viability of the use of State land to farm\ncrocodiles or as crocodile sanctuaries;\n(q) to declare and manage crocodile sanctuaries and\npopulated waterways;\n(r) to make recommendations to the Legislative Assembly\nabout crocodile management in the State;\n(s) to manage the authority’s affairs—\n(i) under this Act and other relevant laws; and\n(ii) having regard to the advisory committee’s advice\nor recommendations;\n(t) to otherwise manage the day-to-day operations of the\nauthority.\n(2) The director must not, when carrying out a function\nmentioned in subsection (1), do anything the director\nreasonably believes will cause, or is likely to cause, the\npopulation size of crocodiles to decline to such an extent that\ncrocodiles are in danger of extinction.\n(3) In this section—\nbuy includes—\n(a) agree or offer to buy; and\n(b) receive or accept under an agreement; and\n(c) agree to receive or accept under an agreement; and\n(d) offer or attempt to receive or accept under an agreement;\nand\n(e) cause or permit to be received or accepted under an\nagreement; and\n(f) acquire by exchange; and\n(g) accept on hire or lease.\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n29\n30\n\nPage 9\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n[s 11]\nCrocodile Control and Conservation Bill 2025\nPart 3 Director of Queensland Crocodile Authority\ndisplay, in relation to a crocodile or a crocodile egg, includes\ndemonstrate the crocodile or egg.\ninteract, with a crocodile, includes—\n(a) approach, pursue or lure a crocodile for the purpose of\ninteracting with or feeding the crocodile; and\n(b) gain a benefit from interacting with or feeding the\ncrocodile; and\n(c) attempt to do an act mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b).\nkeep, in relation to a crocodile or a crocodile egg, includes\nhave in possession, or under control, in any place (whether for\nthe use or benefit of the person in relation to whom the term is\nused or another person), even though another person has the\nactual possession or custody of the crocodile or crocodile egg.\nsell includes—\n(a) auction, exchange or supply; and\n(b) keep, expose, supply or receive for sale; and\n(c) send or deliver for sale; and\n(d) dispose of by hire or lease; and\n(e) cause or permit the doing of an act mentioned in\nparagraph (a), (b), (c) or (d); and\n(f) offer or attempt to do an act mentioned in paragraph (a),\n(b), (c) or (d); and\n(g) offer or attempt to sell; and\n(h) cause or permit to be sold.\nuse, in relation to a crocodile or a crocodile egg, includes buy,\nsell, give away, process, move or gain any benefit from the\ncrocodile or egg.\n11 Powers of director\n(1) The director has the powers given under this Act or another\nAct.\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n29\n30\n\nPage 10\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n[s 12]\nCrocodile Control and Conservation Bill 2025\nPart 3 Director of Queensland Crocodile Authority\n(2) Also, the director may do all things necessary or convenient to\nbe done to perform the director’s functions.\n12 Delegation\nThe director may delegate the director’s powers under this or\nanother Act to an appropriately qualified member of the\nauthority’s staff.\n13 Terms and ending of appointment\n(1) For matters not provided for under this Act, a person is\nappointed as director on the terms of appointment decided by\nthe Minister.\n(2) Except as decided by the Minister, the person is not entitled to\nreceive any payment, interest in property or other valuable\nconsideration or benefit—\n(a) by way of remuneration as director; or\n(b) in connection with retirement as director or any other\nending of the appointment.\n(3) The Minister may terminate the appointment of the director if\nthe director—\n(a) becomes mentally or physically incapable of\nsatisfactorily performing the functions of director; or\n(b) is convicted of an indictable offence (whether in\nQueensland or elsewhere); or\n(c) is guilty of misconduct of a kind that would warrant\ndismissal from the public service.\n(4) Subsection (3) does not otherwise limit the Acts Interpretation\nAct 1954, section 25.\n(5) In this section—\nindictable offence includes an indictable offence dealt with\nsummarily, whether or not the Criminal Code, section 659\napplies in relation to the indictable offence.\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n29\n30\n\nPage 11\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n[s 14]\nCrocodile Control and Conservation Bill 2025\nPart 4 Advisory Committee\nPart 4 Advisory Committee\n14 Establishment and membership\n(1) The director must establish an advisory committee to give\nadvice and make recommendations to the director about the\nfollowing—\n(a) the performance of the director’s functions and the\nexercise of the director’s powers;\n(b) the strategies and the operational and administrative\npolicies to be followed by the director and the authority;\n(c) the goals and objectives of the director and the authority.\n(2) The advisory committee is to consist of at least 7 persons\nappointed by the Minister.\n(3) The persons appointed under subsection (2) must include at\nleast—\n(a) 1 member who—\n(i) is an Aboriginal person, or a Torres Strait Islander\nperson; and\n(ii) has experience with crocodiles; and\n(b) 1 member who has worked in the crocodile farming\nindustry; and\n(c) 1 member who—\n(i) resides in the State in, or north of, Mackay; and\n(ii) has experience in wildlife conservation; and\n(d) 1 member who—\n(i) resides in the State in, or north of, Mackay; and\n(ii) is involved in 1 or more community organisations\nwith an interest in recreational activities associated\nwith waterways.\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n\nPage 12\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n[s 15]\nCrocodile Control and Conservation Bill 2025\nPart 5 Administration\nExamples of recreational activities associated with\nwaterways—\nfishing, kayaking, powerboating, sailing\n(4) The remaining members must be persons who have\nappropriate experience or qualifications to contribute to the\nmanagement of crocodiles in the State.\n(5) The Minister must appoint 1 of the members of the advisory\ncommittee as chairperson.\n(6) Subsections (7) and (8) apply in relation to a person’s\nappointment as a member of the advisory committee or the\nchairperson.\n(7) For matters not provided for under this Act, the person holds\noffice on the terms of appointment decided by the Minister.\n(8) Except as decided by the Minister, the person is not entitled to\nreceive any payment, interest in property or other valuable\nconsideration or benefit—\n(a) by way of remuneration as holder of the office; or\n(b) in connection with retirement from the office or any\nother ending of the office.\n15 Conduct of business\nThe advisory committee may conduct its business, including\nits meetings, in the way the advisory committee considers\nappropriate.\nPart 5 Administration\n16 Annual report\n(1) The director must, not later than 4 months after the end of\neach financial year, prepare and give to the Minister a report\nabout the authority’s operations during the year.\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n\nPage 13\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n[s 16]\nCrocodile Control and Conservation Bill 2025\nPart 5 Administration\n(2) Without limiting subsection (1), the annual report must\ninclude the following matters—\n(a) an outline of the authority’s goals and objectives;\n(b) an outline of the authority’s financial performance and\nfinancial position;\n(c) the number of licences, permits and other authorities\nissued by the director during the year, organised by type\nand location;\n(d) particulars of each crocodile lawfully killed in the State\nduring the year of which the authority is aware,\nincluding how the crocodile was killed and how the\ncarcass was dealt with;\n(e) the number and location of crocodile eggs harvested in\nthe State during the year;\n(f) the number and location of crocodile eggs authorised to\nbe harvested in the State at the time of the report;\n(g) the number and location of each crocodile sanctuary or\npopulated waterway declared during the year;\n(h) particulars of each crocodile in the State that was\nrelocated during the year, including—\n(i) where the crocodile was relocated from; and\n(ii) where the crocodile was relocated to; and\n(iii) the reason for the relocation;\n(i) particulars of each crocodile attack on a person in the\nState during the year of which the authority is aware;\n(j) particulars of any injuries incurred by persons lawfully\ndealing with crocodiles in the State during the year of\nwhich the authority is aware;\n(k) a list of persons authorised to operate a crocodile farm\nor crocodile sanctuary;\n(l) other particulars of the authority’s principal activities\nfor the year;\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n29\n30\n31\n32","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"retrieval-0002","sectionType":"document_chunk","heading":"Document excerpt 2","content":"Page 14\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n[s 17]\nCrocodile Control and Conservation Bill 2025\nPart 5 Administration\n(m) an outline of the authority’s organisational structure and\nresources.\n(3) The Minister must table the report in the Legislative\nAssembly within 14 days after the Minister receives the\nreport.\n(4) The Minister must cause a copy of the report to be published\non the department’s website.\n(5) This section does not affect the operation of the Financial\nAccountability Act 2009 in relation to the department.\n17 Quarterly reports\n(1) The director must publish, on the department’s website, a\nreport on the authority’s operations for each quarter (each a\nquarterly report).\n(2) A quarterly report must be published within 4 weeks after the\nend of the quarter.\n(3) A quarterly report must include the following matters—\n(a) the number of licences, permits and other authorities\nissued by the director during the quarter, organised by\ntype and location;\n(b) the particulars of each crocodile lawfully killed in the\nState during the quarter of which the authority is aware,\nincluding how the crocodile was killed and how the\ncarcass was dealt with;\n(c) the number and location of crocodile eggs harvested in\nthe State during the quarter;\n(d) the number and location of crocodile eggs authorised to\nbe harvested in the State at the time of the report;\n(e) the number and location of each crocodile sanctuary or\npopulated waterway declared during the quarter;\n(f) particulars of each crocodile in the State that was\nrelocated during the quarter, including—\n(i) where the crocodile was relocated from; and\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n29\n30\n31\n32\n\nPage 15\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n[s 18]\nCrocodile Control and Conservation Bill 2025\nPart 6 Crocodile sanctuaries and populated waterways\n(ii) where the crocodile was relocated to; and\n(iii) the reason for the relocation;\n(g) particulars of each crocodile attack on a person in the\nState during the quarter of which the authority is aware;\n(h) particulars of any injuries incurred by persons lawfully\ndealing with crocodiles in the State during the quarter of\nwhich the authority is aware;\n(i) a list of persons authorised to operate a crocodile farm\nor crocodile sanctuary;\n(4) This section does not affect the operation of the Financial\nAccountability Act 2009 in relation to the department.\n(5) In this section—\nquarter, in a year, means the following periods in the year—\n(a) 1 January to 31 March;\n(b) 1 April to 30 June;\n(c) 1 July to 30 September;\n(d) 1 October to 31 December.\nPart 6 Crocodile sanctuaries and\npopulated waterways\n18 Declaration of crocodile sanctuaries\n(1) The director may, by gazette notice, declare a stated area of\nland as a crocodile sanctuary for the purpose of protecting\nparticular crocodiles in, or relocated to, the sanctuary.\n(2) However, if a person has an interest in land, the director must\nnot include the land within a crocodile sanctuary unless the\nperson consents to the declaration of the land as a crocodile\nsanctuary.\n(3) The notice must state the duration of the declaration.\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n\nPage 16\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n[s 19]\nCrocodile Control and Conservation Bill 2025\nPart 7 Other matters\n19 Declaration of populated waterways\n(1) The director may, by gazette notice, declare a stated waterway\nas a populated waterway for the purposes of—\n(a) protecting members of the public from the risk of harm\nfrom crocodiles; and\n(b) allowing a person authorised to kill or remove a\ncrocodile to—\n(i) kill the crocodile; or\n(ii) relocate the crocodile to—\n(A) a crocodile sanctuary; or\n(B) an area used for the purpose of farming\ncrocodiles operated by a person authorised to\nfarm crocodiles.\n(2) In deciding to make the declaration the director must have\nregard to the public’s recreational or commercial use and\nenjoyment of the waterway.\n(3) The notice must state the duration of the declaration.\nPart 7 Other matters\n20 Aboriginal tradition and Island custom\n(1) This section applies if, in performing a function or exercising\na power under this Act, the director considers the performance\nof the function or the excise of the power may affect—\n(a) Aboriginal land or Torres Strait Islander land; or\n(b) Aboriginal tradition or Island custom.\n(2) The director must, in considering whether to perform the\nfunction or exercise the power, consult with—\n(a) for Aboriginal land or Torres Strait Islander land—the\nowner of the land; or\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n\nPage 17\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n[s 21]\nCrocodile Control and Conservation Bill 2025\nPart 8 Transitional provision\n(b) for other land—the Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait\nIslander peoples responsible for the Aboriginal tradition\nor Island custom in relation to the land.\n(3) Without limiting subsection (2), the consultation must have\nregard to—\n(a) the cultural sensitivities of the Aboriginal peoples and\nTorres Strait Islander peoples; and\n(b) potential economic or social benefits for the Aboriginal\npeoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples if the function\nis performed or the power is exercised.\n21 Review of Queensland Crocodile Management Plan\n(1) The director must, within 6 months after the commencement,\nreview the Queensland Crocodile Management Plan for the\npurpose of establishing a zero-tolerance zone in the Plan.\n(2) The zero-tolerance zone must—\n(a) include and identify each populated waterway; and\n(b) provide for the killing or removal of a crocodile under\nsection 19.\n22 Regulation-making power\nThe Governor in Council may make regulations under this\nAct.\nPart 8 Transitional provision\n23 Implementing action to achieve policy objectives\n(1) The Minister must, within 2 months after the commencement,\ntable in the Legislative Assembly a document containing—\n(a) proposed subordinate legislation implementing action to\nachieve the objectives stated in subsection (2); and\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n\nPage 18\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n[s 23]\nCrocodile Control and Conservation Bill 2025\nPart 8 Transitional provision\n(b) proposed dates for—\n(i) the making of subordinate legislation substantially\nin accordance with the draft proposed legislation;\nand\n(ii) the proposed commencement of the subordinate\nlegislation.\n(2) For subsection (1)(a), the objectives are the following—\n(a) providing for licences, permits or other authorities under\nthe Nature Conservation Act 1992, relating to crocodiles\nor crocodile eggs, to be—\n(i) issued, cancelled, suspended and amended by the\ndirector; and\n(ii) subject to conditions imposed on the licence,\npermit or other authority by the director;\n(b) enabling the director to authorise an adult, who has\ncompleted a crocodile egg harvesting safety course\napproved by the authority, to harvest crocodile eggs in\nany part of the State;\n(c) enabling the director to authorise an adult, who the\ndirector reasonably believes has the skills and training\nto safely kill crocodiles, to kill—\n(i) particular crocodiles identified by the director; or\n(ii) crocodiles generally;\n(d) if the authority is notified of a crocodile located in a\nzero-tolerance zone, ensuring action is taken by the\ndirector to manage any risk associated with the\ncrocodile within 48 hours;\n(e) ensuring each crocodile located in a populated\nwaterway is dealt with by either—\n(i) killing the crocodile; or\n(ii) relocating the crocodile to—\n(A) a crocodile sanctuary; or\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n29\n30\n31\n32\n\nPage 19\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n[s 23]\nCrocodile Control and Conservation Bill 2025\nPart 8 Transitional provision\n(B) if a person, authorised by the director to\noperate a crocodile farm, requests that the\ncrocodile be relocated to the person’s\ncrocodile farm—the crocodile farm;\n(f) enabling the director to authorise an adult, whom the\ndirector reasonably believes has the skills and training\nto cull crocodiles safely, to carry out the culling of\ncrocodiles in any part of the State;\n(g) for Aboriginal land or Torres Strait Islander\nland—enabling the director to authorise an owner of the\nland to—\n(i) kill crocodiles on the land; or\n(ii) allow other persons to kill crocodiles on the land,\nfor payment of a fee or free of charge; or\n(iii) harvest crocodile eggs on the land; or\n(iv) otherwise manage crocodiles on the land;\n(h) for State leasehold land or other land that is not State\nland—enabling the director to authorise a person to,\nwith the consent of the owner of land, enter the land\nto—\n(i) kill crocodiles on the land; or\n(ii) harvest crocodile eggs on the land; or\n(iii) relocate crocodiles on the land to a crocodile farm\nor crocodile sanctuary;\n(i) requiring crocodiles mentioned in paragraphs (c), (e)(i),\n(f), (g)(i) or (ii) or (h)(i) to be killed only by—\n(i) shooting or harpooning the crocodiles; or\n(ii) if the person authorised to kill the crocodile is an\nAboriginal person or Torres Strait Islander\nperson—the use of a traditional practice;\n(j) ensuring the carcasses of all crocodiles killed under an\nauthorisation granted by the director are dealt with so\nthat, as far as practicable, no part of a carcass is wasted;\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n29\n30\n31\n32\n33\n\nPage 20\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n[s 23]\nCrocodile Control and Conservation Bill 2025\nPart 8 Transitional provision\n(k) ensuring authorities to farm crocodiles, issued after the\ncommencement, are issued only to Australian entities;\n(l) otherwise ensuring the director and the authority can\ncarry out their respective functions.\n(3) In this section—\nAustralian entity means—\n(a) an individual who is an Australian citizen or a\npermanent resident; or\n(b) a listed corporation; or\n(c) another corporation in which all the shares in the\ncorporation are directly or ultimately owned, other than\nas a trustee, by an Australian entity; or\n(d) the trustee of a listed unit trust; or\n(e) the trustee of another trust in which all of the trust\ninterests in the trust are directly or ultimately owned,\nother than as a trustee, by an Australian entity.\nAustralian Securities Exchange means ASX Limited (ACN\n008 624 691).\nlisted corporation means a corporation in which a majority of\nthe shares are quoted on the market operated by the Australian\nSecurities Exchange.\nlisted unit trust means a unit trust in which a majority of the\nunits are quoted on the market operated by the Australian\nSecurities Exchange.\ntraditional practice, for an Aboriginal person or Torres Strait\nIslander person, means the practice for killing crocodiles\ncarried out under the person’s Aboriginal tradition or Island\ncustom.\nultimately owned means owned through a series of entities\nowning shares in corporations or trust interests in trusts, or a\ncombination of any of them.\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n29\n30\n31\n\nSchedule 1\nCrocodile Control and Conservation Bill 2025\nPage 21\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\nSchedule 1 Dictionary\nsection 3\nAboriginal land or Torres Strait Islander land means land\nheld under any of the following Acts by, or on behalf of or for\nthe benefit of, Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander inhabitants\nor purposes—\n(a) the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land Holding\nAct 2013;\n(b) the Aboriginal Land Act 1991;\n(c) the Land Act 1994;\n(d) the Torres Strait Islander Land Act 1991.\nadvisory committee means the advisory committee\nestablished under section 14.\nauthorise—\n(a) means authorise by issuing a licence, permit or other\nauthority under—\n(i) the Nature Conservation Act 1992; or\n(ii) another Act prescribed by regulation; and\n(b) includes cancelling, suspending, amending and\nimposing conditions on the licence, permit or other\nauthority.\nauthority means the Queensland Crocodile Authority\nestablished under section 5.\ncarcass, of a crocodile, includes—\n(a) its flesh, organs or body fluids; and\n(b) its skin and scales; and\n(c) its bones and teeth.\ncrocodile means an animal of the species Crocodylus porosus.\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n\nSchedule 1\nCrocodile Control and Conservation Bill 2025\nPage 22\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\ncrocodile farm means a farm operated by a person authorised\nby the director, for the purposes of this Act, to operate the\nfarm.\ncrocodile sanctuary means a crocodile sanctuary declared\nunder section 18.\ndirector means the director of the authority appointed under\nsection 9.\nowner, of State leasehold land, includes the lessee of the land.\npopulated waterway means a populated waterway declared\nunder section 19.\nQueensland Crocodile Management Plan means the\ndocument of that name made by the chief executive and\npublished on the department’s website.\nState land means land in Queensland that is not freehold land\nas defined under the Land Act 1994, schedule 6.\nState leasehold land means land leased under the Land Act\n1994.\nzero-tolerance zone means a zone identified as a\nzero-tolerance zone in the Queensland Crocodile\nManagement Plan.\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20","sortOrder":1}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":6,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"Compared with a narrow public‑safety or conservation measure, this bill expands scope in several substantive ways: it does not merely set safety rules or conservation limits but creates a state agency with broad regulatory, commercial and industry‑promotion functions (s 5, s 10). The transitional provisions explicitly transfer licensing authority over crocodile permits from existing frameworks to the Director and include economic policy rules — notably restricting post‑commencement crocodile‑farming authorities to Australian entities (s 23(2)(a), (k)). The Act also imposes fast operational response obligations (48‑hour management target in zero‑tolerance zones) and formalises commercial uses (display, interaction, farming and egg harvest) alongside conservation duties (s 21, s 23). Those additions broaden the instrument from pure conservation/public‑safety law into an integrated regulatory regime that governs industry structure, ownership, commercial activity, and rapid operational intervention."},"complexity_factors":["Relatively short Act (approx. 22 pages) but concentrates many substantive powers in one office (Director) increasing interpretive demands","About 20 defined terms in Schedule 1 that materially affect operation (e.g. crocodile, crocodile farm/sanctuary, zero‑tolerance zone, Australian entity, traditional practice)","Multiple cross‑references to other statutes and instruments (Public Sector Act 2022, Nature Conservation Act 1992, Land Act 1994, Financial Accountability Act 2009, Acts Interpretation Act 1954, Queensland Crocodile Management Plan)","Significant delegated discretion and conditional authorisations (authorise/approve/cancel/suspend licences; delegate powers to staff)","Several nested conditional rules and exceptions (different rules for Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander land, State leasehold land, freehold land consent requirements for sanctuaries)","Transitional and regulatory implementation required (Minister must table proposed subordinate legislation within 2 months; Director must review Plan within 6 months)","Detailed, periodic reporting obligations (quarterly and annual) with prescribed content increasing operational detail","Specific residency and location requirements (Director and staff must reside and operate from Cairns) that affect administration and recruitment","Ownership restriction in transitional measures (post‑commencement crocodile‑farm authorities limited to Australian entities) adds corporate‑ownership complexity and definitions","Balancing duties (public safety/zero‑tolerance zones vs conservation duty not to cause extinction) create interpretive and scientific evidence requirements"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this law does (mechanics)**\n\n- Establishes a new statutory body called the Queensland Crocodile Authority (the Authority) and a single chief executive role, the Director, to control it (s 5, 9). The Authority’s business base and residency requirement for the Director and staff are fixed to Cairns (s 6, 9(3)(c)).\n\n- Centralises most crocodile management powers in the Director. Key powers and functions include: reducing crocodile-caused injury and death; authorising and regulating crocodile farms and sanctuaries; deciding and authorising annual egg harvest and culling quotas; authorising killing, relocation or removal of crocodiles for prompt management; authorising display or commercial interaction with crocodiles; coordinating research and surveying; promoting crocodile farming; declaring crocodile sanctuaries and populated waterways; and making recommendations to Parliament (s 10, s 11, s 18, s 19). The Director may also delegate powers to suitably qualified staff (s 12).\n\n- Places limits and duties on how crocodiles killed under Director authorisations must be handled (carcass use and minimising waste) and requires the Director not to act in ways the Director reasonably believes would risk crocodile extinction (s 10(2), s 10(1)(l), schedule definitions).\n\n- Sets out a process for interacting with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander interests: if a decision may affect Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander land or tradition/custom, the Director must consult the landowner or the relevant Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander peoples and consider cultural sensitivities and potential economic/social benefits (s 20).\n\n- Provides for an advisory committee appointed by the Minister to advise the Director; at least seven members are required, and composition must include specified representatives (e.g. an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person with crocodile experience, a crocodile farmer, people from north of Mackay with conservation and community recreation interests) (s 14).\n\n- Requires public reporting: quarterly reports published on the department website within 4 weeks of each quarter and an annual report to the Minister within 4 months after year end (with detailed contents), both to include licences issued, eggs harvested, crocodiles killed or relocated, attacks and injuries, and lists of authorised farms/sanctuaries (s 16, 17).\n\n- Creates powers to declare crocodile sanctuaries (land) and populated waterways (water bodies) by gazette notice; sanctuaries cannot include privately interested land without the landowner’s consent (s 18, 19).\n\n- Introduces transitional and enabling steps: the Director must review the Queensland Crocodile Management Plan within 6 months to establish “zero-tolerance zones” (areas where crocodiles must be removed or killed) and the Minister must table draft subordinate legislation within 2 months to implement specific regulatory arrangements (including shifting certain licensing functions under the Nature Conservation Act to the Director, egg-harvester safety course approval, authorized killing and culling methods, 48‑hour response targets in zero‑tolerance zones, and restricting new crocodile-farming authorities to Australian entities) (s 21, 23).\n\n- Gives the Governor in Council power to make regulations under the Act and declares that where this Act conflicts with another Act, it prevails to the extent of the inconsistency (s 4, 22).\n\n**Who this affects**\n\n- The Director and staff of the new Authority (organisational and operational responsibilities) (s 5–13).\n- Landowners and occupiers, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land owners and State leaseholders: the Director can authorise access, killing, relocation, and egg harvesting on such land subject to consultation or owner consent in some cases (s 10(h)–(i), s 20, schedule definitions).\n- Crocodile farmers and prospective investors: the Director authorises farms and sanctuaries; transitional measures narrow post‑commencement farm authorisations to Australian entities (s 10(b), s 23(2)(k), schedule definitions).\n- People who harvest eggs or cull crocodiles: the Director authorises individuals and may require training/safety course completion (s 10(d), s 23(2)(b), (f)).\n- Recreational and commercial water users: populated waterways and zero‑tolerance zones are declared with regard to public use (s 19, s 21).\n- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities: consultation duties attach where decisions affect their land or customs; traditional practices are recognised as an authorised method of killing for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander persons (s 20, s 23(3) definition of traditional practice).\n- The public and Parliament: regular public reporting and a legislative recommendation function mean information flows to Parliament and the community (s 16–17).\n\n**Why it matters (effects, incentives, trade‑offs and implementation risks)**\n\n- Centralisation of decision‑making: the Director becomes the primary decision maker over licensing, culling, relocation and egg harvesting across the State (s 10, 11). That concentrates discretion in one office, which can speed decisions but increases the importance of clear administrative processes, delegation rules, and transparency (reports and advisory committee) to constrain arbitrary or capture risks (s 12, 14, 16–17).\n\n- Regulatory and industry role: the Act does conservation and public‑safety work (minimising harm, survey/research, sanctuaries, populated waterways) while also actively promoting and regulating crocodile farming and egg harvest as commercial activities (s 10(n), (o), (c), (d), (b)). The transitional rule restricting new farm authorities to Australian entities (s 23(2)(k)) is an explicit economic‑ownership condition that affects foreign investment and the structure of the farming sector.\n\n- Operational costs and capacity needs: the Authority must be established in Cairns with staff employed under the Public Sector Act, and the Director must review and implement changes to the Crocodile Management Plan and table subordinate legislation on a rapid timetable (commencement 4 months after assent; review 6 months; Minister to table drafts within 2 months) (s 2, 6, 8, 21, 23). That creates immediate administrative, staffing and budgetary requirements.\n\n- Compliance and reporting burdens: detailed quarterly and annual reporting obligations (including particulars of killed or relocated crocodiles, eggs harvested, licences issued) increase administrative workload for the Authority and for authorised operators who must provide information (s 16–17).\n\n- Interaction with Indigenous rights and customs: the bill requires consultation where Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander land or customs might be affected and recognises traditional killing practices as authorised methods for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (s 20, s 23). The law gives the Director power to authorise landowners on Indigenous land to kill or allow others to kill crocodiles for payment (s 10(h), s 23(2)(g)), which creates potential economic opportunities but also requires culturally sensitive implementation.\n\n- Public safety vs conservation trade‑offs: the Director is given power to declare zero‑tolerance zones and populated waterways and to require removal or killing of crocodiles quickly (48‑hour target in the transitional objectives) to protect public use of waterways (s 21, s 23(2)(d)–(e)). However, the Director is simultaneously constrained from acting in ways likely to push crocodiles toward extinction (s 10(2)). This creates a balancing duty requiring credible science and monitoring to set harvest and cull limits (s 10(c), (e), (n)).\n\n- Legal clarity and precedence: the Act includes an express provision that it prevails over inconsistent Acts (s 4), and it anticipates regulations to shift licensing under the Nature Conservation Act to the Director (s 23(2)(a)). Implementing those shifts requires subordinate legislation and administrative coordination.\n\n**Concrete behaviours the law encourages or enables**\n\n- Authorised, trained adults harvesting crocodile eggs and undertaking culling/removal operations under Director authorisations (s 23(2)(b), (c), (f)).\n- Establishment and operation of crocodile farms and sanctuaries authorised by the Director; relocation of problem crocodiles into sanctuaries or farms (s 10(b), (g), 18, 19).\n- Faster state intervention in populated waterways and zero‑tolerance zones to remove risk to the public, with reporting and transparency linked to those actions (s 19, 21, 16–17).\n\n**Key statutory references (examples)**\n\n- Establish Authority and Director: s 5, s 9.\n- Director powers and functions (authorisations, culling, egg harvest, sanctuaries, farms): s 10, s 11.\n- Advisory committee composition and role: s 14.\n- Reporting requirements: s 16–17.\n- Sanctuaries and populated waterways: s 18–19.\n- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consultation and traditional practices: s 20, s 23(3).\n- Transitional implementation and regulatory objectives (including Australian‑only farm authorisations): s 23.\n\n(If you want, I can extract a short checklist of compliance steps that an existing crocodile farm, a landowner, or a community group should take to be ready for the new regime.)"},"summary":{"status_summary":"The Bill has been referred to a committee after its introduction in the Legislative Assembly.","complexity_score":5,"likely_questions":["What criteria will the Director use to decide the annual number of crocodile eggs that may be harvested or crocodiles that may be culled?","How will the Queensland Crocodile Authority be funded, and will fees be charged for licences or authorisations?","What happens if a landowner refuses consent for their land to be included in a declared crocodile sanctuary?","What penalties apply for unauthorised killing, harvesting, or interfering with crocodiles under this Bill?","How will the Director's decisions be subject to appeal or judicial review?"],"complexity_factors":["Creates a new statutory authority with a director appointed by resolution of the Legislative Assembly","Broad discretionary powers for the director over culling, egg harvesting, farm authorisation, and sanctuary declaration","Interaction with the existing Nature Conservation Act 1992 for licensing and permitting","Mandatory consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples when affecting their land or customs","Requirement for subordinate legislation within two months of commencement to implement policy objectives","Obligation to review and amend the Queensland Crocodile Management Plan within six months"],"plain_english_summary":"The Bill creates a Queensland Crocodile Authority in Cairns, vesting a Director with broad powers to license farms, authorise egg harvests, cull or relocate crocodiles, declare sanctuaries and populated waterways, and enforce zero‑tolerance zones. An advisory committee and public reporting requirements are mandated. It centralises crocodile management but leaves funding, penalties and objective limits on harvest/cull quotas unspecified, raising uncertainty for landowners, Indigenous handlers and crocodile farmers and limiting clear avenues to challenge Director decisions."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/crocodile-control-and-conservation-bill-2025","history":"/api/acts/crocodile-control-and-conservation-bill-2025/history","analysis":"/api/acts/crocodile-control-and-conservation-bill-2025/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/crocodile-control-and-conservation-bill-2025/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/crocodile-control-and-conservation-bill-2025/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/crocodile-control-and-conservation-bill-2025/documents"}}