The Act creates legal effects and practical obligations for multiple groups. Primary decision‑makers are the Minister responsible for the project and the planning Minister. The Minister may exercise project powers, issue transfer notices, and give project directions to airport entities or their boards (ss 11-14). The planning Minister has approval, direction and amendment powers over land use plans, and may return draft plans for amendment, consult local government, and in limited circumstances approve plans only with Governor in Council approval where substantial local government objection exists (ss 39-41, 46). The planning chief executive has notification, mapping and delegated administrative functions in respect of planning matters for airport land (ss 42, 44, 60).
Airport entities listed in s 6 are directly affected: Cairns Ports, Mackay Ports, POBC, Gateway, QIC, QIC Infrastructure Management trustee for QIC Brisbane Airport Infrastructure Trust, QTH, companies of which those entities are ultimate holding companies, government companies established for the project, and successor companies with shares transferred to the State or QTH. Those entities may be the subject of transfer notices that transfer shares, assets, liabilities, leases, or may be required to comply with project directions (s 12, s 14). Employees of airport entities are affected by secondments and transfers under transfer notices; their status, remuneration and continuity of service are protected by ss 13, 27 and 28, and secondments require employee consent if status would be reduced or duties unreasonably changed (s 13).
Local government is affected principally through consultation rights and the need to note airport land and land use plans on planning scheme maps. Local governments must be given copies of the first land use plan and notified of approved plans (s 31, s 44). Local governments have defined but limited capacity to levy charges under a charges schedule included in a land use plan, restricted to drainage, public transport, roads and sewerage and water supply headworks, and subject to s 43 consultation requirements (ss 35, 43). The planning chief executive may delegate certain administrative enforcement functions to local government for development applications for airport land, but only with notification requirements (s 60).
Airport lessors and airport operators incur operational powers and responsibilities. Airport lessors may issue airport notices, appoint authorised officers, delegate functions to airport operators, appoint airport managers, and require compliance from airport lessees as a lease condition (ss 62, 68, 94, 95). Airport operators, where delegated functions exist, may be required by regulation or by delegation conditions to establish monitoring and complaints systems for delegated functions (s 94(3)). Prospective purchasers and their employees or agents may be given access to airport entity information under confidentiality agreements; the State may enter such agreements and require disclosure under s 23 and s 24.
Members of the public, users of airport facilities, carriers, freight handlers and lessees on airport land are affected by airport notices, the powers of authorised officers, obligations to comply with directions and potential criminal penalties for non‑compliance or obstruction (chs 4-6, ss 62-86). Persons who have legal instruments, contracts, rights or approvals potentially affected by transfer notices are affected by statutory provisions that treat consents, approvals and notices as having been obtained or given for the purposes of transfer notices (s 25). Finally, registrars and responsible recording entities must register transfers effected under transfer notices without concern to the usual title inquiries and must, on application, register transferee rights (s 22).
In sum, the Act concentrates decision authority in the Minister and planning Minister for project and planning matters, imposes duties on specified airport entities, adjusts the role of local government and the planning chief executive, and imposes operational rules and enforcement mechanisms that affect airport users, operators and the broader public interacting with airport land.