2025
A Bill
for
An Act to amend the Environmental Protection Act 1994, the
Forestry Act 1959, the Geothermal Energy Act 2010, the
Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2009, the Mineral and Energy
Resources (Financial Provisioning) Act 2018, the Mineral
Resources Act 1989, the Nature Conservation Act 1992, the
Petroleum Act 1923, the Petroleum and Gas (Production and
Safety) Act 2004, the Recreation Areas Management Act 2006,
the Regional Planning Interests Act 2014, the State Penalties
Enforcement Regulation 2014, the Waste Reduction and
Recycling Act 2011, the Water Act 2000 and the legislation
mentioned in schedule 1 for particular purposes
Page 18
Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel
[s 1]
Environmental Protection (Efficiency and Streamlining) and Other Legislation Amendment
Bill 2025
Part 1 Preliminary
The Parliament of Queensland enacts—
Part 1 Preliminary
1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the Environmental Protection
(Efficiency and Streamlining) and Other Legislation
Amendment Act 2025.
2 Commencement
The following provisions commence on a day to be fixed by
proclamation—
(a) part 2, division 3;
(b) parts 3 to 7;
(c) parts 9 to 12;
(d) sections 182 and 183;
(e) schedule 1, part 2.
Part 2 Amendment of Environmental
Protection Act 1994
Division 1 Preliminary
3 Act amended
This part amends the Environmental Protection Act 1994.
Note—
See also the amendments in schedule 1.
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2
Clause 3
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5
6
Clause 7
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9
10
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12
13
14
15
16
17
Clause 18
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Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel
[s 4]
Environmental Protection (Efficiency and Streamlining) and Other Legislation Amendment
Bill 2025
Part 2 Amendment of Environmental Protection Act 1994
Division 2 Amendments commencing on
assent
4 Amendment of s 39 (Other definitions)
(1) Section 39, definition comment period—
omit.
(2) Section 39, definition submission period, paragraph (b),
‘section 68(3)(b)(ii)’—
omit, insert—
section 68(3)(b)
5 Amendment of s 41A (Decision on draft terms of
reference)
(1) Section 41A(1)(b), ‘to public notification under subdivision
2’—
omit.
(2) Section 41A(1)(c), ‘subsection (4) or section 42(1)’—
omit, insert—
subsection (4) or (5)
(3) Section 41A(3) and (4), ‘to public notification’—
omit.
(4) Section 41A—
insert—
(5) If the chief executive decides to allow the draft
terms of reference to proceed, the chief executive
must give the proponent written notice about—
(a) the decision; and
(b) the steps the chief executive must take under
section 46.
1
2
Clause 3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Clause 10
11
12
13
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15
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17
18
19
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21
22
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24
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26
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Page 20
Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel
[s 6]
Environmental Protection (Efficiency and Streamlining) and Other Legislation Amendment
Bill 2025
Part 2 Amendment of Environmental Protection Act 1994
6 Omission of ch 3, pt 1, div 2, sdiv 2 (Public notification of
draft terms of reference)
Chapter 3, part 1, division 2, subdivision 2—
omit.
7 Amendment of s 46 (Finalising terms of reference)
(1) Section 46, before subsection (1)—
insert—
(1AA) This section applies if, under section 41A(1)(b),
the chief executive decides to allow the draft
terms of reference to proceed.
(2) Section 46(1)(a)—
omit.
(3) Section 46(1)(b) to (d)—
renumber as section 46(1)(a) to (c).
(4) Section 46(1AA) to (2)—
renumber as section 46(1) to (3).
8 Amendment of s 49 (Decision on whether EIS may
proceed)
Section 49(5A) to (5C) and (8)—
omit.
9 Amendment of s 56 (Response to submissions)
(1) Section 56(1), from ‘the following’—
omit, insert—
each submission accepted by the chief executive.
(2) Section 56(1A), (1B) and (2)(c)—
omit.
Clause 1
2
3
4
Clause 5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Clause 17
18
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Clause 21
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Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel
[s 10]
Environmental Protection (Efficiency and Streamlining) and Other Legislation Amendment
Bill 2025
Part 2 Amendment of Environmental Protection Act 1994
(3) Section 56(2)(d), ‘or report’—
omit.
(4) Section 56(2)(d)—
renumber as section 56(2)(c).
(5) Section 56(3), definition relevant period, paragraph (a)—
omit, insert—
(a) 20 business days after the proponent is
given a copy of all submissions accepted by
the chief executive; or
10 Amendment of s 56A (Assessment of adequacy of
response to submission and submitted EIS)
(1) Section 56A(1)—
omit, insert—
(1) This section applies if a submission is accepted by
the chief executive under section 55.
(2) Section 56A(4)(a), ‘, and any report about a public interest
evaluation,’—
omit.
(3) Section 56A(4)(b)—
omit.
(4) Section 56A(4)(c), ‘and any report about a public interest
evaluation’—
omit.
(5) Section 56A(4)(c)—
renumber as section 56A(4)(b).
11 Amendment of s 65 (Public access to draft terms of
reference or submitted EIS)
(1) Section 65, heading, ‘draft terms of reference or’—
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2
3
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5
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7
8
9
Clause 10
11
12
13
14
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Clause 26
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Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel
[s 12]
Environmental Protection (Efficiency and Streamlining) and Other Legislation Amendment
Bill 2025
Part 2 Amendment of Environmental Protection Act 1994
omit.
(2) Section 65, ‘the draft terms of reference for an EIS or the’—
omit, insert—
a
12 Amendment of s 67 (Process is suspended)
Section 67(3), ‘draft terms of reference or submitted EIS
lapse’—
omit, insert—
submitted EIS lapses
13 Amendment of s 68 (Substantial compliance with notice
requirements may be accepted)
(1) Section 68(1), ‘division 2, subdivision 2 or’—
omit.
(2) Section 68(3)(b)—
omit, insert—
(b) fix a new submission period; and
(3) Section 68(4), ‘comment or’—
omit.
(4) Section 68(5), ‘section 43(3) or 51(2)’—
omit, insert—
section 51(2)
14 Amendment of s 112 (Other key definitions for ch 5)
Section 112, definitions public interest consideration and
public interest evaluation—
omit.
1
2
3
4
Clause 5
6
7
8
9
Clause 10
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12
13
14
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Clause 22
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Section retrieval-0003 - Environmental Protection (Efficiency and Streamlining) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 - Document excerpt 3 | Zoe