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Queensland act
This Queensland law locks in the legal framework for the Queen's Wharf Brisbane integrated resort and casino development — a major mixed-use precinct (hotels, restaurants, entertainment, and a casino) built on the Brisbane CBD waterfront. It gives legal force to a deal (called the "casino agreement") struck between the Queensland Government and a private consortium (including Star Entertainment and its partners).
Investors and shareholders in the companies running the casino are most directly impacted. If you own — or want to own — shares or other financial interests in those companies (called "relevant entities"), strict government approval thresholds apply:
Breaching these thresholds without approval can result in government-ordered forced divestiture (being made to sell your shares) and fines of up to .
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Direct links to the current provisions in Queen’s Wharf Brisbane Act 2016.
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View on official registerSourced from Queensland Legislation (legislation.qld.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.
Property owners and interest holders near the Queen's Wharf area may be affected by land declarations under this Act, which can extinguish (cancel) existing interests in land — though compensation is available through a process modelled on Queensland's compulsory acquisition laws.
The general public benefits indirectly through the development itself, but has no direct rights under this Act.
Ratifies and enacts the casino agreement as law — the deal with the private developer becomes legally binding and overrides inconsistent Queensland laws.
Controls who can own the casino operation — any significant investor must be vetted and approved as a "suitable person" by the government. This is aimed at keeping organised crime and other undesirable influences out of casino ownership.
Streamlines land dealings — the Act bypasses normal Land Act requirements to allow the Queensland Government to quickly grant or lease land within the Queen's Wharf precinct. Roads can be closed, reserves revoked, and existing interests cancelled, all by Ministerial declaration.
Allows flexible leasing arrangements — subleases, concurrent subleases (multiple leases over the same land at once), and licences can be granted without the usual Ministerial approvals normally required under Queensland's Land Act.
Later amendments (2023) convert certain tenures to State freehold — specific parcels of land (including former Brisbane Casino lease land and Queen's Wharf precinct land) are converted to freehold ownership by the State to facilitate the restructured development after Star Entertainment's troubles.
This Act gives a private casino consortium extraordinary certainty — the deal is literally written into law and prevails over other Queensland legislation. In return, the State gets strict controls over who can influence the casino's ownership and operations. It's a high-stakes public-private arrangement backed by the full force of State law.