2026
A Bill
for
An Act to amend the Environmental Protection Act 1994, the
Mineral and Energy Resources (Common Provisions) Act 2014,
the Regional Planning Interests Act 2014, the Regional Planning
Interests Regulation 2014 and the legislation mentioned in
schedule 1 for particular purposes
[s 1]
Regional Planning Interests (Condamine Alluvium) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill
2026
Part 1 Preliminary
Page 6
Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel
The Parliament of Queensland enacts—
Part 1 Preliminary
1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the Regional Planning Interests
(Condamine Alluvium) and Other Legislation Amendment Act
2026.
Part 2 Amendment of Environmental
Protection Act 1994
2 Act amended
This part amends the Environmental Protection Act 1994.
3 Amendment of s 206 (Environmental authorities for
particular resource activities includes particular
conditions)
(1) Section 206—
insert—
(2A) Further, an environmental authority issued for a
CSG activity in the Condamine Alluvium CSG
area is taken to include a condition prohibiting the
release of contaminants, by the operation of a
well—
(a) into waters in the Condamine Alluvium
CSG area; and
(b) resulting in water quality that is inconsistent
with the water quality objectives that apply
to the waters.
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Regional Planning Interests (Condamine Alluvium) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill
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Part 2 Amendment of Environmental Protection Act 1994
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Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel
Note—
This subsection does not apply to particular existing or
proposed wells—see section 862.
(2) Section 206(3), ‘or (2)’—
omit, insert—
, (2) or (3)
(3) Section 206(4)—
insert—
Condamine Alluvium CSG area see the Regional
Planning Interests Act 2014, section 11A.
operation, of a well, means any stage of the life of
the well, including, for example, the drilling,
completion, operation, suspension or
decommissioning of the well.
water quality objectives means the water quality
objectives prescribed by an environmental
protection policy.
(4) Section 206(2A) to (4)—
renumber as section 206(3) to (5).
4 Insertion of new ch 13, pt 36
Chapter 13—
insert—
Part 36 Transitional provision
for Regional Planning
Interests (Condamine
Alluvium) and Other
Legislation
Amendment Act 2026
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Regional Planning Interests (Condamine Alluvium) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill
2026
Part 2 Amendment of Environmental Protection Act 1994
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Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel
862 Non-application of s 206(3) to particular
existing or proposed wells
(1) Section 206(3) as in force on the commencement
does not apply in relation to a well—
(a) that, on the commencement, is authorised
under an environmental authority; or
(b) that is the subject of an existing application
granted after the commencement.
(2) Subsection (1) continues to apply to the well even
if—
(a) the environmental authority authorising the
well—
(i) is amended to expand or otherwise
change the stages of the operation of
the well that are authorised under the
authority; or
(ii) is replaced by a new environmental
authority authorising the operation of
the well; or
(b) the holder of the environmental authority
authorising the well changes.
Note—
See schedule 4, definition holder, paragraphs 3
and 4.
(3) In this section—
existing application means either of the following
applications made but not decided before the
commencement—
(a) an application for an environmental
authority;
(b) an amendment application for an
environmental authority.
operation, of a well, see section 206(5) as in force
on the commencement.
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Regional Planning Interests (Condamine Alluvium) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill
2026
Part 3 Amendment of Mineral and Energy Resources (Common Provisions) Act 2014
Page 9
Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel
Part 3 Amendment of Mineral and
Energy Resources (Common
Provisions) Act 2014
5 Act amended
This part amends the Mineral and Energy Resources
(Common Provisions) Act 2014.
Note—
See also the amendments in schedule 1.
6 Amendment of ch 3, hdg (Land access)
Chapter 3, heading, after ‘access’—
insert—
and impact on land
7 Insertion of new ch 3, pt 9
Chapter 3—
insert—
Part 9 Condamine Alluvium
CSG area
Division 1 Preliminary
101G Purpose of part
The purpose of this part is to provide additional
protection to owners or occupiers of private land
in the Condamine Alluvium CSG area (affected
land) who may be affected by the carrying out of
CSG activities.
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Regional Planning Interests (Condamine Alluvium) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill
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Part 3 Amendment of Mineral and Energy Resources (Common Provisions) Act 2014
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Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel
101H Definitions for part
In this part—
affected land see section 101G.
CSG activity means an activity involving
exploring for or producing coal seam gas.
CSG-induced subsidence means sinking of the
ground resulting from CSG activities.
CSG resource authority means—
(a) an authority to prospect under the P&G Act
that authorises exploring and testing for coal
seam gas; or
(b) a petroleum lease under the P&G Act that
authorises the production of coal seam gas.
eligible subsidence claimant means an eligible
subsidence claimant under section 101J(2) or
101K(2).
subsidence compensatable effect, suffered by an
owner or occupier of affected land because of a
CSG resource authority, means an effect suffered
by the owner or occupier—
(a) resulting from the impact of CSG-induced
subsidence that—
(i) is caused by authorised activities
carried out under the CSG resource
authority, whether or not the activities
were carried out on the owner’s or
occupier’s land; and
(ii) affects the ability to carry out
agricultural activities, or the
productivity of agricultural activities
carried out, on the owner’s or
occupier’s land; and
(b) that—
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Regional Planning Interests (Condamine Alluvium) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill
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Part 3 Amendment of Mineral and Energy Resources (Common Provisions) Act 2014
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Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel
(i) is of a kind mentioned in section 81(4),
definition compensatable effect,
paragraph (a)(i) to (v) or (b); or
(ii) would be of a kind mentioned in
section 81(4), definition
compensatable effect, paragraph (a)(i)
to (v) or (b) if the authorised activities
mentioned in paragraph (a)(i) were
carried out on the owner’s or occupier’s
land.
subsidence compensation liability, to an eligible
subsidence claimant, see section 101J(3)(a) or
101K(3).
Division 2 Drilling directional well
requires agreement
101I Application of s 43 in relation to drilling
directional well
(1) This section applies in relation to drilling a
directional well in the authorised area, or a part of
the authorised area, of a CSG resource authority
to the extent the area or part of the area is affected
land.
(2) For section 43, drilling the directional well is an
advanced activity for the CSG resource authority.
(3) Subsection (2) applies—
(a) whether or not the drilling would otherwise
be an advanced activity under section 15A;
and
(b) whether or not another advanced activity is
carried out on the affected land under the
CSG resource authority.
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Regional Planning Interests (Condamine Alluvium) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill
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Part 3 Amendment of Mineral and Energy Resources (Common Provisions) Act 2014
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Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel
Division 3 Liability to compensate for
CSG-induced subsidence
Subdivision 1 Subsidence compensation
liability
101J Liability for land in authorised area or access
land
(1) This section applies in relation to affected land
that is—
(a) in the authorised area of a CSG resource
authority; or
(b) access land for the CSG resource authority.
(2) The CSG resource authority holder is liable to
compensate the owner or occupier of the affected
land (each an eligible subsidence claimant) for
each subsidence compensatable effect suffered by
the eligible subsidence claimant because of the
CSG resource authority.
(3) The CSG resource authority holder’s liability to
compensate an eligible subsidence claimant under
subsection (2)—
(a) is the holder’s subsidence compensation
liability to the claimant; and
(b) is also—
(i) the holder’s compensation liability to
the claimant under section 81; or
(ii) if the holder has other compensation
liability to the claimant under section
81—a part of the holder’s
compensation liability to the claimant
under section 81.
(4) To remove any doubt, it is declared that, for
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Regional Planning Interests (Condamine Alluvium) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill
2026
Part 3 Amendment of Mineral and Energy Resources (Common Provisions) Act 2014
Page 13
Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel
applying subsection (3)(b) under part 7, the
eligible subsidence claimant is an eligible
claimant under section 81.
(5) This section does not limit the circumstances in
which a resource authority holder’s compensation
liability to an eligible claimant under section 81
may be or include liability for an effect resulting
from subsidence suffered by the claimant.
101K Liability for particular other land
(1) This section applies in relation to affected land
that is—
(a) within the prescribed distance outside the
authorised area of a CSG resource authority;
and
(b) not access land for the CSG resource
authority.
(2) A CSG resource authority holder is liable to
compensate the owner or occupier of the affected
land (each an eligible subsidence claimant) for
each subsidence compensatable effect suffered by
the eligible subsidence claimant because of the
CSG resource authority.
(3) The CSG resource authority holder’s liability to
compensate an eligible subsidence claimant under
subsection (2) is the holder’s subsidence
compensation liability to the eligible subsidence
claimant.
(4) In this section—
prescribed distance means—
(a) if a regulation prescribes a distance for this
definition—the distance prescribed; or
(b) otherwise—5 km.
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Regional Planning Interests (Condamine Alluvium) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill
2026
Part 3 Amendment of Mineral and Energy Resources (Common Provisions) Act 2014
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Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel
Subdivision 2 Disputes about
subsidence compensation
liability
101L Application of subdivision
(1) This subdivision applies in relation to a CSG
resource authority holder’s subsidence
compensation liability to an eligible subsidence
claimant.
(2) However, this subdivision does not apply if—
(a) under part 7—
(i) the CSG resource authority holder and
eligible subsidence claimant have
entered into a conduct and
compensation agreement relating to the
holder’s compensation liability to the
claimant; or
(ii) a dispute resolution process involving
the CSG resource authority holder’s
compensation liability to the eligible
subsidence claimant has been started or
decided, including by a decision of the
Land Court; or
(b) under the CSG resource authority, the CSG
resource authority holder, or a person
authorised by the holder, is carrying out or
proposing to carry out on the eligible
subsidence claimant’s land authorised
activities that are advanced activities.
101M References to subsidence compensation
liability
A reference in this subdivision to subsidence
compensation liability is taken to include a
reference to future subsidence compensation
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