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Queensland act
This Queensland law aims to ensure that people living near large resource projects (such as mines, gas projects, or other major resource operations) actually benefit from those projects — particularly through jobs and economic opportunities.
1. No 100% fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) workforces Once a project is operating, the company cannot employ only fly-in, fly-out workers (people flown in from elsewhere who don't live in the local community). At least some workers must come from or live in nearby regional towns. This kicks in 6 months after the project is publicly listed.
2. No discrimination against locals in hiring Companies cannot advertise jobs in a way that stops local residents from applying, or put anything in writing saying locals aren't eligible. Fines of up to 400 penalty units apply for breaches.
3. Social Impact Assessments required Before major projects are approved, the company must prepare a social impact assessment — essentially a detailed plan for how the project will affect the local community. This must cover:
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Direct links to the current provisions in Strong and Sustainable Resource Communities Act 2017.
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View on official registerSourced from Queensland Legislation (legislation.qld.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.
Locals must be prioritised first in workforce planning, followed by people who will move to regional areas.
4. Workforce management plans If a company is found to be breaching the FIFO ban, the government regulator (called the Coordinator-General) can order the company to prepare a detailed workforce management plan. Failing to submit one can attract fines of up to 800 penalty units.
5. Conditions can be imposed The Coordinator-General can impose legally binding conditions on projects to manage their social impact. These conditions can be enforced under separate legislation.
6. Information and reporting requirements Companies must notify the Coordinator-General when their project starts operating or changes ownership. The Coordinator-General can demand information from anyone relevant to enforcing the Act. Providing false documents carries heavy penalties (up to 1,665 penalty units).
This law was a direct response to concerns that large resource projects in regional Queensland were using mostly FIFO workforces, meaning local towns — which often bear the environmental and social costs of these projects — saw little economic benefit. The law forces companies to hire locally and plan for community impacts upfront.