What it does
The Water Act 2000 is Queensland's principal statute for the use, allocation and management of water and quarry material from watercourses, lakes and springs. Section 26 vests all rights to the use, flow and control of all water in Queensland in the State, and section 27 then sets out the limited menu of authorisations through which the State may allow taking or interfering with water: water allocations, water licences, water permits, seasonal water assignment notices, resource operations licences, distribution operations licences, and operations licences. The Act sits across nine chapters that, in turn, deal with interpretation, water supply emergencies, water rights and planning, water security planning and SEQ bulk water arrangements, the underground water regime that applies to the resource sector, the Office of Groundwater Impact Assessment, water authorities, declared major water projects, investigation and enforcement, internal review and appeals, evidence and proceedings, and an extensive transitional architecture.