Member for Ipswich West Wendy Bourne has raised serious concerns about sweeping new powers handed to the Deputy Premier which could leave Queenslanders with fewer rights when major projects are proposed in their communities.
The State Development and Public Works Organisation (Critical Minerals) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill passed Parliament last week, significantly expanding the powers available to the Deputy Premier to progress major projects.
Despite being introduced as a Critical Minerals Bill, the new powers are not limited to critical minerals, and the Deputy Premier has already floated the prospect of using the new powers for a variety of projects from abattoirs and feedlots to tourism projects.
The LNP rammed through the new powers, despite widespread community concern from farmers, primary producers, property rights advocates, native title and environmental groups.
Ms Bourne said Queensland could attract investment, create jobs, and support new industries without shutting communities out of decisions that could have a major impact on their lives.
“We are potentially talking about someone’s home, their farm or their livelihood, so Queenslanders deserve to know that they will have a voice when decisions like these are being made,” Ms Bourne said.
“If the LNP are going to give themselves greater powers to take someone’s property for private projects, there should be strong safeguards for the people affected.”
“Instead, the LNP are giving one Minister more power while taking some rights away from ordinary Queenslanders.”
Ms Bourne said the changes were particularly concerning at a time when communities were already seeking greater certainty and consultation around major developments.
“In Ipswich West, we are seeing anxieties grow about large-scale development,” Ms Bourne said.
“Now is not the time to run roughshod over those concerns or make it harder for people to have their say.”
“We should be sitting down with communities, listening to their concerns and taking them on the journey as our region grows and changes.”
“The people who live alongside these projects aren’t an obstacle to development. They are the people who will live with the consequences long after an approval is signed.”
Ms Bourne said Ipswich residents had already seen why strong safeguards and genuine community consultation mattered through their experience living alongside major industries, including the waste industry.
“We know what can happen when decisions about major industries don’t properly account for the people living alongside them,” Ms Bourne said.
“That experience should be a reason to strengthen community confidence and consultation, not make it easier for people to be shut out.”
Ms Bourne also questioned why the additional powers were necessary, with Queensland already having significant laws available to help governments progress major projects.
The Government was unable to identify a Queensland project that had been lost or delayed because the existing powers were inadequate.
“That leaves a pretty simple question: what problem is the Government actually trying to fix?” Ms Bourne said.
“If you are going to give one Minister extraordinary new powers while reducing some of the rights and safeguards available to Queenslanders, there needs to be a very good reason for doing it.”
“We can support investment, critical minerals and new industries without asking Queenslanders to give up important rights.”
“Good development should bring communities with it, not leave the people most affected feeling like they no longer have a say.”
For media enquiries, please email ipswich.west@parliament.qld.gov.au
