Inside $62.3m plan to streamline Central Queensland resources developments

Securing approvals is expected to be easier for resources firms in Central Queensland with $128m in new funding designed to streamline a notoriously tangled process.

As Central Queensland shapes up as a political battleground in the looming federal election, Resources Minister Keith Pitt has travelled to Mackay to spruik a new vision for a more streamlined and predictable development approvals process.

As part of an overall $128m package, the government will funnel $62.3m to deliver 10 regional plans in priority development areas, designed to protect areas of environmental significance while streamlining assessments.

“The 10 new regional plans will streamline development approvals, including those for crucial resources projects, by removing the need for a project-by-project approval under national environment law,” Mr Pitt said.

“This will boost investor confidence by identifying areas within a particular region where development activities may be undertaken while ensuring strong environmental protections are maintained.”

Projects would include mining, solar farms, aquaculture, farming as well as other water and energy projects.

Dawson MP George Christensen and Resources Minister Keith Pitt at a previous press conference in Mackay. Picture: Tara Miko

Resources advocates have complained that an overly burdensome approvals process crimps job creation in the sector.

The issue can take on national significance.

The long and winding approvals process for the controversial Adani thermal coal mine northwest of Clermont proved to be a contentious issue in the 2019 election and is partly credited for helping the LNP sweep up the electorates of Flynn, Capricornia and Dawson.

This drone shot captures the scope of Adani Australia's workers accommodation camp after announcing they had surpassed over $1 billion in contracts for the Carmichael Coal Mine and Rail Project.

As part of its new vision, the federal government will also inject $10 million to progress a ‘single touch approval’ process and $27.9 million to continue on-time assessment determinations, which it claims have risen to 96 per cent in the past three years.

The government will also distribute $12 million to modernise the environmental offsets policy, $9.5 million to improve compliance, $4.9 million to improve knowledge around protected plants and animals and $2 million to scope a new advisory committee to provide government with expert industry and technology advice.

Sussan Ley during Question Time in the House of Representatives in Parliament House Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Environment Minister Sussan Ley said the measures would help protect the environment while concurrently supporting economic recovery and job creation in regional and rural communities.

“This is a package that will improve the quality and reliability of data used in assessments and decision making, ensure greater transparency and flexibility around environmental offsets and reduce duplication and delay in the assessment and approval process,” she said.

“It represents another important step in delivering much needed environmental reform that reduces unnecessary delay and duplication, while strengthening safeguards.”

The Mackay announcement comes on top of a $47 million expansion of the Digital Environmental Assessment Program, designed to ensure assessments are based on consistent data.

Originally published as Inside $62.3m plan to streamline Central Queensland resources developments