Stop Minister Bleijie’s power grab bill - protect Qld’s water and farmland

On 2nd June 2026, Jarrod Bleijie introduced the State Development Public Works (Critical Minerals) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026 (the Bill) into Queensland Parliament. There was minimal consultation - only those organisations that stand to gain from the concentration of powers and short-cutting of processes were consulted.

The Bill allows Bleijie, as Minister for State Development, to declare State strategic projects Critical Infrastructure. Contrary to the name on the Bill, these could include many more types of projects than just critical mineral projects.

There’s no consultation, and no appeal rights for these declarations; it’s …

On 2nd June 2026, Jarrod Bleijie introduced the State Development Public Works (Critical Minerals) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026 (the Bill) into Queensland Parliament. There was minimal consultation - only those organisations that stand to gain from the concentration of powers and short-cutting of processes were consulted.

The Bill allows Bleijie, as Minister for State Development, to declare State strategic projects Critical Infrastructure. Contrary to the name on the Bill, these could include many more types of projects than just critical mineral projects.

There’s no consultation, and no appeal rights for these declarations; it’s the kind of ‘behind closed doors’ decision-making that hasn’t been seen since the Bjielke-Petersen days.

Once declared, the Minister and Coordinator-General will have all sorts of extra powers:

Modification Orders to modify other legislation to ensure that State strategic projects are not held up by other legal requirements, including environmental impact assessment requirements. For example, it would be possible to alter the process and criteria by which environmental approvals for large scale, polluting projects are assessed.
Access authorities will allow proponent organisations to come onto private land, not just for survey and investigation works, but to carry out significant and potentially permanent works, including constructing buildings, sheds, worker accommodation and plant/equipment, major excavations and installing roads.
Infrastructure Coordination Plans will also allow access to private land for further investigations, including destructive activities and allow planning applications by landholders to be affected ‘called in’, which may limit landholder’s ability to develop their land as they wish
The powers to compulsorily acquire land for State strategic projects and in Critical infrastructure areas will be extended.

The Bill has far-reaching consequences for landholders, communities and any Queenslander who is concerned with environmental and heritage protection and sound political decision-making. If that’s you, this is your chance to be heard.

The Bill is now being considered by the Primary Industries and Resources Committee.

The process for making submissions on Bills of this type is extremely short but we know that submissions from constituents make a difference.

Submissions are due 4pm 25th June 2026.

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Please send a submission using our form below to the Primary Industries and Resources Committee. We must stop the Qld Govt’s power grab that could remove landholder rights to protect their land and water. Personalise the message by adding a sentence or two of your own or changing the subject line.

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To the Primary Industries and Resources Committee
RE: Submission on the State Development Public Works (Critical Minerals) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026.

I am deeply concerned that this Bill will strip away protections for Queensland’s land and water resources and biodiversity, and erode the rights of communities and landholders to have a say in developments that directly impact us.

The Bill significantly increases the power of the Minister for State Development and Queensland Coordinator-General to make decisions behind closed doors.  I consider this to undermine democratic principles of transparent and accountable decision-making.

I am concerned about this Bill’s unjustified power to exclude or modify other Acts at the behest of the Coordinator General or the Planning Minister, even where these laws ensure environmental protection, farmland protection or property rights. The scales have tipped too far toward private interests, away from the need to protect our water and environment for future generations.

The Bill overrides the rights of landholders and communities, allowing proponents to access private land and carry out activities with little or no recourse for landholders.  Project proponents will also be
 allowed to short-cut environmental assessments and avoid community consultation.

Queenslanders rely on our hard-won safeguards such as rigorous environmental impact assessment, meaningful community consultation and community objection rights. We don’t want to be silenced and see our legitimate concerns about the impacts of projects on water, farmland and regional communities trashed.

Land acquisition powers are also strengthened without increases in protections of landholder rights.  Landholders engaged in agriculture are dealt a double blow with the subsumption of the Regional Interests Planning Act and its associated protection of good quality agricultural land into the Coordinated Projects process.

This Bill is unacceptable and should be withdrawn. It has been rushed into Parliament without public consultation at the behest of the mining industry in spite of its complex nature and direct impact on human rights.

Thank you for your consideration,

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