Strategic Cropping Land Bill 2011

Dec 7, 2011



Some 20 months after the Queensland Government released its Strategic Cropping Land (SCL) policy, the next step in further formalising that policy was taken during November 2011 with the introduction into the Queensland Parliament of the Strategic Cropping Land Bill 2011 (Bill).

With opposing sides converging rapidly amidst the Coal Seam Gas debate, particularly in Queensland, the proposed legislation has been welcomed generally by all agricultural and rural groups as a positive step to ensuring the preservation of some of Queensland’s most valuable agricultural land.

The Bill is anticipated to become law in early 2012.

The essential tenements of the Bill include:

  • The identification of SCL by way of a series of maps.
  • The establishment of criteria and guidelines for determining SCL.
  • The creation of offences and default procedures to better ensure compliance by landowners and occupiers.
  • The introduction of a validation procedure whereby landowners and occupiers may have land incorporated as SCL based broadly upon the provable historic use of that land.

While the introduction of the Act has been welcomed by stakeholders, that welcome has been tempered by concerns expressed at a public hearing on the Bill within the last couple of weeks at Parliament House in Brisbane which particularly focussed on the application of a 50 year timeframe in determining whether a development impact would be permanent or temporary.

For further information on the Bill, its progress through the Queensland Parliament and its likely application to rural landowners, please contact:

 

Craig Smith | Partner
Broadley Rees Hogan Lawyers
p + 61 7 3223 9114 | f + 61 7 3221 5518
e craig.smith@brhlawyers.com.au

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