- Crisafulli Government is delivering streamlined dam and weir developments, by cutting time consuming, expensive red tape.
- Appropriate safeguards remain for native fish species without cumbersome and onerous red tape.
- The Crisafulli Government is delivering a plan for Queensland's future and a fresh start, after Labor's flawed approach increased red tape and made developments financially unviable.
The Crisafulli Government is streamlining dam and weir developments by removing cumbersome and expensive red tape, as it delivers a plan for Queensland's future.
New Accepted Development Requirements have removed the requirement for development applications and approvals on over 90 per cent of waterway barrier works, culverts, disaster recovery works or dam and weir repairs.
Unnecessary requirements for fish passages will also be removed from 122,000 kilometres of waterways in Western Queensland.
During Labor's decade of decline, local governments and dam proponents raised concerns about the time, cost and uncertainty in determining if fish passages were required for new dams, weirs and culverts.
The former Labor Government even made fish passages compulsory on waterways with no fish population, like pumped hydro storage.
The Crisafulli Government has listened and delivered sensible reform striking the right balance between industry certainty and healthy fish populations, with native fish species to still be looked after with well-designed and risk appropriate fish passage requirements.
A Rural and Remote Council Fish Passage Support Team has been set up for regional councils to gain quality and timely technical agency advice on the management of waterways, fish passage and waterway barrier works in their respective regions.
The Crisafulli Government is delivering the right plan for Queensland's future and this change delivers on a key election commitment to help rebuild the relationship between state and local government.
Minister for Local Government and Water, Ann Leahy said the Crisafulli Government was delivering the fresh start Queenslanders voted for, exactly as promised.
"We are delivering a plan for Queensland's future by significantly reducing the cost, time and regulatory burden for waterway projects across Queensland," Minister Leahy said.
"We promised Queenslanders we'd deliver meaningful change and generational water infrastructure, and it's exactly what we're doing. It's exactly why we're cutting this red-tape.
"Under Labor's flawed approach, many dam projects were ruled to be financially unviable due to onerous and cost prohibitive fish passage requirements.
"The Crisafulli Government's common-sense reforms reduce red tape and will make more dam projects financially viable at a time Queensland needs water security to address the needs of a growing population."
Minister for Primary Industries, Tony Perrett said the changes achieve sensible reform which protects and safeguards fish stocks and our waterways.
"We committed to be a government that listens, and to make decisions grounded in science rather than ideology," Minister Perrett said.
"These changes are testament to that approach by striking the right balance and will ensure our fisheries remain healthy and well stocked into the future.
"The Department of Primary Industries is providing a technical advice service for local councils and water suppliers which can provide early advice and fish passage guidance on projects, saving them time and money.
"While we are delivering significant red tape reduction, there is much more to be done to deliver for Queensland's future, and we remain committed to delivering the fresh start we promised."
LGAQ CEO Alison Smith welcomed the partnership approach taken by the State Government in its work with councils to reduce red tape and unnecessary costs to communities.
"These reforms are practical, pragmatic, efficient and respond to what councils have been calling for," Ms Smith said.
"In particular, the changes to reduce the regulatory burden placed on councils trying to rebuild following natural disasters – something councils and the LGAQ have advocated for several years – is very much welcomed.
"We thank the State for listening to the concerns of councils and responding in a way that will help them better deliver for their communities."
