The State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971 (PDF 802KB)

The Act provides for state planning and development through a coordinated system of public works organisation, for environmental coordination, and for related purposes. It provides the person holding the office of the Coordinator-General with significant powers to manage major projects on a whole-of-government basis.

Background

The original Act was first passed in 1938 by William Forgan Smith’s Labor Government as a post-depression measure to create employment and to develop the State, through a system of coordinated public works.  The Act was substantially revised and updated in 1971 with the central role of the Coordinator-General in planned development preserved. In 1971, specific powers relating to supervision of the environment were incorporated into the Act.

Purpose

The Act provides the head of power for the Coordinator-General to declare a project to be a significant project for the purpose of requiring the proponent to prepare an Environment Impact Statement. The Act ensures there is adequate land stocks for industrial development at the same time as urban sprawl and agricultural interests take up available land close to key transport and export links.

For instance the 21,000 hectare Gladstone State Development Area was established with 6,800 hectares available for industrial development with direct links to road, rail, energy and port facilities. It is now the largest of its kind in Queensland at 21,000 hectares. Read more about state development areas.

The Townsville State Development Area was declared in 2003 and covers 4,800 hectares with direct links to road, rail, energy and port facilities. The Bundamba State Development Area, declared in June 2006 enables the development of water pipeline infrastructure for South East Queensland.

Recent amendents

The Act was amended in late 2006 to strengthen powers of the Coordinator-General. One of the amendments gave the Coordinator-General the power to step in where decision makers (state departments or councils) fail to make a decision on a key project.

The Act was amended to grant new power to create infrastructure easements where needed, to fast track critical projects. This power was enacted for the Southern Regional Water Pipeline, Western Corridor Recycled Water Scheme and Gold Coast Desalination Plant.