Queensland Parliament sat for Budget Week from 13 June to 16 June 2023.
Queensland Law Society has prepared a QLS Proctor article on the Queensland State Budget for 2023-24, which highlights budget allocations relevant to the legal profession.
Bills introduced
The following Bills were introduced into the Legislative Assembly:
- Appropriation (Parliament) Bill 2023
- Appropriation Bill 2023
- Integrity and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2023
- Revenue Legislation Amendment Bill 2023
Appropriation (Parliament) Bill 2023
The Appropriation (Parliament) Bill 2023 was introduced on 13 June 2023 by the Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment, Cameron Dick.
The Bill provides for:
- Appropriations for 2023-24 to fund the cost of providing the services, equity adjustment and administered items of the Legislative Assembly and parliamentary service in that year; and
- Supply for 2024-25 to allow the normal operations of the Legislative Assembly and parliamentary service to continue until the 2024-25 Appropriation (Parliament) Bill receives assent.
Useful resources:
The Bill was read a second time and referred to the portfolio committees on 16 June 2023.
Appropriation Bill 2023
The Appropriation Bill 2023 was introduced on 13 June 2023 by the Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment, Cameron Dick MP.
The Bill provides for:
- Appropriation for 2023-24 to fund the cost of delivering departmental services, administered items and equity adjustment in that year
- Supply for 2024-25 to allow normal operations of government to continue until the 2024-25 Appropriation Bill receives assent, and
- Appropriation for amounts of unforeseen expenditure approved by the Governor in Council during the 2022-23 financial year including how these amounts are to be reported and lapsed (if required).
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The Bill was read a second time and referred to the Portfolio Committees on 16 June 2023.
Integrity and Other Legislation Amendment Bill
On 16 June 2023, the Premier and Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Annastacia Palaszczuk, introduced the Integrity and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2023 into Queensland Parliament.
The Bill represents the second key tranche of legislation (following the Integrity and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2022) to implement the Government’s response to recommendations from‘Let the sunshine in: Review of culture and accountability in the Queensland public sector’ (Coaldrake Report) and the ‘Strategic Review of the Integrity Commissioner’s Functions’ (Yearbury Report).
The explanatory notes advise that the Bill includes amendments to:
- Increase regulation of lobbying activity to address the public perception of undue influence on governments, including by clarifying what lobbying activity is and enhancing the regulatory role of the Queensland Integrity Commissioner
- Amend the conditions for registration as a lobbyist to reflect expectations around completing training and managing conflicts of interest
- Introduce a prohibition on a registered lobbyist playing a ‘substantial’ role for a political party in an election campaign
- Enhance core integrity bodies’ independence by increasing the involvement of parliamentary committees in additional funding proposals and contributing to key appointments
- Enhance the jurisdiction of the Queensland Ombudsman to consider complaints about, and initiate investigations of government services provided by non-government entities
- Establish the Office of the Queensland Integrity Commissioner as a statutory body
- Clarify the trusts that the Auditor-General is required to audit.
The Bill amends the:
- Auditor-General Act 2009
- Crime and Corruption Act 2001
- Integrity Act 2009
- Ombudsman Act 2001
- Parliament of Queensland Act 2001
- Right to Information Act 2009
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The Bill was referred to the Economics and Governance Committee for inquiry. Submissions to the inquiry will close on 21 July 2023 and a public hearing is scheduled to be held on 11 August 2023. For more details on the inquiry process, visit the committee website.
Revenue Legislation Amendment Bill 2023
The Revenue Legislation Amendment Bill 2023 was introduced on 13 June 2023 by the Treasurer and Minister for Trade and investment, Cameron Dick.
According to the explanatory notes, the Bill amends legislation administered by the Commissioner of State Revenue (Commissioner) to implement revenue measures announced in the 2023-24 State Budget, and to make other necessary amendments to revenue legislation.
These include amendments to the Land Tax Act 2010, the Land Tax Regulation 2021 and the Duties Act 2001 to provide land tax and additional foreign acquirer duty concessions in relation to eligible build to rent developments that include affordable housing at a discounted rent.
The Land Tax Act 2010 is also amended to remove the requirement for a land owner to apply for a land tax exemption in relation to property used as a home, where the Commissioner has sufficient information to verify eligibility.
The Payroll Tax Act 1971 is amended to implement 2023-24 State Budget measures to:
- Extend the 1% payroll tax rate discount for regional employers for a further seven years, until 30 June 2030
- Extend the 50% rebate for wages paid or payable to apprentices and trainees to include wages paid or payable during the 2023-24 financial year
- Incorporate transitional provisions in the Payroll Tax (Transitional) Regulation 2022 into the Payroll Tax Act 1971
The Taxation Administration Act 2001 (Administration Act) is amended to clarify the operation of the refund provisions, to ensure that the code established by the Administration Act together with particular provisions contained in the revenue laws, continues to be the only way entitlements to refunds of amount paid under a tax law may arise, as intended.
The Bill amends the:
- Duties Act 2001
- Land Tax Act 2010
- Land Tax Regulation 2021
- Payroll Tax Act 1971
- Taxation Administration Act 2001
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Legislation passed this Parliament
The following legislation was passed by the Legislative Assembly:
- Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Bill 2022
- Revenue Legislation Amendment Bill 2023
Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Bill 2022
On 2 December 2022, the then Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Minister for Women and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, Shannon Fentiman, introduced the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Bill 2022.
The Bill repeals and replaces the existing Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 2003 (BDMR Act) to ensure registration services remain relevant, responsive and contemporary.
The Bill was referred to the Legal Affairs and Safety Committee for inquiry, which received 385 submissions, held a public hearing in Brisbane on 24 January 2023 and reported on 24 February 2023.
The Bill was passed without amendment on 14 June 2023.
The key objectives of the Bill are to:
- strengthen the legal recognition of trans and gender-diverse people
- better recognise contemporary family and parenting structures
- facilitate improvements in the operations of the registry
- support fraud prevention and minimise misuse of the life event system
- clarify the information collection, use and sharing powers of the registrar.
The Bill amends the:
- Adoption Act 2009
- Anti-Discrimination Act 1991
- Coroners Act 2003
- Corrective Services Act 2006
- Dangerous Prisoners (Sexual Offenders) Act 2003
- Guardianship and Administration Act 2000
- Meriba Omasker Kaziw Kazipa (Torres Strait Islander Traditional Child Rearing Practice) Act 2020
- Powers of Attorney Act 1998
Queensland Law Society provided a submission on the Bill.
Useful resources:
Revenue Legislation Amendment Bill 2023
The Revenue Legislation Amendment Bill 2023 was introduced on 13 June 2023 by the Treasurer and Minister for Trade and investment, Cameron Dick. The Bill was passed without amendment on 16 June 2023.
Subordinate legislation
Subordinate Queensland legislation notified in 2023 is available online.
Subordinate legislation notified on the Queensland Legislation website from 18 May to 22 June 2023:
- SL No.39 of 2023: Transport Legislation Amendment Regulation (No.2) 2023
- SL No.40 of 2023: Penalties and Sentences (Penalty Unit Value) Amendment Regulation 2023
- SL No.41 of 2023: Major Events (Motor Racing Events) (Townsville 500) Amendment Regulation 2023
- SL No.42 of 2023: Public Trustee (Interest Rate) Amendment Regulation (No.5) 2023
- SL No.43 of 2023: Nature Conservation (Protected Areas Management) (Girringun National Park) Amendment Regulation 2023
- SL No.44 of 2023: Fisheries Legislation (Coral) Amendment Regulation 2023
- SL No.45 of 2023: Nature Conservation (Protected Areas) (Omission of Healthlands Resources Reserves) Amendment Regulation 2023
- SL No.46 of 2023: Building (Private Certification Endorsement) Amendment Regulation 2023
- SL No.47 of 2023: Superannuation (State Public Sector) Regulation 2023
- SL No.48 of 2023: Rural and Regional Adjustment (Carbon Farming Advice Assistance Scheme) Amendment Regulation 2023
- SL No.49 of 2023: Mineral and Energy Resources (Common Provisions) amendment Regulation 2023
- SL No.50 of 2023: Civil Liability and Other Legislation (Prescribed Amounts) Amendment Regulation 2023
- SL No.51 of 2023: Medicines and Poisons (Medicines) Amendment Regulation (No.2) of 2023
- SL No.52 of 2023: Youth Justice (Monitoring Device Conditions) Amendment Regulation 2023
- SL No.53 of 2023: Disability Services (Fees) Amendment Regulation 2023
- SL No.54 of 2023: Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation (QOTE) Notice 2023
Queensland Government Gazette
The Queensland Government Gazettes for 2023 are available online.
Parliamentary sitting dates
As indicated on the parliamentary website, the Queensland Parliament is currently scheduled to next sit from 22 August 2023 to 24 August 2023.
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