In the State Parliament’s March 2025 session, the Queensland Productivity Commission Bill 2024 passed without amendment.
The Queensland Law Society appeared before the parliamentary committee inquiring into the Bill – details below.
Bills introduced
The following bills were introduced into the Legislative Assembly:
- Nature Conservation and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025
- Education (General Provisions) Amendment Bill 2025
- Health Legislation Amendment Bill
Nature Conservation and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025
On 12 March 2025, the Nature Conservation and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 was introduced into the Queensland Parliament.
The overarching objective of the Nature Conservation and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 (the Bill) is to clearly establish that electronic systems may be used for automatically issuing particular authorities.
The objectives of the Bill are to:
- Ensure authorities for low-risk activities under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 (NC Act) and the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (EP Act) can continue to be issued automatically through the use of an electronic system; and
- Ensure there is no doubt regarding the validity of authorities under the NC Act and EP Act that were previously issued automatically by electronic systems
The Bill amends the:
- Environmental Protection Act 1994
Useful resources:
The Bill was referred to the Health, Environment and Innovation Committee for inquiry. Submissions to the inquiry will close on 8 April 2025 and a public hearing is scheduled to be held on 23 April 2025. For further details regarding the inquiry process, visit the committee’s website here.
Education (General Provisions) Amendment Bill 2025
On 14 March 2025, the Education (General Provisions) Amendment Bill 2025 was introduced into Queensland Parliament.
The Bill proposes to amend the Education (General Provisions) Act 2006 and other legislation to reduce the regulatory burden and red tape on schools, parents and students by:
- streamlining student access to online services for digital learning
- extending the age eligibility of students in home education to 31 December in the year the student turns 18
- allowing separate P&Cs Associations for schools with multiple campuses and enabling donations between P&Cs under special circumstances
- further clarifying the provision of information by non-state schools to the Department of Education in relation to school attendance and enrolment
- further clarifying the eligibility criteria of children to access to eKindy
- implementing a recommendation of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (Royal Commission) in relation to information sharing between Queensland schools when students transfer, and
- amend Queensland statutes by making minor and technical amendments.
The Bill amends the:
- Education (General Provisions) Act 2006
Useful resources:
The Bill was referred to the Education, Arts and Communities Committee for inquiry. The Committee is scheduled to report by 2 May 2025. For further details regarding the inquiry process, visit the committee’s website here.
Health Legislation Amendment Bill 2025
On 14 March 2025, the Health Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 was introduced into Queensland Parliament.
The Bill amends the:
- Hospital and Health Boards Act 2011 to require at least one member of each Hospital and Health Board (HHB) to be a clinician employed or engaged by the Hospital and Health Service (HHS) for which the board is established, and provide they may not be appointed as chair or deputy chair of the board;
- Tobacco and Other Smoking Products Act 1998 (TOSPA) to:
- allow the chief executive of Queensland Health to immediately forfeit vaping goods upon seizure;
- empower courts to order persons convicted of an offence under TOSPA to pay the State reasonable costs incurred by the State because of the offence; and
- make minor and technical amendments to improve the operation of the Act.
Useful resources:
The Bill was referred to the Health, Environment and Innovation Committee for inquiry. Submissions to the inquiry will close on 8 April 2023 and a public hearing is scheduled to be held on 23 April 2025. For further details regarding the inquiry process, visit the committee’s website here.
Legislation passed this Parliament
Queensland Productivity Commission Bill 2024 – passed without amendment
On 28 November 2024, the Queensland Productivity Commission Bill 2024 was introduced and referred to the Governance, Energy and Finance Committee.
The Bill was passed on 12 March 2025.
QLS appeared before the parliamentary committee inquiring into the Bill and made a submission on the Bill, which can be found here.
The objective of the Bill is to establish the Queensland Productivity Commission as an independent statutory body, formalising its operational independence from government.
The Bill provides for the Commission to:
- undertake inquiries into economic and social issues, regulatory matters or legislation as directed by the Minister
- undertake research into economic and social issues, regulatory matters or legislation as directed or approved by the Minister or on its own initiative • administer, monitor and review regulatory matters as directed by the Minister, and
- provide advice to the Minister as requested. Stakeholders and subscribers were invited to make written submissions on the Bill, with the committee receiving 21 submissions.
Useful resources:
Appropriation (Supplementary 2023–2024) Bill 2024 and Appropriation (Parliament) (Supplementary 2023–2024) Bill 2024
On 10 December 2024, the Appropriation (Parliament) (Supplementary 2023-2024) Bill 2024 and the Appropriation (Supplementary 2023-2024) Bill 2024 into the Queensland Parliament. The Bills were referred to the Governance, Energy and Finance Committee for detailed consideration.
The Bill was passed on 14 March 2025.
The purpose of each Bill is to seek supplementary appropriation for unforeseen expenditure during 2023–24 based on the Consolidated Fund Financial Report.
Payments from the Consolidated Fund, including unforeseen expenditure, must be formally authorised under an Act of Parliament in accordance with section 66 of the Constitution of Queensland 2001.
This is an annual process under the Financial Accountability Act 2009 to finalise the departmental appropriations at the end of each financial year.
These Bills fulfil a legislative requirement that all payments from the Consolidated Fund be authorised by parliament in a timely manner.
Useful resources:
Appropriation (Parliament) (Supplementary 2023-2024) Bill 2024
Appropriation (Supplementary 2023-2024) Bill 2024
Subordinate legislation
Subordinate Queensland Legislation notified in 2025 is available online.
Queensland Government Gazette
The Queensland Government Gazettes for 2025 are available online.
Parliamentary sitting dates
As indicated on the parliamentary website, the Queensland Parliament is currently scheduled to next sit from 1 April 2025 to 3 April 2025.
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