A Queensland Parliamentary Committee is set to report back next week on legislation which will enable the State Government’s new energy roadmap.
In an alert, a team from law firm McCullough Robertson stated the Bill was introduced in October to amend the Energy (Renewable Transformation and Jobs) Act 2024 and referred to the Governance, Energy and Finance Committee, which is due to report back by Friday, December 5.
“The Government’s intent is to pass the Bill by the end of the year,” McR said in its statement.
The firm, which is monitoring of the passage of the legislation, said the Energy Roadmap Amendment Bill 2025 would align the Government’s objectives in the Queensland Energy Roadmap, which was outlined in a previous article.
“The Bill prioritises the facilitation of energy infrastructure and investment to deliver affordable, reliable and sustainable energy.”
The McR team said key amendments to the Energy Act included:
- Removal of renewable energy targets: The Bill repeals the former statutory provisions prescribing renewable energy generation targets and redirects the focus to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation.
- Establishment of Regional Energy Hubs: The Renewable Energy Zone framework will be renamed Regional Energy Hubs to promote coordinated, market-led development of energy infrastructure across generation, storage and transmission assets. These reforms will increase flexibility and support more efficient administration.
- Transmission and infrastructure provisions: The Bill improves the Priority Transmission Investment framework by supporting coordinated and efficient development of strategic transmission infrastructure. This will facilitate investment in new generation and economic growth across the regions. The Bill also establishes a framework to facilitate the declaration and delivery of major transmission infrastructure, including the CopperString Project. This includes the establishment of a regulatory head of power to assess the efficiency and costs of a project at each stage of construction.
- Statutory bodies and governance structures: The Bill dissolves several advisory and consultative bodies with the intent to reduce administrative complexity and streamline governance processes. These reforms are intended to deliver more efficient and tailored legislative frameworks that support the implementation of the Roadmap.
- Ownership and investment: The Bill confirms the State will retain 100 percent public ownership of existing generation assets and provides for private sector participation in new generation projects.
“These proposed amendments to the Energy Act provide a clearer framework for the planning, regulation and delivery of Queensland’s energy infrastructure.
“The Bill gives legislative effect to the Roadmap and establishes the foundation for future regulatory instruments and investment in the State’s energy system.”
