Regional Planning Interests (Condamine Alluvium) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026

On 25 March 2026 the Regional Planning Interests (Condamine Alluvium) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026 (the Bill) was introduced to Parliament. 

As drafted, it predominantly impacts the following legislation:

1. The Environmental Protection Act 1994 (EPA)
2. The Mineral and Energy Resources (Common Provisions) Act 2014 (MERCA), and
3. The Regional Planning Interests Act 2014 (RPIA).

Currently under the RPIA a resource authority holder needs to obtain a regional interests development approval (RIDA) for resource activities occurring in an area of regional interest, unless the resource activity is exempt.

The effect of the amendments contained in the Bill are that a resource authority holder will no longer need to obtain a RIDA or exemption for CSG projects in the Condamine Alluvium CSG area, even if it is in an area of regional interest.

Protection of water quality in the area will be managed under the EPA and water quantity will be managed under the Water Act 2000.

This is said to be to streamline assessment framework for new CSG activities. The environmental authority framework offers greater transparency and accountability through notification requirements and third-party appeal rights.  Having said that, the assessment frameworks in the EPA and the RPIA are not the same, for example the EPA contains no consideration for impacts on areas of regional interest, including priority agricultural area.

Amendments to MERCA deal with compensation for subsidence. New sections will be introduced that apply to land within the Condamine Alluvium CSG area that is either in the authorised area of a CSG resource authority or access land for the CSG resource authority.

These amendments provide that a ‘subsidence compensatable effect’ is an effect suffered by the owner of the land that results from the impact of CSG-induced subsidence (caused by CSG resource authority, whether or not the CSG activity was carried out on the owner or occupier’s land) and affects the ability to carry out, or productivity of, agricultural activities on the owner’s or occupier’s land.

If land is within 5km of authorised area of a CSG resource authority and isn’t access land, a CSG resource authority holder will be liable to compensate the owner of land for each subsidence compensatable effect.

Some potential benefits of the new process under the Bill are:

• An environmental authority application process is more comprehensive and transparent than the self-assessment under the RPIA. Site-specific applications are publicly available and will usually have a period of public consultation. This means landholders can make submissions about concerns regarding the impact of the CSG project.
• Amendments to MERCA mean directional drilling wells below the surface of neighbouring property will require conduct and compensation agreements with neighbouring landowners.
• Amendments to MERCA legislate compensation liability for subsidence compensatable effects.

Some disadvantages of the Bill are:

• Petroleum activities, including CSG activities, are already required to have an environmental authority to operate. Therefore, under the new process, there will not be any additional or more onerous obligations on resource authority holders.
• The specific impacts on areas of regional interest won’t need to be considered with respect to CSG in the Condamine Alluvium area. Environmental authorities are not concerned with agricultural or cropping values.
• The deemed term relating to water quality and contaminants only applies to new environmental authorities applied for after the commencement date.

The closing date for written submissions on the Bill is 4pm Monday, 13 April 2026.