Forest Wind Farm Development Bill 2020 (Qld)

An Act to enable the establishment and operation of a wind farm in certain State forests, and to amend this Act, the Forestry Act 1959, the Land Act 1994 and the Planning Act 2016 for particular purposes The Parliament of Queensland enacts—

Part 1 Preliminary

1 Short title This Act may be cited as the Forest Wind Farm Development Act 2020.

2 Commencement This Act, other than part 8, division 4, commences on a day to be fixed by proclamation.

3 Purpose of Act The purpose of this Act is to enable the establishment and operation of a particular wind farm development in the project area.

4 Act binds all persons This Act binds all persons, including the State.

5 Definitions The dictionary in schedule 2 defines particular words used in this Act.

Part 2 Development agreements

6 Meaning of development agreement A development agreement is an agreement relating to a stage of the project, as in force from time to time, that— (a) is entered into by the State with at least the following entities— (i) an entity who is the proponent for the agreement; (ii) each plantation licensee for a State plantation forest, or part of a State plantation forest, in the agreement area; and (b) includes— (i) a declaration that the agreement is a development agreement for this Act; and (ii) a description of the stage of the project the subject of the agreement; and (iii) a description of the part of the project area to which the stage relates; and (c) includes provision about— (i) the giving of an access licence in relation to the agreement, including the expiry day for the licence; and (ii) the giving or renewal of a project lease in relation to the agreement, including the purpose of the lease; and (iii) the payment of compensation, in relation to the carrying out of the agreement stage, by the proponent, or another specified entity other than the State, to each plantation licensee who is a party to the development agreement; and (iv) the remediation of land in the agreement area, including the giving of a security to the State in relation to the remediation of the land; and (v) the assessment of the financial and managerial capabilities of the proponent, including before an access licence or project lease is given or transferred to the proponent.