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Energy (Renewable Transformation and Jobs) Bill 2023 introduced to Parliament

New legislation to support the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan

The Energy (Renewable Transformation and Jobs) Bill 2023 (the Bill) was introduced to Parliament on 24 October 2023. It has been referred to the Transport and Resources Committee for examination. For details on the Committee process for the Bill, refer to the Committee’s website.

Energy (Renewable Transformation and Jobs) Bill 2023

The Bill is foundational in implementing the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan. The Plan lays out a vision for Queensland’s energy future, provides a clear pathway to clean, reliable and affordable power for generations, and sets a renewable energy target of 80 per cent renewable energy by 2035.

To make the Plan a reality, the Bill enshrines key commitments from the Plan in law, establishes frameworks to build the necessary infrastructure, and creates the governance and advice functions needed for a smooth, coordinated transformation.

Commitments

Plan commitments enshrined in law will provide Queenslanders with certainty and confidence through the energy transformation. This includes:

  • legislating Queensland’s three renewable energy targets
  • enshrining Queensland’s commitment to ongoing public ownership of energy assets in law
  • establishing the Job Security Guarantee Fund in law, which will ensure affected energy workers have secure choices, pathways and opportunities.

Frameworks

The Bill includes the frameworks required to build the Queensland SuperGrid, ensuring the transmission backbone can be built at the required scale and pace. It also includes establishing Renewable Energy Zones to unlock and coordinate renewable energy generation investment, and the process for making, reviewing and approving the Infrastructure Blueprint.

Governance

The Bill establishes governance and advice functions to support a smooth and coordinated energy transformation and delivers for industry and workers affected by the transition. This includes the Queensland Energy System Advisory Board, the Energy Industry Council, and the Queensland Renewable Energy Jobs Advocate.

Consultation Summary Report Released

The Consultation Summary Report (PDF, 2043.22 KB) outlines the changes made to The Bill in response to stakeholder feedback. An exposure draft of the Bill was released for four week’s public consultation (3 to 30 June 2023) with a total of 91 submissions received.

Three key themes emerged from the consultation

  1. Broad support for the policy intent
    Respondents supported the transition to renewable energy, key elements of the Plan, and how these elements were translated into legislation.
  2. Fairness assurances across all Bill topics
    Respondents wanted the transition to renewables to be conducted in a fair way. This included genuine engagement, co-design, compensation and cost allocation where appropriate.
  3. Greater social license focus
    Respondents felt that there should be a greater focus on social licence as part of the energy transformation. Respondents called for robust planning and coordination of energy infrastructure, cumulative impact assessment and mitigation, genuine local initiatives and benefits for host communities. It also included assistance to help communities take advantage of renewable development employment opportunities.
Last updated: 
24 October 2023