Tell the Government to Strengthen Queensland's New Bioregional Guidance Plans

The Australian and Queensland Governments are developing new Bioregional Guidance Plans for the Gulf Plains and Brigalow Belt North. These plans are intended to guide how major developments like mining, renewable energy and infrastructure are planned across some of Queensland's most environmentally significant landscapes.

If done well, these plans could help governments better understand cumulative impacts, protect nationally important wildlife and ecosystems, and support better decisions before damage occurs. But the current draft plans fall short.

If these plans are going to influence how development happens across Queensland for years to come, they need to be based on strong evidence, honest about their limitations, and developed in partnership with the people and communities they will affect. The Queensland Government is currently accepting public submissions on the draft plans.

By making a submission, you can help call for stronger, more transparent planning that:

clearly explains what the plans can and cannot do;
maps existing development, current environmental pressures and likely future development so cumulative impacts can be properly understood;
respects the rights of Traditional Owners through genuine Free, Prior and Informed Consent;
is based on transparent science and the precautionary principle; and
includes clear monitoring and reporting so governments can measure whether the plans are actually improving environmental outcomes.

Every submission helps demonstrate that the community expects regional planning to genuinely protect nature—not simply create the appearance of stronger environmental decision-making.

Take a minute to send your submission today.

Banner image copyright Kerry Trapnell

Take a minute to send your submission today

To whom it may concern,
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Draft Gulf Plains and Brigalow Belt North Bioregional Guidance Plans.
I support better regional planning to protect nature while helping governments make informed decisions about development. These plans have the potential to improve how cumulative impacts are considered across the landscape. However, I believe they need significant improvements before they are finalised.
I ask the Australian and Queensland Governments to make the following changes.
Be clear about what the plans can achieve
The plans should clearly explain what they can and cannot do under the EPBC Act. They should not give people the impression that they can prevent cumulative environmental impacts if they do not have the legal power to do so. Being honest about the role of the plans will help build trust and ensure expectations are realistic.
Show where cumulative impacts are happening
To understand cumulative impacts, the plans need to show more than environmental values. They should map existing development such as mines, roads, transmission lines, water infrastructure and land clearing, alongside current environmental pressures like invasive species, changed fire regimes and climate change.
The plans should also identify where future development is likely to occur using information the government already has, including mineral resource mapping, renewable energy zones, planned infrastructure and other known development pathways. This is important because these are the areas where cumulative impacts are most likely to increase in the future.
Work with Traditional Owners through Free, Prior and Informed Consent
The plans recognise the importance of First Nations peoples, but recognition alone is not enough. Traditional Owners should have the opportunity to participate through a genuine Free, Prior and Informed Consent process before the plans are finalised. Planning for Country should be done with Traditional Owners, not simply presented to them for comment.
Make the science open and transparent
The plans should clearly explain the evidence, data and methods used to reach their conclusions. They should acknowledge where important biodiversity information is missing and apply the precautionary principle where there is uncertainty. This will help ensure decisions are based on the best available information.
Explain how success will be measured
The plans should include a Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Improvement (MERI) framework before they are finalised. This framework should explain what success looks like, how progress will be measured, who is responsible for monitoring, and how the plans will be improved if they are not achieving their goals.
Make sure the plans work with existing planning
The Bioregional Guidance Plans should work alongside existing Queensland water planning, regional planning and Natural Resource Management planning. Governments should avoid creating overlapping planning processes that duplicate work or send conflicting messages about how our landscapes should be managed.
These plans could become an important tool for protecting nature and improving environmental decision-making. However, they should only be finalised once they are transparent, based on strong evidence, developed in partnership with Traditional Owners, and provide a clear picture of both the environmental values that need protecting and the development pressures those values face now and into the future.
Thank you for considering my submission.

By taking this action, you opt-in to receive emails from QCC. You can unsubscribe at any time.

About us

Our Campaigns

Giving

Get involved