About us

The GasFields Commission Queensland was established on 1 July 2013 as an independent statutory body. The Commission’s 14 functions are set out in the Gasfields Commission Act 2013.

These 14 legislated functions (see below) can be summarised into three ‘core objectives‘:

  1. FACILITATE effective stakeholder relationships, collaborations and partnerships to support education and information sharing related to Queensland’s onshore gas industry.
  2. REVIEW effectiveness of the implementation of regulatory frameworks related to Queensland’s onshore gas industry.
  3. ADVISE agriculture and gas industry peak bodies, government ministers and regulators, landholders and community groups on matters relating to sustainable coexistence, leading practice and management of Queensland’s onshore gas industry.

Under the legislation, the Commission has the following functions:

a

Facilitating better relationships between landholders, regional communities and the onshore gas industry;

b

Reviewing the effectiveness of government entities in implementing regulatory frameworks that relate to the onshore gas industry;

c

Advising Ministers and government entities about the ability of landholders, regional communities and the onshore gas industry to coexist within an identified area;

d
In response to requests for advice from the chief executive under the Regional Planning Interests Act 2014 about assessment applications under that Act, advising that chief executive about the ability of landholders, regional communities and the resources industry to coexist within the area the subject of the application;

e

Making recommendations to the relevant Minister that regulatory frameworks and legislation relating to the onshore gas industry be reviewed or amended;

f

Making recommendations to the relevant Minister and onshore gas industry about leading practice or management relating to the onshore gas industry;

g

Advising the Minister and government entities about matters relating to the onshore gas industry;

h

Obtaining particular information from government entities and prescribed entities;

i

Obtaining advice about the onshore gas industry or functions of the commission from government entities;

j

Supporting the provision, to the community and stakeholder, of information prepared by appropriate entities on health and wellbeing matters relating to the onshore gas industry or geographical areas in which the onshore gas industry operates;

k

Facilitating appropriate entities to undertake community engagement and participation in initiatives about assessing health and wellbeing concerns relating to onshore gas activities;

l

Publishing educational materials and other information about the onshore gas industry;

m

Partnering with other entities for the purpose of conducting research related to the onshore gas industry;

n

Convening advisory bodies to assist the commission to perform a function mentioned above.