QUEENSLAND PETROLEUM ACT REVIEW AND REFORM

Abstract

On 12 May 1988 amendments to the Queensland Petroleum Act of 1923 came into force. These empower the Governor- in- Council to appoint a Pipelines Tribunal to inquire into the operations of any existing or proposed pipeline. The Act now affirms the existence of the Secretary of Mines as a Corporation which can undertake all the aspects of an oil company from exploration to distribution of refined products. In particular, this corporation now has the sole right to construct and operate any pipeline in Queensland which extends beyond the boundaries of a lease. There was little or no dialogue with industry prior to the proclamation of these amendments.

In comparison with the Petroleum Acts of South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory, the Queensland Petroleum Act contains many areas subject to ministerial discretion or which are no longer relevant to present- day administrative practices. The Queensland Government's proposal to issue a green paper discussing amendments to the Act, based on submissions from interested parties, is welcomed since it is in the interests of management of the exploratory oil industry to strive for uniformity of administration in each state.