Queensland reform: a “fresh start” for the Environmental Offsets Framework?

The Queensland Government is reforming environmental offsets arrangements to unlock investment and reform pricing. Consultation closes 29 June 2026.

In May 2026 the Queensland Government released a discussion paper, A fresh start for Queensland’s Environmental Offsets Framework, opening the most substantial review of the regime since the Environmental Offsets Act 2014. The paper is built around three focus areas.

Unlocking the Offsets Account

Since the Offsets Account was established in 2014, more than 90 per cent of offset conditions have been discharged by financial settlement with over $129.2 million paid in, across 503 authorities and 8,630 hectares of impact.

Only about $14.2 million has been contracted to offset projects and roughly $10.2 million actually spent on the ground. Funds are accumulating faster than conservation outcomes are being secured.

The government floats more flexible delivery, partnering with Natural Resource Management groups, expanding advanced offsets, and allowing departures from strict like-for-like where suitable offsets cannot be found, citing the NSW framework and the recent Commonwealth reforms as precedents.

How financial offsets are calculated

The financial settlement calculator has not been updated since 2014.

The paper identifies outdated cost inputs, sliding-scale discounts of up to 90 per cent for large impact areas, “distinct matter area” discounts, multipliers that are too small for some matters, and no contingency margin for events such as natural disasters.

A full review of the calculator is proposed for 2026, with possible alignment to the Commonwealth’s forthcoming financial offset calculator.

Improving regulation

Proposed amendments span the Act, the Regulation and the Policy:

• an explicit definition of the mitigation hierarchy,

• enabling Environmental Offset Protection Areas to secure Commonwealth offsets,

• broader use of advanced offsets,

• easing the current 10 per cent cap on indirect offsets, and

• relaxing connectivity-offset rules so that both high-value regrowth and remnant vegetation can be improved.

Timeline

Consultation closes 5pm, Monday 29 June 2026.

Submissions can be made by email to offsetsreview@detsi.qld.gov.au or through the DETSI consultation hub, where the department is also running stakeholder information sessions.