Coordinator-General
- Details
The role of the Coordinator-General was established in 1938 to coordinate the provision of public infrastructure and encourage development and the creation of jobs in post-Depression times.
The Coordinator-General administers the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971 (SDPWO Act), along with the relevant Minister.
Under the SDPWO Act, the Coordinator-General has wide-ranging powers to plan, deliver and coordinate large-scale infrastructure projects, while ensuring their environmental impacts are properly managed.
These projects, in turn, promote economic and social development in Queensland.
Over the past eight decades, the Coordinator-General’s role has evolved from being concentrated solely on public works to being principally focused on facilitating and regulating private-sector infrastructure projects.
Many of these projects have stemmed from rising world demand for Queensland’s natural resources, most notably coal and coal seam gas.
Key functions
Under the SDPWO Act, the Coordinator-General can, for example:
- undertake or commission investigations, prepare plans, give directions and take any other measures the Coordinator-General thinks necessary or desirable to plan, build and regulate infrastructure developments for Queensland.
- establish a program of works
- declare a project to be a significant project and coordinate the environmental impact assessment of the project
- declare a project to be a prescribed project
- declare state development areas and oversee development in these areas
- recommend to the Minister and Governor in Council that the Coordinator-General, a local body or another person undertake works on behalf of the Coordinator-General
- acquire land or easements for:
- authorised works
- works included in a program of works or approved development scheme
- works undertaken by a local body or a department of the state government
- state development areas
- an infrastructure facility of significance.
