Statutory reviews

The Environmental Protection Act 1994 (EP Act) requires different reviews related to the Reef protection regulations:

• a review of the agricultural environmentally relevant activities (ERA) standards (regulated standards) for commercial sugarcane and banana cultivation and beef cattle grazing in the Great Barrier Reef catchment (Regulated standards statutory review)
• a review of the effectiveness of the Reef protection regulations (Reef protection regulations statutory review)

Regulated standards statutory review

A statutory review of the regulated standards must be completed by 16 November 2025.

The regulated standards are part of the Reef protection regulations and require producers to adopt practices that minimise nutrient and sediment run-off flowing to local waterways and the Great Barrier Reef.

Upon completion of the review, a report will be prepared on the findings. Any proposed changes to the regulated standards (and supporting prescribed methodologies) will be subject to a formal regulatory process and public consultation, post-review.

Purpose and scope

The regulated standards review is looking at whether the regulated standards are easy to understand and clear to comply with, and remain fit for purpose and evidence based.

It will not re-assess the effectiveness of the Reef protection regulations in achieving practice change to reduce pollutant loads. This was undertaken in 2023 with the Reef protection regulations statutory review which determined the regulations remain an effective and important tool.

How to provide feedback

Public consultation is open until Friday, 8 August 2025.

Feedback from agricultural producers, peak bodies and others with an interest in the regulated standards is an important part in the review.

The review team wants to hear about:

• whether parts of the sugarcane, banana and grazing regulated standards (and supporting materials) may be difficult to understand and, as a result, difficult to comply with
• recent studies or projects that will help ensure the standards remain evidence based and current with industry practices that minimise nutrient and sediment run-off.

You can provide your feedback in a number of ways: by completing a 15-minute anonymous survey, chatting with a member of the review team, taking part in a workshop, or providing written comments.

To provide your feedback or for further information, visit the In the Loop engagement hub.

You can subscribe here to receive updates on the consultation activities and regulated standards.

You can download here a fact sheet on the statutory review.

Reef protection regulations statutory review - completed

A statutory review of the Reef protection regulations commenced in February 2023 and was completed in February 2024.

The Statutory review of the Reef protection regulations report can be found on the Queensland Parliament website.

Purpose and scope

The purpose of the review was to assess the extent to which the Reef protection regulations have been effective in reducing pollutant loads (specifically dissolved inorganic nitrogen and sediment suspended in the water).

To do this, the review looked at whether practices had improved and explored if there were any challenges with implementation.

The review did not include broader matters such as water quality targets or water quality science. These issues were outside the scope set under the EP Act and are being considered as part of the review of the Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan.

Review results

The review did not recommend any changes to the Reef protection regulations, but did find that they:

• have resulted in practice change
• are an influential part of a suite of practice change interventions being implemented to generally address poor Reef water quality (including both agricultural and industrial sources of sediment and nutrient loads)
• are complemented by targeted investment and delivery of voluntary practice change programs and projects and this enhances progress.

The review identified opportunities to improve engagement with the regulated community and to continue to assist them to comply with and go beyond the regulated standards.

The opportunities will be considered as part of the Queensland Reef Water Quality Program.

The Reef protection regulations are only one part of a suite of tools to drive water quality improvements for the Great Barrier Reef.

The Queensland Government is committed to working with landholders and investing in industry-led best management practice programs to improve water quality.

The Queensland Government’s Queensland Reef Water Quality Program has committed $123.6 million over five years to 2025–2026 to support the agricultural industry.

For further information, please contact officeofthegbr@detsi.qld.gov.au.