New Sunshine Coast Waterways Authority and Fines for Board Members Who Hide Conflicts of Interest or Criminal History
Sunshine Coast Waterways Authority Bill 2026
Topics
board appointments conflict of interest corporate governance criminal history checks criminal penalties government accountability water management
Introduced by: The Hon Brent Mickelberg MP (LNP)
Links to official parliament websites
Effects of this bill
If this bill passes, it means that:
Establishes the Sunshine Coast Waterways Authority as a statutory corporate body.
The Authority must create a 10-year strategy for the sustainable use and management of waterways for the Transport Minister to approve, and must consult with local councils and the public on this strategy.
The Transport Minister can request a police report on a person's criminal history with their written consent.
People cannot be the CEO or a Board member of the Authority if they have a non-spent indictable offence conviction, are banned from managing corporations, or have certain conflicts of interest.
People applying for the Board or CEO role can be fined up to 100 penalty units (2026: $17,270) if they give the Transport Minister a statement about their disqualification status or conflicts of interest that they know is false or misleading.
Board members and CEOs must tell the Transport Minister immediately if they are convicted of an indictable offence or become disqualified, and can be fined up to 100 penalty units (2026: $17,270) for failing to do so.
Board members can be fined up to 100 penalty units (2026: $17,270) if they fail to disclose a conflict of interest or if they take part in a Board decision after disclosing one.
The Transport Minister, their staff, and public service employees can be fined up to 100 penalty units (2026: $17,270) if they share or use a person's criminal history information without a legal reason or the person's consent.