Environmental offsets
- Offsets required under legislation
- How are the requirements for an offset detetermined?
- Can an offset be land-based, or can it be in the form of a monetary payment?
- Does a land-based offset have to be protected and managed?
- How are offset payments calculated?
- Are there any templates or guidelines to assist applicants to meet their offset requirements?
- Where do I lodge an application?
- Is it possible to request a pre-lodgement meeting?
- Where can I find further information?
- Further information
Environmental offsets are used to replace environmental values lost through development that supports a rapidly growing economy and population. In Queensland, environmental offsets are administered under the Queensland Government Environmental Offsets Policy (PDF, 776K)* (QGEOP).
The purpose of the QGEOP is to:
- provide a foundation of guidelines and principles for the development, operation, monitoring and review of new and existing specific issue offset policies; and
- provide a supporting framework for the management of offsets in Queensland.
QGEOP lists seven offset principles:
- Principle 1: Offsets will not replace or undermine existing environmental standards or regulatory requirements, or be used to allow development in areas otherwise prohibited through legislation or policy
- Principle 2: Environmental impacts must first be avoided, then minimised, before considering the use of offsets for any remaining impact.
- Principle 3: Offsets must achieve an equivalent or better environmental outcome.
- Principle 4: Offsets must provide environmental values as similar as possible to those being lost.
- Principle 5: Offset provision should minimise the time-lag between the impact and delivery of the offset.
- Principle 6: Offsets must provide additional protection to environmental values at risk, or additional management actions to improve environmental values.
- Principle 7: Offsets must be legally secured for the duration of the offset requirement.
DERM administers three specific issues offset policies under QGEOP:
- Biodiversity Offsets Policy (released on 3 October 2011)
- Offsets for Net Gain of Koala Habitat in Southeast Queensland Policy (PDF, 76K)*
- Policy for Vegetation Management Offsets.
Read more about QGEOP (PDF, 86K)*
Offsets required under legislation
Where there are impacts on state significant biodiversity values under the Biodiversity Offset Policy, there may be a requirement for an offset under the following legislation or policy:
- Sustainable Planning Act 2009 (PDF)*
- Environmental Protection Act 1994 (PDF)*
- Nature Conservation Act 1992 (PDF)*.
For impacts on koala habitat in South East Queensland, refer to:
- South East Queensland Koala Conservation State Planning Regulatory Provision (PDF, 182K)*
- State Planning Policy 2/10: Koala Conservation in South East Queensland (PDF, 152K)*
- Supported Community Infrastructure Koala Conservation Policy (PDF, 93K)*.
For impacts on remnant vegetation, refer to:
How are the requirements for an offset detetermined?
The requirements for an offset are determined by the specific issue offsets policy under which the offset is being delivered, with the main considerations being the:
- legislation under which the offset is triggered
- ecological values being impacted and its conservation status.
Can an offset be land-based, or can it be in the form of a monetary payment?
An offset under a specific issue offset policy administered by DERM may be either:
- a land-based offset
- an offset payment made to an approved environmental trust.
Does a land-based offset have to be protected and managed?
Yes. An offset area must be:
- protected from clearing through the use of a legally binding mechanism (this may include a nature refuge, voluntary declaration (PDF, 4.3M)* or statutory covenant)
- supported by an offset area management plan that identifies the actions required to ensure the offset area is managed to meet the objective of the offset area
- registered on title and/or approved as required by the legally binding mechanism.
How are offset payments calculated?
The calculation and administration of offset payments are determined by the rules of each specific issue offset policy which establish:
- the amount of the offset payment that must be provided
- when an offset payment will or will not be accepted.
Read more about offset payments (PDF, 76K)*
Are there any templates or guidelines to assist applicants to meet their offset requirements?
All applicants are encouraged to use the templates and guidelines that have been developed to ensure the correct information is provided in the required format at the time of lodging the application. This will assist DERM to quickly assess the application and the offset proposal. Please refer to the offsets resources page for these documents.
Where do I lodge an application?
Applications can be lodged by:
Post:
Permit and Licence Management
Implementation and Support Unit
Department of Environment and Resource Management
GPO Box 2454
Brisbane QLD 4001
Courier or registered post:
Permit and Licence Management
Implementation and Support Unit
Department of Environment and Resource Management
Level 3, 400 George Street
Brisbane QLD 4000
(Hours 8:30 am – 4:30 pm business days)
For general licence and permit enquiries:
Email: palm@derm.qld.gov.au
Is it possible to request a pre-lodgement meeting?
Yes. DERM recommends all applicants who believe they may have to provide an offset, arrange a pre-design/pre-lodgement meeting prior to submitting a formal application. A pre-design/pre-lodgement meeting can be organised by filling in the form below and returning it to the department as instructed.
Pre-designed/pre-lodgement meeting application form (Word, file unavailable)‡
Where can I find further information?
For further information on DERM as well as other Queensland Government offset programs, please click on the hyperlinks below.
DERM offsets
- Biodiversity offsets
- Vegetation management offsets
- Measuring ecological equivalence
- Offset mapping layers
- Offset payments
- Offset resources (factsheets, guidelines, templates etc)
- Legally secured offsets register (a register of all DERM secured offsets)
Other Queensland Government offset policies
- Fish habitat offsets (Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries)
Further information
For further information on offsets administered by DERM:
- email offsets@derm.qld.gov.au
- contact your nearest DERM business centre.
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‡ Requires Microsoft Office files viewer
Last updated 3 October 2011