The Land Access Ombudsman (LAO) has expanded its role from 1 July 2026 to better support landholders and resource companies across land access arrangements in Queensland.
The LAO is a free, fair and independent service that helps resolve land access disputes, providing an accessible and practical pathway for parties to work through issues relating to agreements such as Conduct and Compensation Agreements (CCAs) and Make Good Agreements (MGAs).
Recent legislative amendments under the Resources Safety and Health Queensland and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2024 (Qld) have expanded the LAO’s role to support earlier engagement in land access matters.
The LAO will continue to investigate alleged breaches of CCAs and MGAs, and will now also investigate breaches of Access Agreements (AA). In addition to this, the LAO can now support parties through mediation during the negotiation and re‑negotiation of existing agreements, including:
- Conduct and Compensation Agreements (CCAs)
- Make Good Agreements (MGAs)
- Access Agreements (AAs)
- Compensation agreements for mining leases and mining claims
- Matters where a party has a right to seek alternative dispute resolution under relevant legislation (including matters relating to access to land, compensation, and land use)
This expanded role recognises that many issues arise before a formal dispute exists, including during the negotiation of existing agreements or when circumstances change over time. It enables the LAO to engage earlier and support parties to address issues as they emerge.
In practice, this may include helping parties to clarify concerns, better understand each party’s needs and obligations, and consider practical options to move matters forward. By supporting discussions through mediation and providing an independent view in investigation matters, the LAO can support more constructive engagement between parties and assist them to continue working toward mutually acceptable outcomes.
Under the recent legislative changes, the Chief Executive Officer of Coexistence Queensland is also the Land Access Ombudsman, with the Coexistence Queensland Board members serving as the LAO Advisory Council. With the LAO and Coexistence Queensland performing related but distinct functions, this creates greater alignment between the two organisations.
Both entities remain separate statutory bodies established under their respective legislation.
The LAO’s role remains independent and impartial. It does not advocate for either party, provide legal advice, or make binding decisions. Participation in LAO processes is voluntary, and the service focuses on supporting parties to reach practical outcomes.
The LAO’s services are free to all parties, and legal representation is not required.