Focus area 1: Quality and timeliness of required information to the department

The regulated community must provide correct and complete compliance information to the department within a specific timeframe. We use this information to monitor compliance and ensure they are following the laws. By receiving information that is correct and timely, we can focus on the protection of:

public health and safety
the environment
long-term management of Queensland’s water resources.

We evaluated our progress towards achieving the regulatory outcomes. We still need to improve non-compliant behaviour associated with focus area 1. A longer-term investment on this focus area is required to achieve better regulatory outcomes.

This year, new policy and legislative changes will have an impact on the regulated community. Changes in expectations are relevant to this focus area. We have considered the learnings from the strategies and activities from 2023-2024 to determine the regulatory activities that we will do this year.

Overview of the regulatory activities that will be undertaken for focus area 1

Regulatory tool	Objectives	Activities
Inform	Ensure our regulated communities are informed and aware of their obligations and how we undertake our regulatory role. Ensure our regulatory activities and areas of concern are transparently communicated.	Use various communication channels to present key regulatory messages. Publish Annual Compliance Plan 2024–25 and end of year report 2024–25. Supported by focus area 2 activities
Guide	Guide and educate the community helping them to understand their obligations including consequences of non-compliance and likely impacts on the wider community.	Communicate to those impacted by new policy and legislation changes, and where improved outcomes are required. Develop key messages to reach targeted geographical areas or regulated communities. Set expectations and provide information on how to comply. Supported by focus area 2 activities
Monitor	Ensure compliance across our regulatory activities by monitoring risk and impacts to water resources, the environment, and communities.	Monitor: on-time submission of measurement device certification documents on-time and accurate submissions of meter readings complete and accurate information provided on drill logs, particularly for high-risk areas and newly licenced drillers documents required from dam owners for on-time, complete and accurate submissions documents required from water service providers for on-time, complete and accurate submissions. Supported by focus area 3 activities
Respond and enforce	Address risks and issues to improve compliance and achieve water resource management outcomes. Ensure our responses are targeted and proportionate by making fair, transparent and evidence-based decisions.	Focus on addressing non-compliant behaviours and activities across: high-risk regulated communities intentional non-compliance, particularly providing false or misleading information non-submission of required documentation offences within high-risk areas. Supported by focus area 3 activities

Last updated: 04 Dec 2025