10 August 2026.
From 1 July 2026, the Land Access Ombudsman (LAO) has an expanded role to support earlier resolution of land access matters.
The changes allow the LAO to:
- Support voluntary mediation during the negotiation and re-negotiation of existing land access agreements.
- Investigate alleged breaches of Conduct and Compensation Agreements (CCAs), Make Good Agreements (MGAs) and Access Agreements.
- Help parties address issues earlier, before disputes escalate.
While AgForce welcomes greater access to dispute resolution services for landholders, we opposed the legislative change that makes the Chief Executive Officer of Coexistence Queensland also the Land Access Ombudsman.
In our submission to the Queensland Parliament, AgForce argued the Ombudsman should remain a standalone statutory role to protect its independence and avoid potential conflicts between Coexistence Queensland's role in facilitating coexistence and the Ombudsman's responsibility to act as an impartial dispute resolution body.
AgForce also continues to advocate for broader reforms to strengthen landholder protections, including expanding the Ombudsman's jurisdiction to better reflect the range of land access disputes experienced by Queensland farmers.