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Queensland’s Economy

Government Owned Corporations

The Queensland Government owns many commercial businesses in energy, water, rail and ports. The Queensland Government established these businesses on behalf of Queenslanders because they were services critical to the economy, they provided critical infrastructure to the state, and because the marketplace did not support the private establishment of these businesses. Over the years, the Queensland Government has corporatised these commercial businesses to enable them to operate efficiently.

Queensland Treasury monitors the performance of all these Queensland Government-Owned Corporations (GOCs) on behalf of the Treasurer, who is their shareholding minister. Treasury also monitors the performance of two statutory bodies which have commercial operations. The statutory bodies and GOCs are listed below.

Treasury is responsible for:

  • negotiating the annual performance contract and five-yearly plans for the businesses and monitoring performance against targets throughout the year
  • assessing major investment proposals to ensure they fit the government’s objectives for the community
  • advising responsible and shareholding Ministers of critical current and emerging issues that may impact on government-owned businesses
  • administering the process for appointments to boards of government-owned businesses.

All GOCs are bound by a regulatory framework that includes the Queensland Government Owned Corporations Act 1993, the federal Corporations Act 2001 and the Code of practice for government-owned corporations’ financial arrangements. The code outlines approval requirements and guidelines within which GOCs must operate in entering into financial arrangements. A number of other guidance documents also guide how GOCs conduct business.

Visit the Queensland Government website for more information on Queensland Government boards, committees and other government bodies, including how to join the Register of Nominees to Government Bodies. The Queensland Government is committed to increasing the number of women on boards. Find out how you can make a positive difference for gender parity in Queensland.

List of government-owned corporations

Name Shareholding ministers Date corporatised (under state GOC Act) Date converted to company (under federal Corporations Act 2001)
Energy generation
CS Energy Limited
  • Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment
  • Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen and Minister for Public Works and Procurement
 1 July 1997
Stanwell Corporation Limited
  • Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment
  • Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen and Minister for Public Works and Procurement
 1 July 1997 (Tarong Energy Corporation Limited converted to a subsidiary of Stanwell Corporation Limited on 1 July 2011)
CleanCo Queensland Limited
  • Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment
  • Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen and Minister for Public Works and Procurement
 13 October 2018 17 December 2018
Energy transmission
Queensland Electricity Transmission Corporation Limited (Powerlink Queensland)
  • Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment
  • Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen and Minister for Public Works and Procurement
 1 July 1997
Energy distribution
Energy Queensland Limited
  • Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment
  • Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen and Minister for Public Works and Procurement
 30 June 2016
Ports
Far North Queensland Ports Corporation Limited (Ports North)
  • Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment
  • Minister for Transport and Main Roads
 1 July 1995 1 July 2008
(Previously Cairns Ports Limited)
Gladstone Ports Corporation Limited
  • Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment
  • Minister for Transport and Main Roads
 1 July 1994
(Gladstone Port Authority and Rockhampton Port Authority merged on 1 July 2004)		 1 July 2008
North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation Limited
  • Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment
  • Minister for Transport and Main Roads
 19 June 2009
(Mackay Ports Limited and Ports Corporation of Queensland Limited converted to subsidiary of North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation Limited on 2 July 2009)		 1 July 2009
Port of Townsville Limited
  • Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment
  • Minister for Transport and Main Roads
 1 July 1995 1 July 2008
Water
Sunwater Limited
  • Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment
  • Minister for Regional Development and Manufacturing and Minister for Water
 1 October 2000 1 July 2008
Other
QIC Limited
  • Premier and Minister for the Olympics
  • Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment
 1 October 1994 30 September 2008

List of statutory bodies

Statutory body Responsible ministers Date established
Rail
Queensland Rail Transit Authority (Queensland Rail)
  • Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment
  • Minister for Transport and Main Roads
 3 May 2013
Water
Queensland Bulk Water Supply Authority (Seqwater)
  • Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment
  • Minister for Regional Development and Manufacturing and Minister for Water
 1 January 2013

Corrupt conduct complaints about Government Owned Corporations (GOCs)

The Under Treasurer is responsible for notifying the Crime and Corruption Commission of potential corrupt conduct involving GOCs.

You can make a complaint to Queensland Treasury about possible corrupt conduct involving any of the GOCs, by downloading and completing the Complaint Form – GOC and:

What is a corrupt conduct complaint?

The Crime and Corruption Commission deals with two types of corrupt conduct. Type A corrupt conduct involves conduct that affects, or could affect, how GOC officers perform their functions or exercise their powers. Type B corrupt conduct involves conduct that impairs, or could impair, public confidence in public administration. For more information about the definition of corrupt conduct, please refer to section 15 of the Crime and Corruption Act 2001.

What happens to your corrupt conduct complaint?

Queensland Treasury acknowledges all complaints in writing within five business days of receipt.

The matters you raise will be assessed in accordance with the Commission’s Corruption in Focus guide.

If the complaint gives rise to a reasonable suspicion of potential corrupt conduct, Queensland Treasury will refer it to the Crime and Corruption Commission for their assessment.

Where appropriate, Queensland Treasury will let you know the outcome of your complaint (such as whether the matter has been referred to the Crime and Corruption Commission).

Protections

In making a complaint about possible corrupt conduct involving a GOC you may be entitled to legal protections including ‘public interest discloser’ under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2010 and/or whistleblower protection under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth).

Queensland Treasury will consider what protections may apply to you when assessing your complaint and will communicate this with you, and take steps to ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place to manage those protections, including any confidentiality requirements.

Last updated: 28 November 2022