Three peak bodies have joined forces to welcome an assurance by the Queensland Government it can use existing powers under the Local Government Act to defend their industries from ‘unfair and inequitable’ council rate increases. An increase in rates could potentially be levied under a proposed amendment to new COVID-19 laws introduced last year, which are due to be debated in Parliament this week. Queensland Resources Council (QRC), Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF) and AgForce representatives appeared before the government’s Economics and Governance Committee inquiry into new COVID-19 legislation over the past month, providing a joint submission to speak against a draft provision to extend councils’ ability to increase rates outside the standard, annual budgetary process.