The Australian parliament has passed a bill granting what its critics have described as "extraordinary powers" to speed up development, according to a report by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

The bill's passage through parliament marks the final legislative step for a measure designed to accelerate development processes. The ABC's headline reporting characterises the new law as conferring "extraordinary powers" on decision-makers, a phrase that signals the breadth of authority the legislation vests in those empowered to approve or expedite development projects.

The ABC News report, published through the broadcaster's news and headlines service, confirms the bill has completed its parliamentary journey. The report does not detail the exact provisions of the legislation, the identity of the minister or body receiving the new powers, or the vote margin in either chamber.

For practitioners, the practical significance is straightforward: the statute now stands as enacted law. Lawyers advising developers, planning authorities, and objectors will need to review the act as passed to determine how the expedited development pathway operates, what discretion it confers, and what rights of review — if any — remain available to parties affected by accelerated approvals.

The ABC's coverage notes the bill attracted the "extraordinary powers" label, which suggests the legislation displaces some existing procedural constraints. Construction, planning, and environmental lawyers should monitor the enrolled act and any accompanying explanatory materials, as the scope of the new powers and their interaction with existing planning and environmental law frameworks will determine how projects proceed under the accelerated regime.

The ABC report does not specify when the act will commence, which minister will administer it, or which categories of development fall within its ambit.