Full Name
Shane Quinnell
Job title
Head of Development - NSW & QLD
Organisation
WestWind Energy Developments
Speaker bio
Shane is the Head of Development for WestWind – one of Australia’s most successful renewable energy developers. Following studying Mechanical Engineering at University of Queensland, and a stint at Middlemount Coal Mine, he’s spent 13 years in renewables. He’s worked in project development and commercial roles, both in Australia and internationally, across numerous gigawatts of utility-scale projects. His experience has covered all development elements from land securement to construction start, multiple technologies - wind, solar, batteries - and multiple Australian states. Shane passionately believes doing the right thing is good business and big things can only be achieved by working together.
Speaking At
Presentation title
A Developer’s Lens on Queensland’s Planning Reforms: The Wins, Woes, and Wildcards
Presentation summary
This 12-minute presentation offers a developer-centric critique of Queensland’s recent planning reforms, with a focus on the dynamic changes unfolding over the past year. Against the backdrop of the 2024 shift in government leadership, it will unpack key planning policy updates, major infrastructure announcements— including on infrastructure such as Pioneer-Burdekin pumped storage, the Gladstone Priority Transmission Line and CopperString—and other pivotal developments shaping the Queensland energy landscape.
Through the lens of developers, investors, and industry stakeholders, the session will explore the wins of reform progress, the woes of unintended consequences and policy friction, and the wildcards that continue to add uncertainty and complexity. A central theme will be the tension between government - including State and Federal - ambitions to fast-track energy transition and the growing layers of regulatory constraints—both environmental and procedural.
With a pragmatic tone, the presentation will ask: “So what next?” and propose pathways forward that balance growth, sustainability, and investor confidence. Ultimately, it aims to identify outcomes that serve Queenslanders, support industry, and position the state for long-term success of the State.
Through the lens of developers, investors, and industry stakeholders, the session will explore the wins of reform progress, the woes of unintended consequences and policy friction, and the wildcards that continue to add uncertainty and complexity. A central theme will be the tension between government - including State and Federal - ambitions to fast-track energy transition and the growing layers of regulatory constraints—both environmental and procedural.
With a pragmatic tone, the presentation will ask: “So what next?” and propose pathways forward that balance growth, sustainability, and investor confidence. Ultimately, it aims to identify outcomes that serve Queenslanders, support industry, and position the state for long-term success of the State.
