The biggest news after hours was the passage of the Crisafulli government’s controversial so-called “critical minerals” bill, expanding government powers to fast-track nearly any major project deemed to be of state significance, and acquire land for them.That bill had faced fierce criticism from Labor, Katter’s Australian Party, legal experts, environment and some farming bodies, raising reservations about whether the powers were needed, and how to safeguard their use.Despite a parliamentary committee not doing so, Bleijie told parliament the government had listened and “made a couple of amendments” and the bill now not only protects farmers, but also protects landowners.Bleijie said one of these amendments would include an exemption excluding renewable energy projects from being pushed through with such powers, claiming the community was concerned this could be done “if Labor ever got back into government”.“The government is also taking proactive action to assure the community that we are taking the challenge posed by data centres seriously. In addition, the amendment will prohibit declaration of data centres to be state strategic projects whilst the government develops the right settings for managing these projects under the Planning Act,” Bleijie said.