AGFORCE has filed court proceedings against Federal environment minister Tanya Plibersek after months of opposition to a proposed plan to inject waste CO2 into the Great Artesian Basin.
Mining giant Glencore, through its subsidiary Carbon Transport and Storage Corporation, has been progressing through approvals for its plan to truck waste CO2 from the Millmerran Power Station and inject into the Sandstone Precipice Aquifer of the Great Artesian Basin.
While the plan is being dealt with by the Qld Government, who is now assessing the environmental impact statement, agriculture groups have been calling for minister Plibersek to intervene.
The minister’s office has repeatedly stated that the matter was referred to the Department of Environment in 2022, which found the proposal was not covered under Federal environmental law.
Today, AgForce Queensland Farmers Limited v Minister for the Environment and Water was filed to Federal Court, and is now on the public record.
Beef Central has applied for the court documents and understands AgForce is preparing to release more details tomorrow.
AgForce launched a fundraising campaign for the legal action last month. In starting the campaign, the organisation’s chief executive officer Michael Guerin said while he was hoping to settle the issue out of court, there was a strong case against the Federal Government’s decision.
“We will leave no stone unturned in this campaign,” he said.
“We have strong and detailed legal advice showing we have a valid argument and good prospects of success. The Federal Minister has the authority to revoke the 2022 decision and we have provided the detailed reasoning that we believe allows her to make that revocation.”
Beef Central understands several donations have been made to the legal action from private producers. The National Farmers Federation has also approved an application to the Farmers’ Fighting Fund to fund the action – the fighting fund is now going through its processes to see if it will be involved.
With a decision from the Qld environment department due in May, Glencore has stuck by the proposal citing extensive scientific modelling, including from the CSIRO.
But the plan has received strong opposition from a broad range of stakeholders, including local councils, scientists and politicians.
- The case is due for its next hearing on March 27.
- QFF is not involved in the action
Just wondering if we will get soda water on tap in the future!
Tanya Plibersek acts all high and mighty about preserving Australia’s natural assets. Preventing any proper development to occur; yet faced with the possible destruction of one of the nations greatest assets has no problem. Of course, it is the mining sector and they are big financial supporters of the party.
Please check the logarithmic effect of CO2 on atmospheric temperatures.
My secondary education and Diploma of Agriculture made me aware of the logarithmic effect atmospheric CO2 has on atmospheric temperatures.
For every incremental increase in atmospheric temperature due to CO2 the effect of the next increment is only half of the previous.
There has been no historical records that correlate atmospheric temperatures with levels of CO2.
Only once in past Geological times has atmospheric CO2 levels been as low as they are today.
During photosynthesis in green plants, light energy is captured and used to convert water, carbon dioxide, and minerals into oxygen and energy-rich organic compounds.
It is impossible to overestimate the importance of photosynthesis in the maintenance of life on Earth. If photosynthesis ceased, there would soon be little food or other organic matter on Earth.
How anyone could possibly think this type of contamination of such a national asset is acceptable is beyond me. I would urge anyone who thinks the same to make a donation to Agforce to oppose this at all cost. Even the smallest contribution will help. If we don’t stop this now, at least until more research is done, we risk irreversible damage to our underground water, of which each and every one of us relies on.
Modelling is not certainty. How much guesstimated risk should be imposed on such a vital water resource to support a power station with barely 16 years life expectancy? Australia is a signatory to the Paris Agreement, where our Government has committed to close coal fired power stations by 2040.
It beggars belief that any government would even contemplate allowing such vandalism of a natural asset of this significance!! This insanity needs to be fought tooth and nail!