THE Australian Farmers’ Fighting Fund has decided not to back a court case brought against the Federal Government over its decision to green light a plan to inject waste CO2 into the Great Artesian Basin.
Last week, Qld farm lobby group AgForce had its first hearing in a Federal Court action over a plan made by mining giant Glencore to truck waste CO2 from its Millmerran Power Station and inject it into the Precipice Sandstone aquifer of the GAB.
AgForce has been fundraising for the court action over the past couple of months, calling for private donations and applying to the Fighting Fund. Beef Central understands many donations have been made, with the group is calling for more.
The case is against the Federal environment department, which in 2022 found the project was not a matter of national environmental significance and that it was to be dealt with by the State Government. The decision was made under the former Coalition Government, with the current Labor Government standing by it.
AgForce is arguing that it is clearly a matter of national environmental significance as the GAB stretches over multiple states. It says a series of similar projects are coming in behind Glencore.
However, the Australian Farmers’ Fighting Fund has been knocked back the application for it to fund the court action. The fund has been used for other high profile cases, including the class action against the 2011 live export ban.
Beef Central understands the Fighting Fund committee supported the work AgForce was doing to stop the project and also believed that it should not proceed.
However, it believed court action was not the right course and there was concern it would not have the desired result – with the science being so unsettled.
With a Queensland state election coming up later this year and other clear community concern about the plan, the Fighting Fund believed there was a chance the project would not proceed.
Glencore still has plenty of hoops to jump through before it starts the project.
The Queensland Environment Department is due to decide on Glencore’s Environmental Impact Statement in May and a senate inquiry is set to report on the proposal before the state government decisions.
If Glencore’s EIS is approved it will then move towards a final investment decision.
AgForce is set to have its case heard by the Federal Court in August.
Its a “NO BRAINER” that there should be no interference with the GAB. So much wealth and production from that underground storage and some one wants to rely on the common sense of lawyers and pollies who are prepared to let the process run – not much “Common Sense” in a couple of those aforementioned institutions.
Too late when itis stuffed up.
Why aren’t the soft drink companies and bottle water companies helping to contribute to the fighting funds . I’m sure it’s in there best interest also because a lot of their water comes from the aquifer water supply