I am very concerned that landholders, farmers and small businesses are not hearing about or do not fully understand the dire consequences of legislation before the Newman government.
Under the new Mineral and Energy Resources (Common Provisions) Bill 2014 the LNP is trying to bring in legislation to remove landholders rights’ to object to mining. This is will apply in 90% of cases. Only where landholders are directly affected they will have the right to fight the mining proposal in court.
If your property is next door to a mine you won’t be able to object, nor will you be told anything is planned on your doorstep. You won’t be told a noisy CSG compressor and processing plant, or an open cut coal mine is planned next door. You won’t be warned that your water supply will soon be downstream from a toxic dump of salty water. You will have no recourse if the mine contaminates your aquifers or bores. In fact, you will become liable for contaminated produce from produced water you might inadvertently use.
Proposed changes to the Water Act are equally worrying. The Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Act 2004 already gives miners appalling latitude when it comes to taking groundwater. But the LNP is proposing that coal companies be allowed even more free access to groundwater. The proposal is to extend the free water that CSG already takes to the coal mines .
With 85 per cent of the State in drought and an El Nino brewing the government is suggesting mining companies should have carte blanche to do whatever they like with water, for free. If we are serious about keeping productive farms, clean water and livelihoods in the Lockyer Valley, Bremer and Brisbane Valleys, we have to fight to protect them now.
Shirley Doyle
Lower Mt Walker,
Queensland