February 8, 2013

Natural Resources and Mines Minister Andrew Cripps has named the committee that will oversee the implementation of the State Government’s “Six-Point Action Plan” to address conflicts between farmers and resources company over land access.

Mr Cripps said the independent seven-member panel, which will be chaired by Dr David Watson, will meet for the first time next week.

He said it would provide “a forum for peak resource and rural industry bodies to collectively resolve outstanding issues relating to resource sector development on private land”.

“The Six-Point Action Plan is the government’s response to the recommendations of the 2011 Independent Review of the Land Access Framework to be applied to access and compensation agreements between landholders and resource companies,” Mr Cripps said.

“I am confident Dr Watson’s experience in leading that original review will ensure this process strengthens the relationship between two of the Queensland economy’s most important sectors – resources and agriculture.”

The Implementation Committee will advise on the following important changes “to bring equity and certainty to land access and compensation arrangements for both land owners and resource companies”:

  • A review of the heads of compensation to ensure no cost or erosion of landholder rights
  • The expansion of Land Court jurisdiction to include matters of conduct
  • The introduction of an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) process, independent of government, to be integrated into the Land Court
  • The existence of a Conduct and Compensation Agreement (CCA) to be noted on land title
  • An option for parties to “opt out” of a formal land access agreement at the election of the landholder
  • The development of standard CCAs for mineral, coal and coal seam gas industries in partnership with the resource and agricultural sectors
  • A review and rationalisation of information sources into a single resource for landholders and resource companies.

Other members of the Land Access Implementation Committee are:

AgForce Grain Ltd president Wayne Newton; Queensland Gasfields Commission chairman John Cotter; Queensland Farmers’ Federation CEO Dan Galligan; Australian Petroleum Producers’ and Explorers’ Association Qld director Matt Paul; Association of Mining and Exploration Companies Regional Manager Queensland Bernie Hogan, and Queensland Resources Council policy director Andrew Barger.