March 18, 2014
Anti-mining group “Lock The Gate” has accused Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney of trying to “hoodwink Queenslanders” over new legislation which the State Government says will balance the competing interests of miners and farmers.
“He is trying to hoodwink Queenslanders into believing he is standing up to the mining industry to protect landholders,” Lock the Gate national president Drew Hutton said today.
“The government’s proposed Bill does nothing to protect landholders and Queensland’s best agricultural land will continue to be overrun by mining.
“Jeff Seeney thinks he can hoodwink Queenslanders into thinking he is trying to protect them and their livelihoods but we all know this is rubbish.
“The reality is the LNP is continuing to allow open-slather to mining companies wanting to open-cut some of the best farming country in the State.
“A clear sign that this report favours the mining industry is the fact that Michael Roche of the Queensland Resources Council is singing its praises.”
Mr Hutton said if the proposed Bill was passed:
- The Strategic Cropping Land Act which provides the only protection for the best cropping land in the state from open-cut mining would be dropped
- Mining would continue to be allowed near homes and towns and in environmentally sensitive areas
- Regional interests would be ignored
- Tourist icons could be mined
- Landholders would be isolated from their communities to fight against mining giants.
“In the rush to pass this Bill, the government is ignoring the fact that they haven’t finished mapping the ‘priority agricultural areas’ supposedly protected by it,” Mr Hutton said.
“I’d be surprised if Mr Seeney or anyone in his government read any of the landholders’ many submissions warning about the ramifications of this Bill.”
- External link: ‘I Will Not Buckle To Mining’
