April 27, 2015
The anti-mining group Lock the Gate has welcomed comments by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Sydney radio about the proposed expansion to the Acland coal mine.
Ms Palaszczuk was speaking on Alan Jones’ radio program on 2GB; Jones, who was raised in Acland, has been a long-term opponent to the New Hope mine and its proposed expansion.
Lock the Gate Alliance president Drew Hutton said the Premier had told Jones the State Government had “a lot of concerns” about any loss of prime agricultural land.
She said she had asked Mines Minister Anthony Lynham to review the Co-ordinator-General’s decision about the Stage 3 expansion and its impacts on the region’s agricultural areas.
Ms Palaszczuk also said the State Government wanted to restore the rights of the surrounding community to object to proposed mining developments, a right removed by the previous State Government.
“We know how important that agricultural land is and the need to keep it for the future and that’s going to be a priority for my government,” she told Jones.
Mr Hutton said he welcomed “the common sense” the Premier was showing and said Lock The Gate had legal advice that said the government was not bound by the Coordinator-General’s decision and could overturn it.
- External link: Annastacia Palaszczuk on Radio 2GB today
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