July 15, 2015
Landholders and communities will regain their right to object to mining developments under legislation introduced to State Parliament on Wednesday.
State Development Minister Dr Anthony Lynham said the State Development and Public Works Organisation and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2015 would meet an election commitment to restore objection rights stripped away by the previous LNP government.
“We have listened to community concerns that (the LNP) laws restricted landholder and community rights and our proposed changes seek to rectify this as soon as possible,” Dr Lynham said.
“Most importantly we have stepped in to restore these rights before the LNP’s laws have had any practical effect.
“No project has proceeded under the LNP’s laws.”
Dr Lynham said that if passed this week, most of the amendments, including those to restore community objection rights, would come into effect late this month.
The anti-mining Lock the Gate Alliance congratulated the State Government on the Bill, saying it would enable landholders and community groups who were opposed to the Acland Stage 3 coal mine to have their objections considered by the Land Court, a right they lost late last year.
- Related article: 1300 Objectors To Mine Expansion
