April 21, 2016
Moreton Resources says its Galaxy Research poll of 500 South Burnett residents shows 61 per cent believe the region would benefit from a new mine.
Moreton released the results of the poll in a media statement on Thursday morning.
The poll was conducted by telephone on April 11-14.
The results show 88 per cent of the region’s residents are now aware of Moreton’s proposal.
Of those who support the project, 79 per cent do so because they believe it will create jobs in the area, while the remainder believe it will lead to economic growth.
Of the 24 per cent opposed, almost half (49 per cent) are concerned about the mine’s proximity to Kingaroy and its potential to create dust.
Other concerns are the destruction of agricultural land, harm to the environment and health implications.
The Moreton Resources statement said the survey negated media coverage given to a meeting held by the Kingaroy Concerned Citizens Group (KCCG) at Kingaroy Town Hall in February where 900 people in attendance voted against the project based on information provided by the KCCG.
The company said the poll showed that only 54 per cent of those who attended the Town Hall meeting were now opposed to the mine.
It said media reports and information given to government Ministers was “factually skewed and totally inaccurate” so Moreton was “extremely confident that these numbers of concerned citizens will dramatically be reduced as factual information becomes more widely apparent through the approvals process”.
- Download: Moreton Resources’ analysis of the Galaxy poll (478kb PDF)
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The Kingaroy Concerned Citizens Group continued its campaign against the mine on Wednesday when members John Dalton and Damien O’Sullivan made a presentation to South Burnett councillors.
Mr Dalton told southburnett.com.au the KCCG wanted to present its concerns to the Council because many Councillors were new and had not attended the Town Hall meeting on February 9.
The presentation was held behind closed doors.
Related articles:
- Moreton Takes Mining Plan Out To The People
- KCCG Will Speak To Council
- Nannas Knit Against Mine
- KCCG Meets With State Government
- Coal Mine Fight Spreads
- Moreton Resources Unveils Mine Partner
- Meetings To Discuss Mine
- Moreton Plans To Start Seeking Permits
- Moreton’s Coal ‘Too Expensive’
- Kingaroy Coal Mine? No Way!
- Public Meeting To Discuss Coal Mine
- Stanwell Still Says ‘No’
- Moreton Releases Mine Study Results
- Moreton Resources Eyes Rail Link
- Moreton Buys More Resources
- Mining CEO Talks To Council
- KCCG Sees No Future For Mine
- Green Light For ‘Next Step’
- Moreton Board To Consider ‘Next Step’
- Moreton Resources Splits Off South Burnett Holdings
- Moreton Resources Extends Licence
- Controversial UCG Plant Vanishes
- UCG Plant Starts To Disappear
- Moreton To Begin Mine Concept Study
- Moreton Responds To MP’s Comments
- Moreton Aims To Press On
- Stanwell ‘Rejecting Billions In Savings’
- Stanwell Rules Out Moreton Coal
- ‘Enough Coal For 30-Plus Years’
- Concept Study Next Step For Proposed Coal Mine
- Moreton Triples Coal Estimates
- Coal Mine Review Delayed To July
There is plenty of data to suggest that these days telephone polling is not all that accurate. Especially a one off. While telephone polling is supposed to be randomised giving a reasonably accurate measure of community divide, there is no real measure available to accuratley measure an entire community’s feel. The truth is there’s no certain way of saying if a single poll is “right” or “wrong” it is always advisable to look at the trends across polls. For example a poll now might support the mine due to concerns re employment etc, but once the mine is commenced and the noise and dust is more prevalent so close to Kingaroy would the same people still hold that same support? I have spoken with a number of people and many feel the same, if the mine is built we will take advantage of the initial real estate hike and sell up and leave, so Kingaroy is set to become a ghost town after that.
Something that seems to have been forgotten in all of this is that Meandu Mine is closer to Yarraman right now than Moreton’s proposed mine would be to Kingaroy. And Yarraman has no problems with noise, dust or lights that I’m aware of.
True Bill, but that is where geography might come into it. Google maps shows a range between Yarraman and the mine plus almost 2km of State Forest which might play a part in keeping the noise etc down.
I think we can take little notice of the phone poll as the questions in polls are always skewed to get the desired result. However, why was the meeting with Council and KCCG held behind closed doors? There was a Council Meeting which was public so why wasn’t this address public as well?
Bring in the machines an start digging I say! The quicker the better
In the Business Section of last Friday’s Courier Mail on Page 38 in the City Beat column is a story titled “Peanut Country Mining”. The opening paragraph states – “Brisbane mining minnow Moreton Resources is doing it’s best to gin up support for a controversial $250 million coal project near Kingaroy despite vocal opposition from locals.”
The article goes on to mention the results of the Galaxy Poll and the level of approval/opposition etc to the proposed mine and the competition with the Stanwell Corporation’s Meandu mine and that Stanwell is doing it’s best to trash MR’s plans.
But it was the final 2 paragraphs that got my attention – “Beyond that opposition and, of course, rock bottom coal prices, there’s the financial health of Moreton to consider. The firm, which reported $748,222.00 of red ink in the half year to December, has more than $62 million in accumulated losses.”
Very interesting indeed, I wonder how many of the Mum and Dad and other small investors that MR’s Jason Elks has made reference to on a number of occasions feel about this financial situation. If I was a small investor I certainly would have concerns given that MR is far from being over the line to make the proposed mine a going concern.