June 13, 2016
by Anne Miller
Trying to get the people who would most likely be affected by the proposed Moreton Resources mine near Goodger, and representatives from the would-be mining company, in the same room together could be almost impossible.
On one side, John Dalton, a spokesman for the Kingaroy Concerned Citizens Group – which is campaigning against the mine – said Moreton Resources had refused “to meet with them as a group” for the second time.
And on the other, Moreton Resources managing director Jason Elks has repeatedly invited people who are concerned about the proposal to speak to him as individuals.
However, Taabinga Village resident Pam Marquardt – one of the people who fears the mine will have an adverse effect on her home – says she is unwilling to meet one-on-one with Moreton Resources.
In a media release put out by the KCCG, Mrs Marquardt said she “certainly” would not be meeting one-on-one with the company.
This followed her experience at one of the small forums that Moreton Resources organised around the region two months ago.
She said that when she and other directly affected landholders “began to ask simple questions that the company had difficulty answering”, they were told that they would have to leave if they persisted.
“I felt discouraged by their approach to my questions, and I certainly won’t be having any one-on-one meetings with the company,” she said.
“They can’t even admit the obvious risk which is that we will have dust, lights and noise problems if we are living 1500m from an open cut coal mine.”
southburnett.com.au does not know which forum Mrs Marquardt is referring to, but we can confirm that at one we attended, some of the people present were asked to stop interjecting during Mr Elks’ presentation or they would be asked to leave.
However, communication in the other direction has also been shut down.
In February, the KCCG organised a forum of its own where the majority of the 900 or so people present voted overwhelmingly against the mine.
At this, Mr Elks was posed some questions by a KCCG representative but was otherwise prevented from speaking.
In his media release, Mr Dalton said the refusal of Moreton Resources to meet with the KCCG as a group was “likely to be an excuse by a company that knows the credibility of its proposal could be exposed by simple questions from a group of landholders”.
“At a community forum in February, the company couldn’t answer simple questions about the economic benefits of the mine or the expected dust effects on nearby Taabinga Village,” he said.
“We think the company may have decided that receiving negative press for refusing to meet with us is better than trying to find answers to those questions.
“We believe that if this proposal had credibility, the company would welcome the opportunity to speak to landholders.
“The company claims that it is open and transparent, but only on its own terms apparently. It is a most unusual way to build trust and social capital in a community.”
UPDATE June 14: Mr Dalton has contacted southburnett.com.au to emphasise that at the February KCCG forum: “MRV was given two questions to answer AND five minutes to speak about their mine as they saw fit.”
Related articles:
- Moreton Re-issues Update
- Market Awaits Moreton News
- Moreton Predicts 400-600 Jobs At Mine
- Airport Blocks Cut From Coal Permit
- KCCG Rejects Phone Poll
- Phone Poll Backs Mine: Moreton
- 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
Am I the only person getting fed up with the KCCG? They weren’t interested in what Moreton Resources had to say at the Town Hall and only invited them on stage to answer loaded questions. Then they refused to give them the results of their survey as they’d promised because Moreton Resources wouldn’t meet with them (which would have been a publicity stunt). Now the KCCG are upset again. The longer the posturing goes on the the more I’m looking forward to what the government has to say. I really doubt that the mine will go anywhere but I’m willing to wait to see if it’s possible. We need the jobs.