March 5, 2019
Community groups from across Queensland have called for changes to regional planning laws to protect the State’s best farmland and community living areas from unwanted mining and gas projects.
More than two dozen representatives from across regional Queensland attended a two-day workshop at the Bunya Mountains on the weekend to discuss planning and strategy issues.
They also took part in a variety of workshops covering issues as diverse as water testing, groundwater protection, and economic analysis.
“This weekend has confirmed our group’s view that we need a stronger regional planning act to weed out resource proposals that are clearly not in the community’s best interests,” Kingaroy Concerned Citizens Group president John Dalton said.
Glen Beasley, from Cameby Concerned Citizens at Chinchilla, agreed.
“Farmers like us are dealing with a toxic CSG waste dump right next door to priority agricultural land, just 50m from a creek in the headwaters of the Murray-Darling.
“Projects like this shouldn’t be allowed to happen, and we’re excited to join up with other communities who are determined to stop inappropriate projects.”
Gemma Cronin, a Butchulla custodian from the Wide Bay-Burnett, said Indigenous communities also had an important role to play.
“Our recent success in driving gas company Blue Energy out of the Wide Bay-Burnett is a perfect example of how Aboriginal custodians working together with farmers and business people can protect country,” she said.
“We have no doubt that educating and empowering communities about their right to free and informed decision making will help them replicate our success.”
Ann Gardiner, from Cooran Earth Rights in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, said renewable energy projects were a preferred option for most people.
“Our community has fought off a coal mining exploration permit, and now we want permanent protection,” she said.
“We know that renewable energy is the best path for our communities, and we shouldn’t be risking our special places for unnecessary coal and gas mining.”
The weekend gathering was organised by the Lock The Gate alliance, who have led opposition to several mining and gas projects in the Darling Downs and Western Downs regions in recent years.
“It is wonderful to see so many empowered communities determined to achieve stronger regional planning laws to protect food-producing land and key residential areas,” Ellie Smith from Lock the Gate Alliance said.
