{"id":374994,"date":"2026-08-13T16:56:04","date_gmt":"2026-08-13T06:56:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=374994"},"modified":"2026-08-13T16:56:04","modified_gmt":"2026-08-13T06:56:04","slug":"agforce-slams-land-use-bill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2026\/08\/13\/agforce-slams-land-use-bill\/","title":{"rendered":"AgForce Slams Land Use Bill"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
AgForce general president Shane McCarthy (Photo: AgForce)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

August 13, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

AgForce has criticised State Government legislation designed to fast-track major projects in Queensland, saying it comes at too high a cost for farmers.<\/p>\n

AgForce general president Shane McCarthy said the State Development and Public Works Organisation (Critical Minerals) Bill in its current form is unworkable.<\/p>\n

The Bill, which was introduced into State Parliament on June 2 by Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie, expands government powers for compulsory acquisition, land access and infrastructure.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs it stands, the Bill makes the interests of primary producers secondary to those of major project proponents,\u201d Mr McCarthy said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Bill is not confined to critical minerals.<\/p>\n

“(It) could be applied to any project considered be a State Strategic Project, ie. anything considered to be critical, essential or high priority to Queensland, whether that be private or public development.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIn practical terms, the imbalance would leave landholders powerless.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnyone who would otherwise be negotiating a project on a commercial basis could face the prospect of compulsory acquisition or statutory access if an agreement can\u2019t be reached.<\/p>\n

\u201cAgForce believes those powers must be a genuine last resort, not a tool to gain leverage during negotiations.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
AgForce CEO Niki Ford (Photo: AgForce)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

AgForce CEO Niki Ford said the peak body had made its concerns clear to the government during the submission process.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cDespite that, the Parliamentary Committee has recommended the Bill proceed without amendment,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will not accept a framework that shifts the risk and cost of major project development on to the State\u2019s farmers.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis Bill must be amended to ensure only projects demonstrating a compelling State interest are declared State Strategic Projects and that compulsory acquisition and statutory land access powers are last resorts.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe also need meaningful negotiations before these powers are exercised.\u201d<\/p>\n

AgForce is seeking the retention of appropriate review and appeal rights and the inclusion of sufficient opportunity for landholders to obtain independent professional advice.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWe also want to see reasonable costs covered by the proponent from the start of negotiations, not by the landholder,\u201d Mr McCarthy said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAgForce will not compromise on protecting the land-use rights of Queensland primary producers or allow decisions today to set precedents that undermine those rights into the future.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe support the growth of the critical minerals sector and recognise its role in Queensland\u2019s future. However, we cannot have legislation that weakens the protections for agricultural land.<\/p>\n

“Landholders are already negotiating against multinational companies with dedicated legal teams and significantly greater resources.<\/p>\n

“Weakening the protections of process that provide balance in those negotiations risks creating an irreversible shift in landholder rights and the future of Queensland agriculture.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Bill must recognise agricultural productivity and long-term food and fibre security as strategic assets.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

AgForce has criticised State Government legislation designed to fast-track major projects in Queensland, saying it comes at too high a cost for farmers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":352440,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3,36],"tags":[1134],"yoast_head":"\nAgForce Slams Land Use Bill - southburnett.com.au<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"AgForce has criticised State Government legislation designed to fast-track major projects in Queensland, saying it comes at too high a cost for farmers.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2026\/08\/13\/agforce-slams-land-use-bill\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"AgForce Slams Land Use Bill - 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