Government restores farmer & community rights on mining

Parliament today restored balance between the rights of farmers, miners, and the community, passing legislation that protects farm infrastructure and restores community objection rights.

Minister for State Development and Natural Resources and Mines Minister Dr Anthony Lynham told Parliament today that the Mineral and Other Legislation Amendment Bill fulfilled two Palaszczuk Government commitments to farmers and to community groups.

“The legislation passed today fulfils the government’s commitments to restore community objection rights to proposed mining projects, and to protect key agricultural infrastructure,” Dr Lynham said.

“As per our commitments, we have re-established the right for anyone to object to a proposed mining project on broad grounds,” he said.

“Landholders will also have the right to say no to resource activities beside their key infrastructure.”

The legislation, passed today, reinstates rights removed by the previous LNP Government, and also prevents provisions they put into place from taking effect.

It follows the Government’s move in July last year to restore community objection rights around large-scale mining projects assessed through the Coordinator-General.

Landholders will retain:

• a minimum 50 metre protection zone around key agricultural infrastructure such as principal stockyards, bores and artesian wells, dams and artificial water storages connected to a water supply
• the right to prevent any mining lease being granted over restricted land without the consent of the owner
• the security of knowing ministers cannot extinguish restricted status for their land – a power a minister would have had under the LNP’s proposed laws.

Community members will retain rights they would have lost under the LNP laws:

• to have their say on mining lease and environmental authority applications for mining projects
• to be advised of any proposed mining projects through ads in newspapers.

Dr Lynham said the resource sector would benefit from the Queensland Land Court having a new power to strike out any frivolous or vexatious objections.

The changes take effect on September 27.