The Hopeland Community Sustainability Group says ‘compensation’ to farmers for putting up with coal seam gas on their property is totally inadequate.
The group’s spokesperson, Shay Dougall commented on the GasFields Commission Queensland annual report, released yesterday. The report stated about 2200 landholders were compensated $200 million over five years through conduct and compensation agreements (CCA) for having CSG infrastructure on the property.
Mrs Dougall said that meant landholders were receiving about $18,000 a year.
“The amount of what the commission is calling ‘compensation’ is absolutely paltry compared to what landholders have to put up with,” she said.
“CSG mining in our region ruins forever what was productive farm land so mining companies have destroyed our livelihoods. $18,000 a year is hardly compensation for the pain and suffering and health impacts of CSG.
“It’s absurd that the GasFields Commission claims the money is being reinvested into rural businesses and regional economies across Queensland because CSG is destroying towns.
“The Commission is totally ineffective in protecting farmers’ interests and serves only the interests of the CSG industry. My area of Hopeland this year declared itself Gasfield Free in an attempt to protect our productive agricultural community and our health from CSG.
“We have had zero support from the Commission and our Mayor who is a CSG commissioner.”
Read the report here: http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Documents/TableOffice/TabledPapers/2015/5515T1146.pdf