Queensland Deputy Premier, Jeff Seeney is trying to hoodwink Queenslanders into believing he is standing up to the mining industry to protect landholders, says the Lock the Gate Alliance.
Lock the Gate’s national president, Drew Hutton said the LNP’s proposed Bill does nothing to protect landholders and Queensland’s best agricultural land will continue to be overrun by mining. See Regional Planning Interests Bill 2013 here: http://bit.ly/1f0ZRnK
“Jeff Seeney thinks he can hoodwink Queenslanders into thinking he is trying to protect them and their livelihoods but we all know this is rubbish,” Mr Hutton said.
“The reality is the LNP is continuing to allow open-slather to mining companies wanting to open-cut some of the best farming country in the state.
“A clear sign that this report favours the mining industry is the fact that Michael Roche of the Queensland Resources Council is singing its praises.”
Mr Hutton said if the proposed Bill were passed:
- The Strategic Cropping Land Act which provides the only protection for the best cropping land in the state from open-cut mining would be dropped
- Mining would continue to be allowed near homes and towns and in environmentally sensitive areas
- Regional interests would be ignored
- Tourist icons could be mined
- Landholders would be isolated from their communities to fight against mining giants
“In the rush to pass this Bill, the government is ignoring the fact that they haven’t finished mapping the ‘priority agricultural areas’ supposedly protected by it,” he said.
“I’d be surprised if Mr Seeney or anyone in his government read any of the landholders’ many submissions warning about the ramifications of this Bill.”
Contact:
Kate Dennehy, Qld Lock the Gate Campaign Coordinator Ph: 0419 432 624