The Lock the Gate Alliance has welcomed today's announcement by federal Opposition leader, Tony Abbott, that he would support the right of landowners to say 'no' to mining companies wanting to come onto their land.
Speaking on Alan Jones' 2GB program this morning Mr Abbott called for a re-think of the threshold at which the Foreign Investment Review Board must approve agricultural land acquisitions.
President of the Lock the Gate Alliance, Drew Hutton, said Mr Abbott's statements should cause state governments and oppositions, especially those in Queensland and New South Wales, to re-think the level of support they have been giving both coal and coal seam gas mining.
"The Coalition government in Queensland and the LNP in Queensland need to look seriously at introducing policies that protect good agricultural land, underground water, closely settled areas and sensitive environmental areas," Mr Hutton said.
"They should also amend those sections of their mining acts to give landowners parity in dealing with mining companies."
The Lock the Gate Alliance will be stepping up their campaign in both Brisbane and Sydney in the coming weeks and will be especially targeting the LNP in Queensland challenging them in a marginal seats campaign to address these key issues.