Queensland Attorney General Deb Frecklington has taken the unprecedented step of cancelling a multi-year review into Queensland’s mining objection process, prompting outrage from community groups and stakeholders who were involved.
The mining lease objections review began in June 2023 and final recommendations were due to be published in the coming months.
The review was held to determine ways to improve the way the Land Court handled contested mining leases, including whether there should be more opportunities for community participation throughout the assessment process and also if the processes could be made more efficient. The terms of reference are here and more background information is available here.
Initial recommendations included allowing for decision makers on mining leases, such as government bureaucrats, to have access to independent expert advice - a recommendation that was opposed by the mining lobby, the Queensland Resources Council.
Another draft recommendation was that decision makers be required to consider the rights of First Nations peoples when determining a mining lease application.
On Monday, stakeholders received an email notifying them that the review had been cancelled last week, with Queensland Law Reform Commission chair Fleur Kingham noting the commission’s “disappointment” at the Attorney General’s decision.
Lock the Gate Alliance National Coordinator Ellen Roberts said, “We’re shocked that the LNP Government has taken the unprecedented step of cancelling this review at the last moment to prevent the release of its findings.
“Campbell Newman took the very unpopular step in 2014 of taking away the rights of farmers and community members to object to coal mines. The Crisafulli Government must reassure the community that the cancelling of this review is not the first step to pulling a new Newman.
“Hundreds of stakeholders including farmers, community groups, and even mining companies put many hours and a lot of energy into participating in this review.
“It’s extremely unusual for a high level review of this kind to be cancelled right before the recommendations were due to be delivered. We can only conclude that the LNP Government has intervened because the findings were not popular with the mining industry. The Attorney General now has serious questions to answer about why she intervened to stop this review.”
Darling Downs farmer Liza Balmain, who spent hours consulting and writing a submission for the latter part of the review, and whose property is threatened by Arrow Energy’s expanding Surat Gas Project, said, “I am beyond bitterly disappointed that the LNP Government has scrapped this review.
“It’s a very sad day for integrity in Queensland when politicians can suddenly cancel an impartial, expert, and really important review. We now have no assurance that vested and better-resourced interests won’t have an unfair advantage when it comes to any future review of mining leases.
“Farmers don’t get paid for their time, they participate because they care for their community and the broader outcomes. This is a real kick in the teeth to stakeholders and the commission.
“I am disappointed not only because I and other stakeholders put so much time and effort into this process, but also for the dedicated time, energy, research, and resources of the Queensland Law Reform Commission.
“This review process spanned almost two years. For it to suddenly be ditched like this is such a waste of everyone’s time and resources.
“The final report and recommendations should have been allowed to be released, especially so close to the finish line.
“I held great hopes for positive outcomes for all stakeholders from this independent review - those hopes are now dashed.”
ENDS