Government backflip puts mining towns in jeopardy

Isaac Regional Council Acting Mayor Kelly Vea Vea has blasted the Resource Minister’s office on setting a “scary precedent” that leaves resource communities and their futures hanging in the balance.

Council was advised by the Minister’s office yesterday that preliminary approvals will be granted for a 450-bed camp on the mine site as part of the $1.8 billion mining project near Glenden.

The decision overrides previous processes under the Planning Act where Council successfully argued for the camp not to proceed on the mining lease in the Planning and Environment Court last month.

The Court’s judgement noted the works camp proposal adjoining the mine site would be “detrimental to the ongoing utilisation of significant social and administrative infrastructure” in Glenden.

Cr Vea Vea described the decision by the Queensland Government as one of the most disappointing decisions it has made for communities that generate three quarters of Queensland’s coal royalties.

“The State Government will allow 650 million tonnes to be dug out of the ground in Glenden over a 50-year life span while a community 20km away falls to its knees,” Cr Vea Vea said.

“The Minister is protecting the resource company but who’s protecting our communities? The courts make the decisions – that’s why we have a justice system.

“This decision shows that if you are a billion-dollar mining conglomerate, you can bypass that in the Resource Minister’s office by the stroke of a pen. Every mining community in Queensland knows that this decision fails them, our region, our Council, and the people of Glenden. We are seething.”

Cr Vea Vea said two years ago, Council invited government representatives to Glenden to resolve issues with the mining company that was refusing to adhere to conditions of their mine approval set by the State.

“This decision shows the mining company has no social license to operate in our region, and it appears that the Minister has no will to hold mining companies to account for their commitment to communities,” Cr Vea Vea said.

“More than $600,000 has been spent on legal costs to defend Glenden’s right to a future. We would do that for any Isaac community.

“The decision makes a mockery of the Planning Act, the justice system and the State Government’s Environmental Impact Assessment process and the Social Impact Assessment within it, and the certainty it ought to provide to our communities.”

ENDS

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Isaac Regional Council Brand, Media and Communications Team on:    07 4846 3550