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LNP initiative to resolve land use conflicts

The State Opposition has written to miners and explorers to discuss simple measures to help resolve some of the conflicts that have erupted between explorers and other interested parties in Queensland. Shadow Minister for Mining and Resource Management Jack Dempsey said that the LNP is committed to protecting agricultural production on Queensland’s best cropping land and also avoiding unnecessary anxiety over some exploration permits particularly over residential areas. The LNP is currently formulating a policy that will deliver an appropriate balance between farming and mining and exploration. 

“In its discussions, the LNP has received feedback that a perverse outcome of the current permit system, is that it requires a portion of the approved exploration area has to be relinquished every two years.  Therefore, explorers make their original exploration applications for much more land than they actually need for exploration purposes. 

“In many cases, exploration permits are for areas that there is no intention to mine, including urban and other areas - so the explorers can hand back the required portion,” Mr Dempsey said. 

“All this practice achieves is to raise the hackles of town dwellers and puts a cloud of uncertainty over affected residents and landholders. 

“The LNP has initiated discussions with mining and exploration industry groups to achieve a better and more functional alternative that might reduce the size of the exploration permit areas, while providing the security of tenure that explorers might need for a more narrowly defined target area. 

“This might lead to simple measures to provide more certainty, and less conflict for both landholders and miners. 

“’We will also look at protecting farmland by controlling the impact of mining activity on land that has other legitimate uses, including for urban dwellings and agriculture. 

“These measures under discussion are over and above the steps being taken to protect strategic cropping land by the LNP which will be included in its broader agriculture policy. 

“The LNP team is forward planning to achieve a sustainable economy that will benefit every Queenslander.”