The Queensland Greens say the LNP Government’s new laws on environmental objections to mines are corrupt, dangerous and undemocratic.
Under the bill introduced today, the Government will decide which objections to a mining lease or environmental authority are referred to the land court (instead of all objections being automatically referred as is the case now), effectively giving them total control to reject claims by landholders and community members.
Before politics, Greens MP Michael Berkman worked as a public interest lawyer with the Environmental Defenders Office. He represented communities opposing the Adani coal mine, and farmers who opposed the New Acland coal mine expansion, now being cited by the Government as an example of why the laws are needed.
Greens MP Michael Berkman:
“It’s an unhappy International Democracy Day for Queenslanders, who just had their rights stripped by Crisafulli’s corrupt LNP.
“It’s pay to play under this Government. If you’re a big political donor like Adani or Clive Palmer, you get the red carpet treatment - but if you’re a regular voter, the door’s slammed shut.
“Mining bosses are buying special treatment from the Queensland Government. They get special laws and secret deals, but never deliver the jobs, homes or royalties our communities are promised.
“The LNP can label them ‘activists’ if they like, but this government is really stripping away farmers’ rights to challenge big mining corporations that threaten their land and water.
“This Government’s obsession with a fossil fuel free-for-all is a betrayal of farmers and a death sentence for our climate. This means more heatwaves and bushfires, higher insurance premiums, and more expensive food.”