RURAL landholders in the South Burnett region have resolved to “lock the gate” on Queensland Bauxite (QBL), which is proposing to develop a bauxite industry on the region's fertile red soils.
The company was recently granted an Exploration Permit for Minerals (EPM) by the Queensland Government, and has been contacting local landholders seeking access to begin drilling.
Consent to begin exploration has come at a bad moment for many people, who had been pinning their hopes on the newly released Strategic Cropping Land (SCL) criteria as a means of protection against mining interest. However, the draft criteria exclude the gently sloping volcanic soil farms in the South Burnett as the maximum stated inclination is set at 5 per cent.
A well attended meeting in Kingaroy on Wednesday heard information from the Queensland Farmers Federation, Queensland Bauxite Ltd, environmental campaigner Drew Hutton, and also from Kingaroy Concerned Citizens Group (KCCG) members who are researching the proposal and supporting affected locals.
As a result of the meeting, local resident have resolved to “lock the gate” and not to co-operate with QBL requests for access to discuss exploration or begin drilling until two fundamental issues are resolved with the State Government.
KCCG believes that DERM needs to respond to the letters already submitted by KCCG requesting a meeting to discuss the exclusion of the red soils of Kingaroy. If the criteria adjustments recommended by KCCG members are adopted by DERM, then the Government needs to articulate the level of protection that SCL will have against mining interest such as QBL.
Brian Tessman representing the Queensland Farmers Federation outlined the shortcomings of the proposed Strategic Cropping Land criteria, and the way in which the volcanic fertile soils of the South Burnett exceeded the maximum 5pc slope criteria.
“It is ridiculous to exclude there very fertile soils on the basis of slope” Mr Tessman said.
“Most volcanic soils have a gentle slope, and have been sustainably farmed using contours for over 100 years. Does the Government really think that only relatively flat land is fertile?” he added
KCCG members are also waiting on a response from the State Government to develop standards of community engagement that are aligned with community expectations, and which makes full disclosure of information essential to community understanding and decision making.
KCCG secretary John Dalton said that people need an objective source of information about projects like this, and most people do not consider a mining company a fully transparent and objective source. “No one can be expected to make informed decisions without accurate and full information.” he said.
“If the Government of the day considers it a good idea to consider transforming rare fertile farms into a bauxite mine, then they should come up here and explain, because most people at tonight’s meeting believe it unthinkable. The rest of the world is concerned about securing future food sources, and our Government is thinking of trading it in so we can buy cheap mag wheels from China. The compelling reason to mine just doesn’t seem to exist” he said.
Mark Derriman from Queensland Bauxite told the meeting that the concerns of the local landholders have been noted, and that as a result, exploration would only occur where landholders have given consent or on roads and public land.
As a result of this announcement, KCCG member Keith Jessen publicly informed QBL that he is reversing his previous consent for access for exploration to begin, and that QBL was not to begin drilling on his property on Monday as previously planned.
