THERE is no question that prime agricultural land east of the Condamine River on the Darling Downs should be protected from mining encroachment, according to Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce.
Addressing a group of farmers at Cecil Plains last week, Senator Joyce spelt out his position on the rapid expansion of the coal seam gas industry and the threat it posed to blue-ribbon farming areas.
"We can't have coal seam gas mining on prime agricultural land. We can't have coal seam gas mining that destroys aquifers. We can't have coal seam gas mining that interferes with the quiet enjoyment of residential areas," he said.
Senator Joyce said mining should only be undertaken in areas that met those criteria, and that landholders who allowed miners access to their properties should be fairly compensated.
"Where they are not destroying aquifers, where it is not on prime agricultural land, where it is not destroying the quiet enjoyment of houses if mining is to go forward, then a fair return should go to farmers," he said.
QCL
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