Confidentiality Agreements Weaken Farmers

P and E Law solicitor, Lestar Manning

LANDHOLDERS who sign confidentiality agreements with mining companies weaken their negotiating power, a planning and environment solicitor has warned.

P and E Law solicitor, Lestar Manning, who recently defended Guluguba landholder Neville Stiller in court against a QGC development, visited Miles and Wandoan last week, warning farmers that confidentiality agreements only served the interests of the mining companies.

He held the community meetings to address the "inequality of bargaining power" between landholders and mining companies.

Mr Manning said just as a landholder would want to know comparative prices and carrying capacity for surrounding land when making a decision to purchase farmland, landholders should also insist on knowing what compensation payments surrounding farmers were receiving and what methods were used to calculate the amount.

He warned confidentiality clauses only served to keep the farmer "in the dark".

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