 |
| North Stradbroke Island, Brown lake (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
The ALP definitely tries to claim that they've stopped sandmining on Stradbroke Island, but what they actually did was bring in new legislation to bypass existing safeguards in order to actually extend sandmining on Stradbroke Island, extend the destruction for 15 more years.
- NIKKI PARKER, FRIENDS OF STRADBROKE ISLAND
CAMPBELL NEWMAN, LNP LEADER: We will allow the mine to proceed in the way it was originally allowed to, prior to the actions of the last 18 months.
Sibelco belatedly obtained authorisation and last year filed a disclosure revealing it had spent more than $90,000 on postage and printing.
On gaining office, the Newman Government discovered its promise to extend sand mining could potentially conflict with native title rights, and unbeknownst to the Quandamooka, LNP ministers and Sibelco have been closely working together for the past 14 months to find a way around this legal obstacle.
7.30 has obtained a ministerial briefing paper by Sibelco on how to frame new legislation and a pre-cabinet government circular seeking permission to put this proposal into practice. The documents say mining at Enterprise will extend through to 2035, eight years longer than had been previously announced.
By continuing it to 2035, aren't you going beyond the Premier's election commitment?
ANDREW CRIPPS, QLD MINES MINISTER: Well, we asked them to go away and come up with a package that would provide for a much smoother transition process.
PETER MCCUTCHEON: The documents reveal a plan to lift restrictions on the path of the Enterprise mine that were put in place by the Bligh Government to protect areas of high conservation value. Sibelco has declined to be interviewed on camera, but the company told 7.30 these restrictions were unnecessary as they didn't provide the best environmental outcome. The Government circular also acknowledges the proposed legislation could be vulnerable to a legal challenge by the Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation, or QYAC.
CAMERON COSTELLO: The relationship between Sibelco and the Premier and Sibelco funding him in his electorate in Ashgrove, which is no secret, it's - I think that's muddied the judgment of the Government.
PETER MCCUTCHEON: But the Minister argues the Government has always been upfront about its intentions to extend mining as part of an election promise.
What the Quandamooka argue is you've gone about implementing that promise by talking almost exclusively to the mining company and ignoring the owners of the land.
ANDREW CRIPPS: Well, as I've already outlined, it was very difficult to commence negotiations with the Quandamooka people when they indicated that they didn't want to undertake negotiations when the proposals involved an extension of sand mining activities.
PETER MCCUTCHEON: If the Government pushes ahead with this legislation, what have the Quandamooka lost?
CAMERON COSTELLO: Well basically, we're gonna be offered the scraps, you know, so - or nothing. So what's the mining company got to deal with us if it's been legislated? They don't have to deal with us and we're just seeing history repeat itself.
Sources: http://www.abc.net.au/news/
http://savestraddie.com/site/
http://savestraddie.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment