Farmers unite against Mining Bill as SA parliament prepares to debate it this week
State Parliament’s gallery will be packed with dozens of farmers this week, as they protest the Government’s controversial Mining Bill — which they say offers them little authority over their own land.
- Government pushes ahead with controversial Mining Bill
- Labor guarantees support for Mining Bill
- April: Mining Bill ‘dead and buried’
- November 2018: Four Liberals cross floor on Mining Bill
- Mining Bill: What the farming and mining sectors say
Farmers from across the state are expected to converge at Parliament House this week, in protest of the Government’s contentious Mining Bill.
Yorke Peninsula Land Owners Group chairwoman Joy Wundersitz said 70 people turned up when the issue was debated in November — during the middle of harvest — and she was hoping for an even larger turnout this time around.
The protesters would watch the debate, expected on Wednesday or Thursday, and also likely rally outside Parliament, Ms Wundersitz said.
Landowners were concerned about a lack of protection for the little remaining arable land left in South Australia.
They also wanted greater power to stop mining companies from exploring their properties without their agreement.
At the moment, mining companies can take landowners to the Environment, Resources and Development Court if they want to set up at properties without owners’ permission.
Ms Wundersitz said legislation heavily favoured mining companies rather than farmers, potentially putting landowners “tens of thousands of dollars” out of pocket when they lost a case.
“Farmers have almost no rights now,” Ms Wundersitz said.
Under the Mining Bill, exploration would be allowed within 200m of homes, rather than the current 400m, Ms Wundersitz said.
She said landowners obstructing resource companies from doing their work faced penalties of up to $150,000.
About 300 people turned up to a meeting in Maitland about the issue in September, including Energy and Mining Minister Dan Van Holst Pellekaan.
“We in good faith, outlined all of our concerns and asked him to make substantial changes to this bill to provide greater protection for agricultural land and farmers and he’s totally ignored every one of those calls,” Ms Wundersitz said.
She said her organisation and Grain Producers SA wanted an independent review into the Mining Act.
“Queensland and New South Wales have introduced legislation and policies to provide greater protection for their sustainable agricultural land against mining than we’ve got,” Ms Wundersitz said.
“So we’re saying have a look at what’s happening in other jurisdictions and apply the best of that to SA.”
Mr van Holst Pellekaan has been contacted for comment.
michelle.etheridge@news.com.au
