Calls for State Government to legislate approvals for New Acland labelled ‘appalling’

The Queensland Resources Council has been accused of ‘undertaking a brazen attack’ on the rule of law in Australia.

Environmental group Lock the Gate has labelled the Queensland Resource Council’s suggestion the State Government legislate approvals for the New Acland Coal Mine’s stage three expansion as “appalling”.

The High Court recently sent the mine’s stage three expansion back to the Land Court for reconsideration.

“The QRC is undertaking a brazen attack on the High Court in a bid to have the rule of law in Australia overturned to suit a single mining corporation,” Lock the Gate Alliance Queensland spokeswoman Ellie Smith said.

“The High Court ruled in the Acland Stage 3 case last week that local farmers had not been provided their ‘day in court’, underscoring that this was a crucial judgement about community objection rights in Queensland,” Ms Smith said.

QRC last week called on the State Government to provide certainty around the process required to approve the mine’s expansion.

QRC chief executive Ian Macfarlane asked for an assurance that if the mine’s application was returned to the Land Court, the court’s next ruling would not be further delayed by challenges and appeals by activists.

He pointed to former Premier Anna Bligh’s enactment of legislation in 2007 to allow for an expansion of Xstrata’s Wollombi coal mine as a precedent.

A directions hearing, where it is expected NAC and the Oakey Coal Action Alliance will argue over the scope of the fresh Land Court hearing, will take place on Thursday morning.

Without the Stage 3 expansion, New Acland will run out of coal by the end of the year, as it winds down operations.