Newman on mining

Mining proved to be a contentious issue at both the Warwick and Stanthorpe meetings last week during the Liberal National Party (LNP) Leader Campbell Newman’s visit.
About 200 people at the Stanthorpe dinner on Thursday and about 60 people at the Warwick lunch on Friday heard Mr Newman’s policy on mining and how this industry, along with agriculture, was extremely important to Queensland.
“There are some legitimate concerns that need to be addressed and quite frankly, there’s a lot of hysteria out there as well (in relation to mining),” he said.
“Frankly, if people are concerned about this, they need to read our Agricultural Strategy and our Coal Seam Gas Discussion Paper that we have released.
“We’re proposing a range of measures to address the balance (between mining and agriculture).
“Essentially, we’re saying it’s important that there are mineral products being extracted for all of Queensland but farmers need to be able to negotiate with a lot more strength.”
Mr Newman said it was also important that we preserved our prime agricultural land.
State Member for Southern Downs Lawrence Springborg said there were some areas where mining should not exist.
“We’ve got to make sure if these industries are developed they are developed with more appropriate restrictions,” Mr Springborg said.
“It’s a privilege to go on someone’s property to explore for minerals and we say it’s a privilege that should be done with the utmost respect to the landholder,” he said.
De-amalgamation, Cunningham’s Gap and the Eight Mile intersection were also raised as issues of concern in front of possibly Queensland’s next Premier.
Mr Springborg felt the lunch and dinner were the best way to give community representatives from different organisations an opportunity to hear from Mr Newman.