Safeguarding Agricultural Land and Water from mining

The world is facing the prospects of increasing food insecurity. A chorus of climate change scientists are predicting that there will be smaller average harvests around the world, predicting that some areas will become unfarmable.  High quality farming land is a finite, limited and precious resource.  Successive Governments have failed to protect it from greedy mining interests.

In 2008 Lee met with Gunnedah Basin farmers to inspect the
potential impact of BHP Billiton's Caroona coal exploration lease

Water supplies in our state's prime agricultural producing areas, such as Gunnedah basin and the Gloucester Valley, are threatened by the runaway expansion of the coal industry in NSW.  The evidence is already in that open cut and long wall coal mining causes lasting damage to aquifers and water catchment areas.  The Greens have been strong backers of the Caroona farmers in their fight to save the Liverpool Plains black soil farming lands.

Mining interests have won out over farming for decades under the current Labor and previous Coalition governments.  This Labor Government have been keen backers of the coal industry, at the expense of local communities, rivers and underground water resources and the environment.  Farming communities have been short changed with Ian Macdonald as the responsible Minister for agriculture because he also has the mining portfolio.

SIGN THE PETITION AGAINST MINING ON THE LIVERPOOL PLAINS:

The Caroona Coal Action Group has launched a petition against mining on the Liverpool Plains  to prevent damage to human health, to the future of agriculture and the protection of water courses and aquifiers in this fragile region. Click on this link to sign the petition.

Greens Bill to safeguard agriculture from mining

Greens MP and mining spokesperson Lee Rhiannon introduced into the NSW Parliament in May 2009 the Mining (Safeguarding Agricultural Land and Water From Mining) Amendment Bill 2009.  The bill sought to stop mining exploration and development, all mining but particularly coal, from encroaching on prime agricultural land.  It was defeated by Government MPs, the Shooters Party and Rev Fred Nile.  The campaign continues . . .

- Read Lee Rhiannon's second reading speech in parliament.
- See the Page 1 story (and page 5) in the Namoi Valley Independent newspaper, 20/5/09
- Read the text of the bill

The rally outside NSW Parliament House with Greens and farmers was a great success!    

See Bob Brown's Federal Senate Amendment:

Farmers get reprieve from coal miners under Greens Water Act amendment

News about the bill: