RSS feedSafeguarding Agricultural Land and Water from mining
Greens MP and mining spokesperson Lee Rhiannon has a new Greens bill to protect prime agricultural land and water in NSW from damage cause by mining and exploration – the Mining (Safeguarding Agricultural Land and Water From Mining) Amendment Bill 2009.
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.
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:
Govt must act to protect Gunnedah Basin food bowl from gas mining expansion
Media release: Speaking at a community meeting at 10am Friday 17th July 2009 in Mullaley on the Liverpool Plains, Greens MP and mining spokesperson Lee Rhiannon will call for an end to coal seam gas exploration and extraction on the best food-producing land in the Gunnedah Basin.
China Shenhua land buy up suggests govt nod to mining
Greens MP Lee Rhiannon, 17 June 2009 - Media Release: Greens MP and mining spokesperson Lee Rhiannon says news that China's biggest coal mining company, China Shenhua Energy, is purchasing prime agricultural land in the Watermark area where it has exploration rights suggests it is confident that approval will be granted for its mining venture to go ahead.
Hansard of Lee's 2R speech
Lee Rhiannon gave the following speech in NSW Parliament on 14/5/2009 for the Greens new bill - Mining Amendment (Safeguarding agricultural land and water from mining) Bill 2009.
Greens move to protect prime farmland from mining
Greens MP and mining spokesperson Lee Rhiannon has kicked off debate in the NSW parliament on the Greens bill to stop mining on prime farmland in NSW and protect precious water resources and food production.
Safeguarding Agricultural Land and Water from mining
Greens MP and mining spokesperson Lee Rhiannon is set to introduce a Greens bill into the NSW Parliament to protect prime agricultural land and water in NSW from damage cause by mining and exploration – the Mining (Safeguarding Agricultural Land and Water From Mining) Amendment Bill 2009.
Agricultural land before mining interests – Macdonald should stand up for Caroona farmers
Greens MP and mining spokesperson has called on Mining and Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald to back the Caroona farmers in their fight to save the Liverpool Plains black soil farming lands. (Sydney Morning Herald 13 April 2009, page 3)
Jackpots all round for NSW mining industry
NSW Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald is standing by the poker machine waiting to pull a jackpot for the coal mining industry. But who will get the prizes? Currently on offer to foreign and local mining companies are 13 coal exploration licences, writes Alex Mitchell in 'Crickey', 3 Feb 2009
Mining and water forum resolution
In August 2008 Lee Rhiannon held a Mining and Water Forum in Orange NSW. The meeting resolution focussed on the impact of mining on water in the Murray-Darling basin.
BHP Billiton $16 billion profit: time to drop Gunnedah coal plans, no need to further boost sales
Greens MP and mining spokesperson Lee Rhiannon has called on BHP Billiton to scrap plans to mine in the rich agricultural Gunnedah Plain region following news of the company’s record $16.68 billion profit for the last financial year.
Front page Greens Mining bill story
On 20 May 2009 The Namoi Valley Independent newspaper ran the Greens No New Coal campaign banner and our private members bill as a Page 1 story.
