Government's Land Access Bill delivers hefty concessions for mining industry

"The NSW government has used the Land Access Bill to grant concessions to the mining industry well beyond the scope of the Supreme Court decision the bill overturns," said Ms Rhiannon.

"The government's Land Access Bill has removed certainty for landholders to negotiate land access arrangements with mining exploration companies.

"Only a portion of this bill relates directly to the Supreme Court decision the government falsely claimed it needed to address.

"The government used this bill as cover to deliver huge gains to its mining mates, skewing land access laws heavily in favour of the mining industry.

"Bowing to pressure from the NSW Minerals Council, the government amended its own legislation to give mining companies a further 60 days to continue exploring on land after a new landholder has objected to an access arrangement.

"The government's bill was drafted in haste last month following the Supreme Court decision against BHP Billiton, and the many amendments moved have created considerable confusion.

"The government refused to support an amendment to uphold the Supreme Court decision that recognised the rights of the Caroona farmers to deny BHP Billiton access to their property.

"The Greens moved amendments to ensure that any standard access arrangements would provide for best practice prospecting, environmental protection and rehabilitation procedures. The government and the opposition voted together to defeat the Greens amendments.

"The Greens voted against the government bill in order to retain the current law where an access arrangement ceases when a property is sold.

"The Nationals and the NSW Farmers Association negotiated away landholder's rights to deny a mining company access to their property if they breach their access agreement.

"There is no balance in this bill, it is all the mining industry's way," said Ms Rhiannon.

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