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New groundwater laws have triggered mixed reactions from Queensland farmers and mining companies.
The Queensland Government has succeeded in passing laws to tighten groundwater licence requirements for mines, legislation which will require miners to get a water licence to extract groundwater.
Mining companies Adani and New Acland lobbied against the changes, saying they would lead to more delays and provide green groups with another avenue to hold up the projects in the courts.
The change means companies that had already undergone scrutiny through an environmental impact statement (EIS) and the Land Court would still require a water licence, but would not have to go through the public objection process.
That means Adani's proposed Carmichael Mine in the Galilee Basin would be exempt from public objection.
A spokesman for Adani said the decision was recognition that the company had already passed all scientific and legal examinations to ensure rigorous measures were in place to manage water impacts at its Carmichael coal mine.
They went on to say the amendment recognised the significant work Adani has already done to manage water impacts and avoids unintended and unnecessary duplication and further delay.
On the other side of the divide, a central Queensland landholder said he was disappointed the State Government had granted Adani the special exemptions.
Galilee Basin farmer, Bruce Currie, said he was disappointed the government watered down the laws.
"Agriculture is a sustainable industry and we are subsidising a sustainable industry," he said.
"We have to get water licenses, we have to pay for water, and we are giving these mining companies free water and the long-term destruction of our long term water supplies."
New Acland mine reactions
New Hope, the controlling company of the Acland mine at Oakey, will not be as lucky as Adani.
It will now have to face more public scrutiny and New Hope's managing director, Shane Stephan, said the new laws could delay the company's plans to expand its Acland mine by up to 12 months.
"The initial reaction is certainly disappointment that the ALP government didn't see that Acland stage three had already been through an extensive groundwater review process," he said.
"We have actually been in the Land Court so people have had their right to object."
Mr Stephan said he agreed with the strengthening of the effectiveness of environmental assessments for underground water by resource projects, but he was concerned about more delays for the Acland project.
"That puts at risk the jobs of over 300 employees and contractors and there's significant indirect jobs as well."
However, some farmers have welcomed the changes to the water law.
Stud owner Frank Ashman is the president of the Oakey Coal Action Alliance.
Mr Ashman's cattle stud is 8 kilometres from the New Acland Coal Mine, which will now have to apply for a water licence.
"What it enables to happen is that the groundwater assessments can go to another level of scrutiny," he said.
AgForce welcomes changes with reservations
AgForce Queensland has welcomed the amendments to the new laws, in particular the five-day cooling-off periods for make-good agreements with resources companies wanting to access properties.
Water spokesman, Kim Bremner said the main priority for rural producers was protecting access to water and the cooling off periods would strengthen their bargaining position.
"Certainly the five day cooling-off period is very important for those make good agreements," he said.
"It allows farmers to have that second chance to consider any negotiations they have made so, you know, mistakes aren't made."
However, he said more was needed to be done to provide greater certainty about water allocation processes into the future.
Topics: rural, government-and-politics, mining-environmental-issues, mining-rural, mackay-4740
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