Mining Industry Finds Fault with Queensland's Plan to Protect Land for Farming

By Joel ScanlonJun 19 2011

The Queensland government’s plan to save large parts of land for farming is unacceptable to the mining industry. A study which was commissioned by the Queensland Resources Council based on scientific and peer review evidence found that the criteria for the government’s strategic cropping land policy were not clearly defined.

The policy was made to protect the best farming land from mining development and scientists felt that the process used to develop and test the criteria was subjective. The thresholds set by the process actually risked destroying valuable farming land with inappropriate development. Also incorrectly identified land would be locked away from being developed.

The Chief Executive of the Queensland Resources Council, Michael Roche said that the review of the state government’s draft soil criteria was not reliable to call out the best cropping land. He added that the reliance on maps to illustrate similarities in climate and rainfall did not reflect on productivity variations in the regions.

However Environment Minister Kate Jones felt that he policy was based on solid scientific advice. She said that they had engaged some of Queensland's best soil scientists to do this work. The criteria was tested and validated against 128 soil samples from across these areas. She added that she had sat down with the QRC months ago and gone through the criteria and they had not presented any genuine technical issues to her.

Written by

Joel Scanlon

Joel relocated to Australia in 1995 from the United Kingdom and spent five years working in the mining industry as an exploration geotechnician. His role involved utilizing GIS mapping and CAD software. Upon transitioning to the North Coast of NSW, Australia, Joel embarked on a career as a graphic designer at a well-known consultancy firm. Subsequently, he established a successful web services business catering to companies across the eastern seaboard of Australia. It was during this time that he conceived and launched News-Medical.Net. Joel has been an integral part of AZoNetwork since its inception in 2000. Joel possesses a keen interest in exploring the boundaries of technology, comprehending its potential impact on society, and actively engaging with AI-driven solutions and advancements.

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APA
Scanlon, Joel. (2019, March 19). Mining Industry Finds Fault with Queensland's Plan to Protect Land for Farming. AZoMining. Retrieved on April 25, 2024 from https://www.azomining.com/News.aspx?newsID=4299.
MLA
Scanlon, Joel. "Mining Industry Finds Fault with Queensland's Plan to Protect Land for Farming". AZoMining. 25 April 2024. <https://www.azomining.com/News.aspx?newsID=4299>.
Chicago
Scanlon, Joel. "Mining Industry Finds Fault with Queensland's Plan to Protect Land for Farming". AZoMining. https://www.azomining.com/News.aspx?newsID=4299. (accessed April 25, 2024).
Harvard
Scanlon, Joel. 2019. Mining Industry Finds Fault with Queensland's Plan to Protect Land for Farming. AZoMining, viewed 25 April 2024, https://www.azomining.com/News.aspx?newsID=4299.