The Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF) has welcomed the release of the Parliamentary report into the Mineral and Other Legislation Amendment (MOLA) Bill 2016 by the Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources Committee. The report includes recommendations to the Department of Natural Resources and Mines (DNRM) that will resolve the initial concerns QFF raised in its written submission and presentation to the Committee.
QFF’s Resource Policy Advisor, Georgina Davis, stated that QFF was pleased to see that the Committees report included recommendations on amendments of ‘an owner of adjoining land’ in the definition of ‘affected person’, clarifications around public notices and recommendations for plain English guidance documents.
“QFF welcomes the Committee’s recommendation that the Department clarify the definition of residence with regards to accommodation and infrastructure for non-resident workers as it is essential that such accommodation has the same protection as that of resident workers.”
“The Committee has asked the Department to clarify why the current definition of critical farm infrastructure excludes irrigation channels, drainage and laser-levelled land.”
“Assurances too have been sought to ensure that ‘legislative legacy’ is not the only rationale behind the prescribed 50m exclusion rule for selected critical farm infrastructure.”
“QFF had raised concerns over the definition of ‘permanent building’ calling for guarantees that is will be consistent and relevant with modern farm businesses and structures.”
“The methods utilised for high-intensity farm production such as nursery and horticulture are rapidly changing and the definition of ‘permanent buildings used as a business’ must encompass modern practices.”
“The growth of hydroponic enterprises across the intensive horticulture and production industries has resulted in an increasing number of ‘high technology structures’ utilising fully-automated environmental controls. These structures may not meet the definition of ‘permanent’, but they are not temporary and are not readily relocated without substantial cost and loss of production.”
“QFF is grateful to the Committee for the consideration of the issues raised and hopes to work with the Department into the future to facilitate the necessary protections for critical agricultural infrastructure.”
“It is essential that those in agricultural industries are afforded the same rights to protect their business assets from resource activities as other members of the community already possess.”
The Queensland Farmers’ Federation is the united voice of intensive agriculture in Queensland. It is a federation that represents the interests of 17 of Queensland’s peak rural industry organisations, which in turn collectively represent more than 13,000 primary producers across Queensland.