Queensland government objects to mining objections

Sometimes a political news story satirises itself.

An ABC piece by Jake Sturmer about the Queensland government’s attitude to mining objections is a case in point.

Rather than re-work this article for satirical ends, we thought we’d just quote from it and add some of our own observations.

Move to limit ideological objections to Qld mining projects

The Queensland Government is looking to restrict who can object to mining applications, in a bid to crack down on what it calls philosophical opposition to projects.

(As opposed to the Labor opposition – which has no philosophy and has already been cracked down upon.)

Currently any group or person can object to applications, potentially sending the decision to the Land Court.

(What??? Anyone can object? As in ordinary people not in the LNP???)

Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney said it was “frustrating” for the Government.

“It’s obvious that the current process allows individuals or groups who are fundamentally opposed to the coal industry – for whatever reason – to use the objection process to frustrate and delay those projects,” he said.

(How frustrating. It’s obvious that Queensland needs a mining objection process where people cannot frustrate or delay projects. Or object to mining.)

“The people of Queensland have elected us as a Government based on developing our coal industry to supply the world markets and our processes need to allow us to do that.”

(You remember seeing that question on the ballot paper, don’t you?)

In the next few weeks, the State Government will release a discussion paper looking at who can object to applications.

“What we’re looking at is a process that will have an assessment process that is relative to the risk the project poses,” Mr Seeney said.

(Good. A process with a process. Whatever that means.)

“So for the really big projects I think it should be open to almost anyone, but for the smaller projects and for the lesser approvals … there is a much different requirement.”

Mr Seeney declined to spell out the definition of a big project.

(Of course not.)

To read the full ABC article, click HERE.

Keep up the fine work, Mr Seeney.

And shame on you, Queenslanders, for undermining mining in the state!

Like Jeff Seeney, The Tunnel are satirists from Queensland. For our latest stories, click HERE.

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