THE word ‘potential’ could be the difference between protection and pillage for Wandoan landholders recently served with notices to prove their land status.
Coal seam gas company QGC has applied to have the potential Strategic Cropping Land status removed from numerous deeds of land between Wandoan and Yuleba, which critics see as a deliberate act to ensure that resource projects are not under the higher environmental scrutiny required under the new Regional Planning Interests Act.
QGC’s application was made before the June 13 repeal of SCL legislation and its replacement with the new RPI Act, placing those affected under the jurisdiction of legislation described as having reduced rehabilitation requirements.
In addition, affected landholders were given only 21 days, until August 22, to mount their own case to remain on the “trigger maps” for Strategic Cropping Land.
The area affected covers 125,000ha and involves over 120 deeds of land as listed in the Chinchilla News public notices on July 31.
QGC would like to develop up to 400 new gas wells in the area, connected by gas and water lines to three new field compression stations and several storage ponds.
Chairman of the landholder advocate group Basin Sustainability Alliance, David Hamilton said the news was “yet another blow to people already at their wit’s end” dealing with CSG companies.
“The timing of this whole matter highlights again the way resource companies are behaving in an underhanded manner,” he said.
Besides being disillusioned with government and industry, they were shocked by the limited time they have to prepare a submission to protect their land, their lifestyle and their business, Mr Hamilton said.
“This means farmers will need to be engaging experts in soil characteristics and agronomy.
“Given the application covers over 125,000ha, it will be incredibly challenging for all the landholders to be accessing experts to cover such vast landholdings in such a short timeframe.”
A QGC spokesperson contacted for comment this week said the land that was the subject of the application was regarded as potential cropping land only.
“That is, it has not been decided whether it is or not.
“The law says that land that is unsuitable for cropping, or which has not routinely been cropped, is not strategic cropping land.
“That’s why we have lodged the application. We are following the process and timeframes set by government.”
Property Rights Australia vice president Dale Stiller said the area was highly productive, evidenced by the triple rows of silos at the entrance to Wandoan.
“It grew a lot of wheat right up to the 1980s but it’s one of the best cattle fattening areas in the state as well.
“When grain prices were the same as they were 20 years ago, people turned to cattle instead.”
He said that QGC was contesting the validity of SCL status on the grounds of land slope.
“Western cropping areas are supposed to be under 3 per cent.
“Even if you’re not able to do anything other than drive some steel pegs in the ground and take a photo, I urge everyone who received an application to do at least that.
“I urge people not to give up – having validation will give people more bargaining power for future negotiations, and I imagine it would have to add value to your land down the track.”
Sally Cripps
Journalist
Journalist
