Media Release: SBCT Sat 20 Dec Fearing Major Corruption Scandal, LNP Tries To Bury New Acland Approval Announcement. Anxious to hide huge $700 000 donations, controversial coal mine expansion approval on Darling Downs announced on Friday before Christmas, at 6.13 pm. Activist Group SBCT said this morning that the LNP Government was running scared of major corruption allegations, following its attempt last night to bury the controversial approval announcement of New Hopes New Acland Stage 3 mine expansion on the Darling Downs. (See Qld Gov MR below) This is a supremely gutless act, said SBCT spokesperson John Gordon. The LNP are petrified that revelations of $700 000 in donations given to them by New Hope Coal in the lead-up to the EIS Submission Process would surface and damage them electorally. This kind of graft is unprecedented in Australian history, let alone in Queensland. It makes amounts revealed by ICAC in NSW look like childs play. They have waited until the very lowest ebb in the media cycle for 2014, to make the announcement. The Approvals/EIS system in Qld is totally corrupt. This pathetically sneaky New Acland announcement last night merely confirms this. It has been revealed - in black and white - that New Hope Coal donated $700k to the LNP in the critical leadup to the the EIS Submission process for New Acland Stage 3, he said. (see pics attached) In truth the mine expansion was a formality from the get go. Just as we predicted, the gutless wonders waited until the media was in Christmas hiatus to make the announcement. Jeff Seeney is mouthing off about job numbers like hes pulling rabbits from a hat. Just as he is doing for the Adani white elephant hes dragging Qld taxpayers into. But the truth is this company New Hope is stuffing up the prime agricultural land of the Darling Downs. Literally raping and pillaging the best farming land in the country. The cost benefits have been shown to be dodgy, at best. It is sheer stupidity, based on a lie. That lie being this enormous donation gifted to the LNP, that theyre so at pains to try and not mention. This is high stakes graft and corruption, said Gordon. Plain and simple. The LNP will pay dearly for their two-faced and arrogant actions. The Queensland Public can have no confidence in this New Acland Stage 3 decision. Its a con job of the highest order, hiding behind a sham EIS approvals process and pseudo decision making. It is a disgrace and a blot on our Democracy. -ends- Contact: SBCT 0400 499546 Media Release: SBCT Fri 12 Dec LNP Waiting For Broadcaster Alan Jones To Go On Christmas Break Before Announcing Controversial New Acland Stage 3 Approval. Fears Of Electoral Backlash Over New Hope Coal $700 000 Donation Scandal Activist Group SBCT has claimed today that the New Acland Stage 3 mine expansion approval on the Darling Downs is a done deal, but no announcement has been made because the LNP in Qld is anxious to avoid a public confrontation with Sydney radio broadcaster Alan Jones. Were hearing the LNP is scared witless of Jones, said SBCT Spokesman John Gordon. They are petrified he will stir up a public outcry about the $700 000 donations made by New Hope Coal to the LNP in the lead-up to the Stage 3 expansion EIS application, which would in turn seriously jeopardise their re-election prospects. Were quite certain the Qld Government, bizarrely enough, is waiting for him to take Christmas holidays before making the controversial announcement. Gordon said SBCT was convinced that Coordinator General Barry Broe had made the decision to allow the mine expansion a long time ago, but that the Government was waiting for a politically expedient time to make the announcement. Namely, when Jones goes on his Christmas break next week. Weve no reason to doubt it, says Gordon. This is standard cowardly procedure by Governments when announcing highly sensitive decisions. They wait until the media dead of night, eg over the Christmas break or while the Melbourne Cup is being run, to announce their dirty work as quietly as possible. The last thing they want is to talk about the gigantic $700 000 donations made in the critical lead-up period to the approval. Jones would crucify them over this if on air, so theyll wait him out. We are taking bets on a softly, softly Christmas Eve announcement, he said. Gordon said that New Acland Stage 3 has been shrouded in deep controversy from the get go. For starters, with this Stage 3 expansion, New Hope Coal is proposing to mine some of the best agricultural land in the world. Up to 10,000 hectares is earmarked for destruction. The LNP hoodwinked voters on the Darling Downs prior to the 2012 state election by promising the expansion would not go ahead if they were elected. Post the election the rhetoric changed.... to..ah ... they would not allow it to proceed in its current guise. New Hope Coal were subsequently invited to submit a revised EIS proposal. Everyone was gobsmacked. This new application turned out to be pretty much exactly the same mutton as the original, dressed up as young lamb. Then, most tellingly, it was revealed in May this year that New Hope Coal had donated a gigantic $700 000 to the LNP in the leadup to the EIS application. This put the LNP post election backflip into sharp perspective. Furthermore Parliamentary declarations showed that influential State LNP Ministers like Andrew Powell (Environment), Mark McArdle (Energy and Water) and even federal Ministers like Ian MacFarlane (Industry), had been dining high on the hog in a New Hope corporate box at the Rugby, again in the lead-up to the EIS application. (Include Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale in the mix and you get the picture - Ed) The so-called Donation revelations called into question the very foundations of the democratic process in Queensland. As in, how could the public have any faith in the objectivity of an approvals system that has so obviously been subject to the spectre of graft and corruption to this extent? These dollar numbers are unprecedented, added Gordon. Next thing, as if any icing on the cake was required, we find out from ICAC in NSW that New Hopes sister company, Brickworks, (both are subsidiaries of WH Soul Pattinson) has been involved in illegal donations to the LNP involving money laundering and the rest..... The Queensland Public can have no confidence in this New Acland Stage 3 decision. No matter when it is handed down. Its a con job of the highest order, hiding behind a sham EIS approvals process and pseudo decision making. It is a disgrace and a blot on our Democracy. -ends- ABC Lateline: Farmers accuse Queensland Government of favouring generous coal company abc.net.au/lateline/content/2014/s4001991.htm Qld Country Life queenslandcountrylife.au/news/agriculture/general/news/farmer-in-dark-on-eis-submissions/2719378.aspx?storypage=0 The real story behind ICAC, Peta Credlin and Brickworks businessspectator.au/article/2014/9/9/policy-politics/real-story-behind-icac-peta-credlin-and-brickworks Contact SBCT: 0400 499546 facebook/stopbrisbanecoaltrains Coat of Arms Media Release Deputy Premier, Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning The Honourable Jeff Seeney 700 new jobs a step closer for Darling Downs Hundreds of regional jobs could be created after Queensland’s independent Coordinator General approved the $900 million New Acland Coal Mine expansion near Oakey. Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jeff Seeney said the Coordinator General’s approval is subject to 137 strict conditions to manage the project’s impact. “Today’s decision from the Coordinator General is a significant step towards construction of this mine and great economic news for the Darling Downs and south-east Queensland,” Mr Seeney said. “This mine expansion is set to create over 250 jobs during construction and another 435 operational jobs, as well as providing business opportunities in the nearby towns of Dalby, Oakey, Pittsworth and others. “The reduced scope of this project in response to local concerns is a good example of a resource company working hard to achieve community confidence.” Mr Seeney said the Newman Government had not supported New Acland Coal’s original 2007 expansion plan due to its effect on high quality agricultural land and proximity to local townships. “However since 2012, the proponent has reduced the project’s footprint by around 60 per cent and has relinquished 1,401 hectares or 28% of the mining lease area, including the town of Acland,” he said. Other significant changes include: •Preserving the course of Lagoon Creek •Moving the Jondaryan rail load-out facility eight kilometres from the town •Moving mining activity 10 kilometres from Oakey •No relocation ofthe heritage-listed New Acland colliery •Reducing the impact on Strategic Cropping Land by around 2300 hectares •Reducing throughput from up to 10 million tonnes a year to a maximum of 7.5 million tonnes a year •reducing of the proposed mine life from 2042 to 2029. The Coordinator General has imposed strict conditions to protect land and groundwater, including baseline studies and ongoing monitoring of water bores. Other key conditions in the Coordinator-General’s report include: •The new rail load-out facility, located 8km away from the town of Jondaryan must transport all product from day one of operating the Stage 3 project – thereby replacing the existing Jondaryan rail load-out facility which is just 1km from the town. •Stringent noise and dust limits that require best practice, adaptive real-time dust and noise monitoring and management systems which alarms to notify if limits are close to being met, allowing for an immediate change in mine activities. •A new sealed road from Acland to Jondaryan. •Establishment of a flora and fauna conservation zone along the section of Lagoon Creek in the mining lease area, with a particular focus on improving koala habitat •Independent verification of the design and construction of the rail spur infrastructure to minimise any potential flooding impacts. The New Acland mine expansion will now be considered by the Commonwealth Minister for the Environment for approval under the EPBC Act. If approved, the proponents would then need to seek State Government approval for a mining lease under the Mineral Resources Act 1989 and an Environmental Authority under the Environmental Protection Act 1994. To view the Coordinator-General’s report or to find out more about the project visit dsdip.qld.gov.au/newacland [ENDS] 19 December 2014 Media Contact: Jane Paterson 0417 281 754
Posted on: Sat, 20 Dec 2014 14:07:02 +0000
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