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Mining can help agriculture: QRC wants Qld regional planning 'positive' re-focus
THE Queensland Resources Council (QRC) has called on the Queensland Government to adjust its regional planning approach to consider how mining can positively assist agriculture. QRC is producing case studies on how this is already occurring, with coal seam gas miners providing recycled water for irrigation in parts of Queensland.
A QRC submission has urged a Parliamentary Committee to recommend to the State Government that it refocus its Regional Interests Planning Bill on delivering growth for both agriculture and resources.
Appearing before the committee this week, QRC industry policy director Andrew Barger said the proposed Bill appeared to focus on the cost to agriculture of resource developments and not on potential benefits.
“How much more cotton could a region grow with a more reliable water supply?” Mr Barger said. “Resource projects have historically paid to build infrastructure like dams and water pipelines, with obvious spin-off benefits for agriculture.
“A perennial bugbear for agriculture is access to markets. Farmers long for better roads, rail links and connections to ports and airports. These are examples of investments made by resources projects that benefit a region’s economy.”
Mr Barger said QRC public opinion research showed consistently that Queenslanders expected agriculture and resources to co-exist as the primary drivers of regional economic activity.
“Our research also shows that despite understandable public support for farmers, it is conceded that agriculture alone is not sufficient to drive regional growth,” Mr Barger said.
"In other words, regional communities see co-existence as an important force for balancing the activity cycles that affect both industries.
“Queensland’s statutory regional plans could deliver on this promise, by refocusing on how to deliver growth in both agriculture and resources.”
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