Bruce Scott (Maranoa, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

The incorporated speech read as follows—

I rise tonight to talk about my experience on Friday, when I attended the Queensland Mining Summit held by Queensland Deputy Premier Paul Lucas in Dalby, in my electorate of Maranoa.

Farmers in my electorate are understandably concerned with the aggressive attitude taken by the Queensland Government in its quest to fill its coffers with money from mining royalties. Farmers are crying out for the Government to see that they are sacrificing our prime agricultural lands and the future security of our clean, green local food sources in favour of coal and gas.

For a long time these cries fell on deaf ears but the forum on Friday gave me some hope that the Labor Government is finally listening and may do what our farmers have been calling on the government to do for months now, and that is amend the legislation to ensure our prime arable farming lands are protected from mining.

Of course, I am very disappointed that the Minister for Mines and Energy, Geoff Wilson did not attend and it certainly sent the wrong message to local growers. However, aside from the Mines Minister’s obvious lack of interest in the plight of our farmers, I am giving the Deputy Premier and the Premier the benefit of the doubt and I hope that they realise that the future of Queensland’s rich farm lands lies in their hands.

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