Original story by Brad Ryan, ABC News
The Queensland Government and Opposition have accused each other of allowing “dirty deals” to dictate mining policy on North Stradbroke Island, off Brisbane.
Sandmining on Stradbroke Island. A bill has paved the way for the company Sibelco to extend sand mining on the island from 2019 until 2035. Photo: Giulio Saggin, ABC News
A bill passed overnight paves the way for the company Sibelco to extend sand mining on the island from 2019 until 2035.
Opposition environment spokeswoman Jackie Trad told Parliament the State Government has given preferential treatment to one of its supporters.
“The environmental conditions and the economic modelling used to justify the introduction of this bill have all been provided by the mining proponent Sibelco, who incidentally spent more than $90,000 at the last state election advocating a vote for [Premier] Campbell Newman,” she said.
But Natural Resources Minister Andrew Cripps says there is nothing improper about the policy, which was an election commitment.
Mr Cripps says the island’s economy would suffer under the former Labor government’s plan to end sand mining in 2019.
“It is not this amendment bill that is the result of a dirty deal,” he said.
“It was the 2011 Act that was a dirty deal between Labor and the Greens.
“Not only is this bill fixing up the mess left behind by Labor, but in the process it ensures that mining continues within a smaller footprint.”
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