Graziers will keep on fighting coal mine

QUEENSLAND graziers Bruce and Annette Currie will continue to fight to save their groundwater following Tuesday’s recommendation by the Queensland Land Court not to refuse state approvals for GVK Hancock’s controversial Kevin’s Corner coal mine.

The decision comes as the Curries and other central Queensland farmers face a risk to their businesses if groundwater – vital to the future of their sustainable farming businesses – is taken away as a result of multiple coal mines pegged for the Galilee Basin, including Adani’s mega mine.

Mr Currie, who travelled to India in March to speak to local landholders about their dealings with Adani, said the decision reflected what every farmer already knew: the system failed to protect our water resources from mining.

“The Queensland Government has laid out the red carpet for miners like Adani, which recently received a licence for free and unlimited groundwater for 60 years,” he said.

“This comes on top of the government amending waters laws last year to exempt Adani from public appeals from farmers like myself.

“The system is rigged against us.”

In 2013 the Currie family objected to GVK Hancock’s application for Queensland Government approvals – a Mining Lease and Environmental Authority – on the basis that the mine threatened the groundwater which is vital to their cattle station, Speculation.

“My wife Annette and I took GVK Hancock to court to protect our groundwater which is essential to our grazing business,” Mr Currie said.

“We’ve been waiting for over a year-and-a-half for a decision on this mine.

“In the meantime, farming families in central Queensland like ours are now facing new threats to their groundwater from the Adani mega-coal mine.”