New laws on mining objections 'hacking at safety net'
Queensland communities could find it harder to challenge new mining projects under proposed laws that would restrict who can object to a mine and give politicians greater control over whether objections are heard in court.
Resources Minister Dale Last introduced the Mineral Resources Objections Reform and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026 on Tuesday, arguing the changes would cut red tape and stop "vexatious" objections from holding up projects.
Dale Last says the bill will put a stop to "vexatious claims". (ABC Rural: Brandon Long)
But farmers, environmental groups and lawyers said the reforms would instead make it harder for communities to have their say and weaken independent scrutiny of mines.
Under the proposed laws, objections would generally be restricted to landholders directly affected by a project and others living within 125 kilometres of a proposed mine.
Automatic referrals of objections to the Land Court would also disappear, with decisions about whether an objection went to court instead made through "a ministerial referral process".
'Benefit from an open process'
Barrister and University of Queensland adjunct professor Chris McGrath said the changes would undermine the approvals system.
"This is another step of this current government in really hacking at the safety net of laws that protect Queenslanders from bad development," Dr McGrath said.
"We all benefit from an open process with independent review, and they're really blowing holes in that process."
Under the proposed laws, objections would generally be restricted to landholders directly affected by a project and others living within 125 kilometres of a proposed mine. (Supplied: Ernest Henry)
Dr McGrath said the proposed 125km limit failed to recognise that the effects of a mine could travel far beyond its immediate footprint.
But mining industry group Queensland Resources Council chief executive Janette Hewson argued the 125km limit is an "arbitrary number".
She said the government uses different radii for different impacts like groundwater and air emissions.
"We think that it should be more of a sliding scale that's actually based on science and data."
Janette Hewson says people are fighting approvals on ideologies "really not relevant" to the issue. (Supplied: Queensland Resources Council)
Dr McGrath said the reforms could also restrict the ability of incorporated community groups to bring objections to the Land Court.
He said those groups had played an important role in protecting landholders during the long-running New Acland mine expansion battle on Queensland's Darling Downs.
He represented landowners involved with the Oakey Coal Action Alliance (OCAA), which challenged the expansion that was later approved.
Dr McGrath said incorporated groups such as OCAA could also provide landholders with protection against potentially significant legal costs.
OCAA president and Brymaroo dairy farmer David Vonhoff, who lives 6km from the mine, described the proposed changes as "very disturbing".
"The mining people … dictate terms to the government and the government's just listening to them and not listening to the people that are producing the food on the land," he said.
Mr Vonhoff questioned why people who lived further away should be excluded from the process if they had legitimate concerns about a project.
Mr Last said the bill would streamline the objections process without reducing environmental protections.
"[It's] to deliver a more efficient and targeted framework for objections to mining lease applications while putting a stop to those who lob vexatious claims and intentionally use this process to frustrate or delay project approvals," the minister said.
He said the existing system had left projects such as New Acland without certainty for almost 15 years.
Dale Last says the bill will streamline processes without reducing environmental protections. (Supplied: Arlie Felton-Taylor)
Ms Hewson said for the mining industry this was about cutting duplicated red tape.
"It's not about taking people's rights away," she said.
Ms Hewson said they are also seeing activists fighting approvals on ideologies "really not relevant" to the issue.
"Where objections are made … about a project simply for ideological reasons such as climate change."
The bill is the latest in a series of changes by the government aimed at accelerating resource and major-project approvals.
In June, the government launched a review of Queensland's mining rehabilitation financial safeguards.
Then in August, parliament passed critical-minerals laws giving the government new powers to fast-track projects declared "state strategic".
The government has also shown it can retreat from proposed changes, abandoning plans to remove a key approval protecting farmland and groundwater.
The new mining objections bill will now be debated by Queensland parliament.
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