Darling Downs farmers used more than 70 tractors to spell out ‘NO GAS’ on the fertile black soils of Cecil Plains this week, sending a powerful message to the Queensland Government to strengthen protections for the region’s prime agricultural land and water.
More than 100 farmers attended Save Our Darling Downs’ (SODDS) action at Cecil Plains on Wednesday, urging the Queensland Government to honour its pre-election commitment to better protect the Condamine Alluvium and its overlying food bowl from coal seam gas expansion.
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SODDS spokesperson Liza Balmain said, “Our farms feed and clothe Queensland, the nation and beyond. If gas companies continue to encroach in this region unchecked, it will come at a devastating hit to Queensland’s long-term food and water security.
“The current laws intended to protect our state’s limited priority agricultural areas are flawed with exemption loopholes. Before the election, the LNP promised to fix this. In March, we were shocked when they proposed to do the opposite—scrapping existing protections rather than strengthening them.
“Thankfully, a Parliamentary Committee process has listened to our concerns and recommended keeping existing protections intact.
“We call on the Queensland Government to not only adopt the Committee recommendations, but to fulfil the pre-election promise by Condamine MP Pat Weir to ensure that all gas drilling over the Condamine Alluvium undergoes a full Regional Interests Development Approval (RIDA) assessment process.
“We are also calling on the Crisafulli Government to establish a much-needed subsidence management framework, ensuring impacted landholders are justly compensated without the onus of proof falling on their shoulders.”
Farmer Stuart Armitage, on whose property the action took place, said, “It’s been a rollercoaster few months for Darling Downs farmers, with the government threatening to strip away groundwater protections without consulting us.
“It’s not easy fighting a billion-dollar gas export industry, but today’s turnout was a powerful reminder that our community is united and strong. We are determined to protect this land and our agricultural industry for generations to come.
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“We won’t back down until the Queensland Government has committed to better laws that protect our land, water, food security and livelihoods.”
