Mining exclusion zone fears emerge in planning changes - ABC Online

By Sam Burgess

Updated November 11, 2013 10:19:36

A residents' group says the Toowoomba Regional Council in southern Queensland should maintain buffer zones between small towns and resources projects.

In 2011, the former Bligh government proposed restrictions on mining within two kilometres of towns with 1,000 or more people.

However, the new Darling Downs Regional Plan has handed the power of deciding on exclusion zones to local councils.

Peter Faulkner from the Oakey Coal Action Alliance says he hopes the council listens to community concerns.

"I suppose there's no standard, which is of concern - they could definitely make a decision based on what council's going to stand to gain from it," he said.

He says towns such as Oakey could now be threatened by gas and coal developments.

"If it gets thrown to decision makers in council and they say they stand to gain financially from a mining proposal, they may adjust that buffer zone," he said.

The Toowoomba Regional Council says it is awaiting clarification on the new planning regime.

Topics: mining-environmental-issues, mining-rural, mining-industry, local-government, activism-and-lobbying, oakey-4401, toowoomba-4350

First posted November 11, 2013 10:18:23