Amy Remeikis reports in the Brisbane Times (16.5.16) on the mining sector’s response to the state government’s new ‘clean-up’ laws, which force resources companies to foot the bill for environmental rehabilitation of mine sites.
‘Queensland’s Environment Minister has no regrets about introducing legislation designed to hold mining and resource companies, not taxpayers, responsible if a mine goes into administration.
‘The LNP has seized on the State of the Sector report from the Queensland Resources Council, which found just 13 per cent of mining bosses “backed Queensland as a better place to do business than other Australian states”.
‘LNP shadow treasurer Scott Emerson, who voted for the laws along with the rest of the LNP last month, after they were amended to take in the parliamentary committee’s recommendations, said the QRC report showed “investors are clearly looking to other states because of the poor regulatory environment under a Palaszczuk Labor government asleep at the wheel”.
‘But Steven Miles said the laws would be used responsibly – and save taxpayers.’
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