Thursday 25 February 2016

Senate Inquiry on Unconventional Gas Mining in Australia


What are your thoughts? What is your experience of the Unconventional Gas Industry?


In November 2015, the Senate established a Select Committee on Unconventional Gas Mining. The Committee is responsible for conducting a review and questioning “the adequacy of Australia’s legislative, regulatory and policy framework with respect to unconventional gas mining including coal seam gas (CSG) and shale gas mining”. 

The Committee is calling for landholders, community members and interested parties to make a submission by 14 March 2016. The Committee will then prepare and provide a final report to the Senate on or before 30 June 2016.

Your thoughts and what to submit


Submissions may be made with respect (but not limited) to the following:- 
  1. the social, health, environmental, agricultural and economic impacts of unconventional gas mining; 
  2. the current laws and regulatory frameworks and whether they protect your water resources and rights as a Landholder; 
  3. compensation and insurance agreements that you have with gas companies; 
  4. the current taxation agreements in relation to unconventional gas mining; and, 
  5. the establishment of a national approach to the conduct of unconventional gas mining. 

Making a Submission


If you plan to make a submission, we encourage you to include the following on your submission:- 
  1. Your contact details and whether you would like your submission to remain confidential or be made publicly available; 
  2. Who you are, what your connection to the unconventional gas mining is and why you are making a submission; and, 
  3. Your thoughts and any information that you have with reference to the above points and the Terms of Reference. 
To access the Terms of Reference, to gain additional information on the Senate Inquiry and Select Committee on Unconventional Gas Mining or to lodge your submission, please see:-http://www.aph.gov.au/Home/Parliamentary%20Business/Committees/Senate/Gasmining/Gasmining.

The Mining, Rural and Gas Team at Rees R & Sydney Jones are preparing a submission to the Select Committee on Unconventional Gas Mining. If you would like help in making your submission, we would be happy to assist. 

Please call Mining and Gas lawyer Melanie Findlay or one of our other Mining and Gas Lawyers at Rees R & Sydney Jones.

Wednesday 24 February 2016

Gates being left open?


This video showed up in our Landowner Lawyer's newsfeed and it was too good not to share - definitely, one way to make sure resource companies close your gates!

SIGN HERE: Petition to the Turnbull Government to Establish a Royal Commission into the Human Impact of CSG Mining


Senator for Queensland, Glen Lazarus is seeking public support to call on the Turnbull Government to establish a Royal Commission into the Human Impact of CSG mining.

In relation to coal seam gas mining (CSG) in Queensland, Senator Lazarus has expressed that "the resource sector is an important industry for Australia, but as a country, we can not allow the health of our people to be compromised" and that "all levels of Government have let the people of Australia down allowing the unfettered growth of an industry which is known to be harmful to the environment, human health, communities and ultimately our future."*

To show your support for establishing a Royal Commission, you may like to sign the petition at the following link:- https://www.change.org/p/the-abbott-government-establish-a-royal-commission-into-the-human-impact-of-csg-mining

For more information on Senator Lazarus's stance on CSG mining and what he is campaigning for, see the following link:- http://senatorlazarus.com/csg-inquiry/.



*Senator Glen Lazarus, 'Establish a Royal Commission into the Human Impact of CSG mining' <https://www.change.org/p/the-abbott-government-establish-a-royal-commission-into-the-human-impact-of-csg-mining>.

Friday 12 February 2016

Solar Projects: The Prospecting Race & ARENA Funding



Solar Projects Rees R & Sydney Jones

UPDATE: The Solar Race


The “solar prospecting race” is continuing to heat up with in Central Queensland. Farmers and landowners are being approached by solar and renewable energy companies interested in building large-scale solar farms on their land.

Solar Projects – On-farm Income


Solar projects and farms are an opportunity for farmers and landowners to earn a different form of “on-farm” income. In addition to directly benefiting the farmers and landowners, solar projects and farms can have a wider impact on rural communities in Queensland. These projects offer a relatively reliable energy source and create job opportunities during the construction of the solar farm.

Australian Renewable Energy Agency


The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has recently announced that 10 large-scale solar projects in Queensland have been selected to proceed from the proposal stage to the full application stage. The projects selected are able to bid to secure Federal Government funding. A full list of these solar projects can be found on the ARENA website.

The Federal Environment Minister, Greg Hunt has said “the shortlisted proposals were chosen from a very strong field, demonstrating Australia is ready to invest in utility-scale renewable energy options suited to the 21st century”.

If Federal Government funding is received by solar and renewable energy companies, we are set to see large-scale solar projects located in Dalby, Proserpine, Oakey, Hughenden, Longreach, Baralaba and Ipswich.

If you have been approached by a solar or renewable energy company or have questions about the potential opportunities, including the use of your property for clean energy or renewable projects, our Rural, Mining and Gas Agribusiness Team can help.

Please contact either Melanie Findlay or Emma Kime of Rees R & Sydney Jones for further information. 

You may also be interested in reading other articles written by Melanie Findlay such as Solar Farm Opportunities for Landowners.