Buying a Rural Property with a CCA

Energy, Environment & Agribusiness Solicitor, Emma Kime tells us how important it is to ask the right questions when Buying a Rural Property with a CCA.

Emma can be contacted at Rees R & Sydney Jones Solicitors on (07) 4927 6333 or at enquire@reesjones.com.au.

Conduct and Compensation Agreements

Energy, Environment & Agribusiness Solicitor, Amy Gudmann talks about the standard
Conduct and Compensation Agreement.


Amy can be contacted at Rees R & Sydney Jones Solicitors on (07) 4927 6333 or at enquire@reesjones.com.au.

Rookwood & Eden Bann Weir Update

Melanie Findlay will be speaking at two AgForce Events on Thursday 23 June.

1. Duaringa Golf Club at 10am
2. Alton Downs Hall at 3pm

Other speakers include Geraldine Squires from the Lower Fitzroy River Infrastructure Project Team and Ralph Woolley from the Gladstone Area Water Board.

RSVP to Sharon Howard by email to howards@agforceqld.org.au

Mining Lease Application Notices as at 26 May 2016

Each week, our Landowner Lawyer shares the Queensland Government Mining Lease Application Notices.

Details of current mining lease applications: Mining Notices as at 26 May 2016.

According to Queensland law, anyone can object to a mining lease application or current environmental authority application for a mining lease. The objection period is a minimum of 20 business days. Make sure your objection is lodged by 4.30 pm on the last day of objections.

If you believe you are affected by a mining lease application or if you would like further information, please contact our Energy, Environment & Agribusiness team on 07 4927 6333 or at enquire@reesjones.com.au.

AgForce Qld - Employers Toolbox

Mitigating Workplace Risk

Rees R & Sydney Jones Partner, Justin Houlihan recently spoke at an Emerald Agricultural College information session on Mitigating Workplace Risk in a Rural Environment.

Some of the commonly encountered issues he discussed were:

• No Workplace Health & Safety Policy and Safety Management System in place. If it is in place, it is either limited and lacking in detail or not enforced or followed.
• Equipment, vehicles and machinery are unsafe or defective due to lack of maintenance, modification or age.
• Worker isn’t competent to operate equipment or machinery due to a lack of training or no competency assessment.
• No personal protective equipment provided or the wearing of personal protective equipment wasn’t enforced.
• No induction.
• Inadequate training and/or supervision.
• Lack of records and reporting.

Many of the attendees expressed an interest in obtaining resources that would help them meet their workplace health and safety obligations.

AgForce Queensland has answered the call by producing an Employers Toolbox. This toolbox provides rural employers with information and the templates to assist in meeting their obligations under industrial relations (Fairwork), human resources and work health and safety legislation.

Arrow Update February 2016

Melanie Findlay and Emma Kime from our Energy, Environment & Agribusiness team attended the AgForce February 2016 Member Meeting in Middlemount to discuss the current position of the Arrow pipeline.

Below is a brief summary of the presentation. The full presentation can be view here, Arrow Update.

Arrow Bowen Pipeline Project

The gas project initially comprised of:

• LNG plant Gladstone
• Bowen Gas Project
• ABP (pipeline from Bowen)
• Surat Gas Project
• ASP (pipeline from the Surat)

Additional articles written by our team on the project are “Strategic Cropping Land Declarations at Risk” and “What is a a Pipeline??”

What Now?

Arrow is joint venture of Shell and PetroChina.

December 2015 – the project has been delayed/shelved as gas and oil prices continue to lower.

Shell has recently sold off natural gas and shale assets in Northern America and walked away from the Alaskan Artic project worth $7B.

Energy is an Evolving Industry

The change in attitude towards coal fired power is seeing the closure of coal mines both overseas and in Australia. New technology is bringing down the costs of solar. Renewable energy is definitely an area to watch.

Our Energy, Environment & Agribusiness Partner, Melanie Findlay can be contacted on 07 4927 6333 or enquire@reesjones.com.au.

What is Groundwater?

Did you know that groundwater makes up 98% of the liquid freshwater on the planet? 

L-R Linda Munns, Emma Kime, Amy Gudmann

Last week, Emma Kime along with Amy Gudmann and Linda Munns of our Mining, Gas and Rural Team attended Capricornia Catchment's Getting to know your Groundwater Workshop held in Rockhampton. 

Emma said that "this workshop was a fantastic local event that was able to bring interested members of the community together to gain an understanding of groundwater and the extraction process, the local geology and the impacts of coal and coal seam gas developments on water resources."

Many of our client's have concerns about whether they are entitled to enter into a Make Good Agreement with mining and resource companies and how coal and coal seam gas developments may impact their water resources and bores. As a result, Emma enjoyed learning first-hand how graziers and landowners can be proactive in monitoring water levels and measuring the quality of their bores on an ongoing basis to collate data that may then be used as part of a Baseline Assessment. 

Emma also enjoyed connecting with local community members and hearing the concerns that locals have with their bores and why they choose to attend the Getting to know your Groundwater Workshop.

If you would like to discuss how the Mining, Gas and Rural Team can assist you with any concerns that you may have about your bore or whether you are entitled to enter into a Make Good Agreement, please do not hesitate to contact us on (07) 4927 6333 or enquire@reesjones.com.au.