$10 Million State Funding for Rockhampton Road Train Access

Bill Byrne, Member for Rockhampton, has recently confirmed that the Rockhampton Region is set to receive $10M in funding from the Queensland Government’s State Infrastructure Plan to support Stage 1 of the Rockhampton Road Train Access upgrade.[1]

Bill Byrne has commented that “with this commitment we will be able to see the upgrade of both intersections at Moores Creek Road and Mushgrave [sic] Street and Queen Elizabeth Drive and Lakes Creek Road (Bridge Street) intersection.”[2]

The completion of Stage 1 of the Rockhampton Road Train Access upgrade will enable road trains to easily navigate through Rockhampton to the abattoirs and “ultimately save the industry time and increase freight efficiency”.[3]

With an economic study of Rockhampton’s Road Train Access completed and a route identified, construction works are due to commence in the first half of 2017.[4]

While this State funding announcement is welcomed news and will bring many benefits to the Rockhampton Region and the local industries, Rees R & Sydney Jones understands that local homeowners and landowners may have concerns about the proposed route and how the future plans of the Rockhampton Beef Loop Road (also referred to as the Rockhampton Ring Road or Rockhampton By-Pass) may impact on their properties.

If you have any queries or if you are approached by a government department or receive a notification outlining that your land or property is going to be resumed or taken, please do not hesitate to contact our Rural, Mining and Gas Partner, Melanie Findlay on (07) 4927 6333. Melanie has local experience in resumption matters and is happy to assist you to understand the resumption process and your rights.

Melanie’s previous article on “Uncertainty over Rockhampton’s Beef Loop Road“, may also be of interest to you.

References

[1] Melanie Plane , ‘VIDEO: $10M Rockhampton road train access proposed route‘, The Morning Bulletin; Queensland Government, ‘ Palaszczuk Government’s vision for Fitzroy infrastructure released‘ (Media Release, 13 March 2016).

[2] Melanie Plane , ‘VIDEO: $10M Rockhampton road train access proposed route‘, The Morning Bulletin.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Frazer Pearce, ‘POLL: What do you think of the proposed road train route?‘, The Morning Bulletin.

The Carbon Market & Trading

Melanie Findlay and Emma Kime attended the AgForce February 2016 Member Meeting in Middlemount to discuss carbon emissions and the Emissions Reduction Fund.

Below is a brief summary of the presentation, the full presentation can be viewed here Carbon Market and Trading: Emissions Reduction Fund.

What is the Carbon Emissions Reduction Fund?

The Emissions Reduction Fund is a voluntary carbon offset scheme and part of Australia’s pledge to reduce emissions and create a competitive carbon market. See also The Landowner Lawyer’s discussion on the 2015 COP21 blog “What’s all this Paris stuff?”

Accredited Projects

• Beef Cattle Herd Management
• Feeding of supplements
• Avoided clearing of native regrowth

Beef Cattle Herd Management

Management practices that reduce emissions include establishing higher quality pasture, providing a feed supplement all year round and expanded watering points.

Feeding of supplements

This project requires urea lick blocks to be replaced with nitrate lick blocks and the use of the Beef Nitrates Calculator.

Avoided clearing of native regrowth

To be eligible for this project, the land must have native forest cover and have been cleared at least twice in the past.

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

CGT Withholding Regime may affect rural land sales

Rural Conveyancing just got even more difficult for our Rural and Agribusiness clients. From 1 July 2016, Vendors and Purchasers of rural land could be impacted by the new Tax and Superannuation Laws Amendment Bill 2015. 

The new Capital Gains Tax (CGT) Withholding Regime was intended to target foreign sellers of land, but rural land transfers are likely to be affected. The way the new regime will work is as follows:-

Generally, if a Vendor enters into an option or contract to transfer any land or lease of Australian land, the Purchaser will be required to withhold 10% of the purchase price from the settlement funds. This money is then paid to the ATO. The funds are taken on account for the Vendor’s potential CGT liability. The new CGT Withholding Regime will apply, unless there is an exemption.

Exemptions include land or leases with a market value of less than $2,000,000.00 or where a “Clearance Certificate” has been obtained. These days, rural properties are often sold for over $2,000,000.00. It is the Purchaser’s responsibility to make sure that the CGT is withheld and so there are changes in the wind for both Buyers and Sellers.

At this stage, it is a case of “watch this CGT space”, but be aware of the impending change.

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.

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/.

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*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>.

Solar Projects: The Prospecting Race & ARENA Funding

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.