Bundaberg farmers oppose proposed cooking coal mine

The QLD city of Bundaberg is known for its fresh produce but a proposed establishment of a coal mine in the area is causing concern.

Transcript

00:00 This is Mark Mason's slice of paradise.

00:06 He carefully tends to each tree, but he's worried the farm's future could be cut short

00:13 if his water security dried up.

00:16 If they take that water away from us and we're no longer able to use it, it jeopardises this

00:20 region's ability to be competitive to grow food for the nation.

00:26 Fox Resources has applied for a mineral development licence for a 7,800 hectare coking coal mine.

00:34 The prospect of a coal mine being allowed in a food bowl is just ridiculous.

00:40 The initial licence was rejected by the Resources Minister in 2022, the first to be turned down

00:47 by the current Queensland government.

00:49 But 18 months later, that decision was set aside by the Supreme Court.

00:56 This is a process that we know has been challenged through courts and is now being resubmitted

01:02 for a final decision.

01:03 The company says it won't disrupt water supply.

01:07 We're not going to have any impact on the aquifers or the underground water.

01:11 But the community isn't convinced.

01:14 This is prime agricultural land and we don't want that damaged by mining, so that's not

01:19 for our region.

01:20 But commodity experts say labour shortages, extreme weather and growing demand for steel

01:26 are driving up the price of metallurgical coal, incentivising companies to invest in

01:31 new mines.

01:33 If people think there's a cost of living crisis at the moment, you imagine taking away one

01:38 of the biggest food bowls within Australia.

01:41 For now, locals are wanting it ruled out.

01:45 To have a coal mine kilometres away is just disastrous for people.

01:49 So they are really anxious and they're very concerned.

01:52 [BLANK_AUDIO]