Vol. No. Vol. 2718No. 3327
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BY LAUREN HENRY
unmunkle Land Protection Group will look to form a political party ahead of next year’s state election, in a bid to stand up for farmers’ opposition to mining projects on agricultural land.
DLPG has joined an alliance with MineFree Wimmera Farms and Wimmera Mallee Environmental and Agricultural Protection Association, aiming to better engage the wider region about issues relating to mineral sands and renewable projects. The alliance, consisting mostly of Wimmera farmers, is concerned about the processes undertaken by Astron Limited and WIM Resources, particularly relating to land access and the regulation of mining practices – including monitoring radioactive dust and water use. Astron Limited is responsible for the Donald Mineral Sands Project, near Minyip, while WIM Resources is planning Avonbank mineral sands mine at Dooen. The State Government has approved each projects’ Environmental Effects Statement, but further regulatory approvals are required. DLPG president Andrew Weidemann said the alliance would look at what support it could offer Nationals Member for Mallee Anne Webster, a strong supporter of the farmers’ opposition against mines, renewables projects and transmission lines, ahead of the upcoming federal election. He said the lack of voice from the Victorian Nationals about mining on agricultural land was an issue raised at every farmers’ meetings he had attended in recent times. “We will be supporting the parties that support us in the federal election, and that’ll be-
come quite prominent fairly soon,” he said. “We’re also turning our heads towards the state election, and frankly the talent in the Coalition is pretty bare at the moment, and so they’ll be needing to find some key people to stand up in the Coalition to actually prosecute the case for legislation in Victoria.” Mr Weidemann said the group last week met with State Government officials including heads of departments from the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action and Resources Victoria, and a representative from Premier Jacinta Allan’s office. “I feel our meeting actually was quite fruitful in terms of having a dialogue that hasn’t been opened up with the landowners from the get-go,” he said. “I think the department heads are all going to come up (to the region) and actually get their feet on the ground and talk to farmers, talk to families and understand what they’re doing, because they’re not totally convinced by the conversation we had that this is the right course for Victoria, particularly in highly productive areas. “So there will be a lot of scrutiny on any mining that might take place in the near term.” Mr Weidemann said there was also discussion at the meeting about the legislative framework in Victoria in terms of mining companies’ rights to use agricultural land. “When you weigh all of this out, in the short term, yes there might be some gain, but in the long term, you lose, in terms of the money that comes into the economy,” he said. Continued page 5
WATER ON: Warracknabeal’s Ben Wright was one of about 40 CFA competitors in Saturday’s fire brigades’ demonstration at Warracknabeal. A traditional event that tests modern firefighting skills, participants raced in three divisions of marshalling, hydrant, ladder, reel and disc events. Fire brigade members from Horsham, Hamilton and Warracknabeal competed in junior and senior events, in the lead-up to the state championships at Mooroopna. Horsham will host a demonstration on Saturday at Park Drive, where people are welcome to spectate. More pictures, page 38. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
IN THIS ISSUE • Horsham crossings removed • Farmers ready for TCV fight • Edenhope Cup returns Phone: 03 5382 1351 Read it online: www.theweeklyadvertiser.com.au
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