The Queensland Resources Council has raised concerns about further red tape stymying industry as a result of changes under the Environmental Protection and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2020.

The QRC today appeared before the committee reviewing the legislation and urged it to recommend the State Government clarify aspects, particularly the qualifications and role of the Rehabilitation Commissioner it proposes to establish.

At a time when the resources sector needed a government that was willing to publicly back the sector, it was instead getting more uncertainty and rushed legislation, QRC chief executive Ian Macfarlane said.

Poor consultation surrounding this Bill had left a number of questions about its cost and impact on the industry unanswered and the government needed to provide more details on the proposal for a Rehabilitation Commissioner, Mr Macfarlane said.

“The Government’s legislation doesn’t give the industry confidence that the Rehabilitation Commissioner will have sound knowledge and experience in how the mining sector operates, and hence rehabilitates, across different commodities and having regard to different technical considerations,” he said.

“QRC simply requests that the Bill include appropriate qualifications for the Rehabilitation Commissioner like other similar statutory roles.”

The Government plans to commit $8 million for the Rehabilitation Commissioner role through to 2025.

Mr Macfarlane said the legislation also did not provide sufficient confidentiality safeguards for the mining sector relating to the information that may be requested by, and shared with, the Rehabilitation Commissioner and supporting staff.