THE Bligh Government says it has moved to protect the State's most important food growing land.
However, the proposed plan falls well short of banning mining of prime agricultural land, which make up only 2.2 percent of Queensland's land mass.
Instead, miners, property developers and others who permanently alienate the land, or reduce its productivity, will be required to pass a so-called 'public-interest test'. The other option requires miners to show they can fully restore land to previous production capacity.
The new framework is not just about addressing land-use competition between mining and agriculture on the Darling Downs but is a "comprehensive, statewide approach that will ensure Queensland's best cropping land resources are given the same consideration against all types of development that may permanently alienate the land resource".
An embargoed media release promoting the discussion paper was supplied to Queensland Country Life on Tuesday afternoon. QCL was requested not to seek comment from other sources before Thursday as an announcement on the paper was expected on Wednesday in the Queensland Parliament.
The discussion paper is available at www.dip.qld.gov.au /croppingland and will be open to public submissions until March 12.
The discussion paper was not available when QCL went to press.
In the media release, Infrastructure and Planning Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the discussion paper was designed to conserve and manage key food producing land for the long term.
"The proposed new framework will provide increased clarity for agricultural, mining and urban sectors regarding the government's expectations for strategic cropping land,'' Mr Hinchliffe said.
"This will reduce uncertainty for investors and support sustainable industry growth. The proposed framework ensures mining, urban or other development that permanently alienates the land, or reduces its productivity, cannot occur unless it is overwhelmingly in the public interest."
Primary Industries Minister Tim Mulherin said a key component of the framework would be the identification of strategic cropping land. The discussion paper and resulting feedback would help identify land areas with the best soil, climate, water supply (rainfall and/or irrigation) and infrastructure that supports cropping well into the future.
"Clear identification of these areas will signal to potential developers that there will be a higher set of expectations from the Queensland Government for avoiding impacts on the agricultural land resources in these areas," he said.
"While Queensland has a large area of agricultural land, due to poor soils and climatic conditions, most of it is suitable only for grazing. Only 3.8 million hectares, or 2.2pc, of the state is currently used for growing crops for domestic consumption and export.
"Not only is cropping land scarce, the soils that make it productive are a finite resource that have taken millions of years to develop. If we allow these soils to be destroyed by urban development and open-cut mines, for example, we will effectively be reducing our capacity to grow crops into the future".
Mr Mulherin said the protection of Queensland cropping lands was vital to the State's economy and positioned Queensland for any future global concerns about food security.
"Cropping land and the industries it supports are a key component of the Queensland agriculture and agri-food system, which in 2006-07 generated $22.7 billion dollars (about 12pc of the Gross State Product), and supported one in eight Queensland jobs," he said.
"The United Nations estimates global food production will need to increase by 50pc by 2030 and double by 2050 to meet demand.
"And yet the UN estimates up to 25pc of global food production could be lost by 2050 due to climate change, loss of agricultural land and water scarcity."
"It is therefore critical that our strategic cropping lands are safeguarded from incompatible development."
Natural Resources, Mines and Energy Minister Stephen Robertson said it was important mining and agriculture were able to co-exist.
"In order for these sectors to achieve co-existence we must have policy and planning tools in place that manage potential land use conflict and provide mutually beneficial outcomes to both sectors," Mr Robertson said.
"An important part of the proposal includes examining opportunities to change the resources legislative framework, particularly the Mineral Resources Act 1989 and Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Act 1994 to enable consideration of strategic cropping land in the tenure assessment and grant process."
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