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 QGC settles with Stillers 

QGC settles with Stillers

03 Sep, 2011 04:00 AM
QUEENSLAND Gas Company (QGC) has reached a settlement with Guluguba producer, Neville Stiller, following months of failed negotiations.

Details of the compensation package will remain private, with both parties signing a confidentiality agreement.

However, the disputed 600-man accommodation camp will be allowed to be occupied and operated by QGC, as the company had initially planned.

Mr Stiller told Queensland Country Life he was unable to make any comment on the outcome.

Mr Stiller has spent the past two months in court-ordered mediation with QGC, after failed private negotiations between the landholder and the gas company, which resulted in the initial court action.

The mediation was ordered during the first hearing of the Queensland Planning and Environment Court at Maroochydore in June after Mr Stiller instigated legal proceedings.

The settlement outcome was reached at a mediated meeting late last week.

Queensland Country Life first reported in March that QGC had breached its own code of conduct rules by constructing a 600-man accommodation camp less than 200m from Mr Stiller's property at Upper Downfall Creek Road, without any discussion with Mr Stiller.

QGC had stated they would negotiate with landholders within a 400m radius.

Mr Stiller had complained the constant noise and dust from the project construction was disruptive to both himself and his wife.

QGC has continued to construct the accommodation camp during the negotiation period.

QGC vice president corporate, Brett Smith, said the agreement was a "constructive outcome for both parties".

"We'd have preferred we had not gone that way, but we were not lily-white in this matter," he said.

"At the end of the day it is good we've been able to reach an agreement."

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Date: Newest first | Oldest first
So what does this show?

That the Gas industry will continue to ignore guidelines and do what ever it likes knowing it can buy it's way out of the mess and silence those effected with secrecy contracts.

If they broke the rules the State must step in and stop the breach, and direct them to remove the works to the correct distance along with punative penalties. But NO the State have stood silently aside allowing QCG a branch of the Government to continue and set a dreadfull example to all the other Gas companies on what is the acceptable behavour in this Gas rush.

This is disgracefull.

Posted by Liesandmorelies, 3/09/2011 11:11:18 AM, on Queensland Country Life
Ahem. Court ordered mediation.

People need to understand that Land Court mediations do not keep an official transcipt and negotiated outcomes are confidential.

Therefore no precedents are set to benefit others.

Apart from the supposedly lower cost often touted as justification for mediation, the question really has to be asked: Are Court ordered mediations just a way and means of avoiding precedents and preserving confidentiality basically for the benefit of miners?

Posted by alec, 3/09/2011 1:22:38 PM, on Queensland Country Life
Big Nev was all talk and bravado. Now he's signed a confidentiality deed. Big Nev's as quiet as a church mouse now. Nev, i suppose you signed the confidentiality deed so you wouldn't have to explain yourself to the media and your fellow farmers. Good on you mate, you're another example of a big talker who runs with the foxes and barks with the hounds. Not such a big man anymore. Big Nev!
Posted by Ken Parkinson, 3/09/2011 3:42:36 PM, on Queensland Country Life
Reference to Ken Parkinson; have you dealt with these guys before? Why the venom? Personally I think you are a bitter fool with no concept of sustainability of operations, negotiations or the extent to which QGC suppress information (and why they do it). You want a greater good scenario, of which no such thing can exist in the current environment. Wise up Ken, or just keep your mouth shut!
Posted by RB Auckland, 5/09/2011 1:24:17 PM, on Queensland Country Life
Last night on the live UK Parliamentary Inquiry into News of the World media scandal it was categorically stated that under English law the terms of a confidential settlement pertaining to an illegal matter cannot be enforced.

If this same law also applies in Australia, then enforcing confidentiality may depend on whether QGC broke the law or merely just breached their code of conduct.

Posted by alec, 7/09/2011 8:19:24 AM, on Queensland Country Life

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Guluguba producer, Neville Stiller.
Guluguba producer, Neville Stiller.

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