THE STATE Government has rejected as "nonsense" claims Treasurer, Andrew Fraser, negotiated a "secret mine deal" which would enable coal company Bandanna Energy to construct two mines in Central Queensland without being subjected to strategic cropping legislation.
A letter written by Mr Fraser said the government would consider an "altered transitional framework", because while the terms of reference for the company's Environmental Impact Study (EIS) at their Springsure Creek and Arcturus projects were not executed by DERM until June 2, they had been "practically completed and prepared" for consideration by May 31, when the strategic cropping framework was announced.
Some Central Queensland newspapers reported the contents of the letter amounted to a "secret deal".
Natural Resources Minister, Rachel Nolan, said the claims were "nonsense" because Bandanna met the test for a transitional project.
She said Bandanna Energy submitted their terms of reference for the Springsure Creek Project on 2 December 2010 and the project's EIS had been assessed by the end of May.
Ms Nolan said the letter, claimed also to be "secret," had already been provided to other media outlets by the Government.
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