27/10/2026
This is ridiculous.
20 DAYS
Under Qld government mining objections amendments [1] currently under consideration, this is all the time available for “eligible entities” to raise concerns about how a new mine could affect them, including access to quality and quantity of surface and ground water.
For a little more information about this aspect, refer to this previous post. [2]
In 20 days, a massive document has to be accessed, key parts read and understood and respond with a submission.
Qld Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) documents, which a mining company prepares for the government to grant an Environmental Approval (EA) for a new mine, are notoriously massive. They are split into volumes which as PDF files are often 10Mb each. There are at least 2 core volumes that need to be read and whatever relevant technical volumes, about specialist engineering or environmental studies, that depending on the size and impact of the mine can be between 5 to well over 15 volumes. A complete printed mining EIS package typically ranges between 5,000 and 15,000+ total pages requiring roughly 1.5 to 3 linear meters of shelf space.
Landowners are forced into responding to the EIS because environmental matters are removed from Mining Lease (ML) decision criteria, concerns about environmental harm, conditions, or rehabilitation cannot be raised later on. Taking on this task in a limited 20 days is now a landowner’s only opportunity raise concern of impacts to their property.
When 20 days become 15 days
In the case where a mining company applies for a variation or an amendment to an already approved EA, the applicant must publish a notice in an approved newspaper circulating generally in the area and the objection period will end 15 days after publication.
It has become far too common for resource companies, especially CSG companies, to make an original EA application where the EIS shows a modest footprint and then subsequently sometime after approval apply for an EA amendment that expands the project considerably.
The Property Rights Australia submission can be read here. [3]
[1] https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Work-of-Committees/Committees/Committee-Details?cid=0&id=8608
[2] https://www.facebook.com/PropertyRightsAustralia/posts/pfbid02pTwxR3Qysn7PEKZ3FbjwnK2gWKGeH16qtfAfYVyA9Wv3ohXGKn5tWYtjHwX1m8jpl
[3]https://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/com/PIRC-1135/MROLAB2026-4295/submissions/00000135.pdf
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Previous posts about the Mineral Resources and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026 (MROLA Bill.
Sept 19 – Law firm JWS
https://www.facebook.com/PropertyRightsAustralia/posts/pfbid0NXMxRLyCzyc56sTjZvgXirMCmDVG5AEu4yc21UJYo6w3pnRRT9NHL6gsJei5ikZul
Sept 30 – Excellent summary from P&E Law
https://www.facebook.com/PropertyRightsAustralia/posts/pfbid0UVzfScVseJCH3i5EtCWUz5ukitrLxkunCNBfx4kRvYxqEa33geoqVKX83eBaE4Hkl
Oct 5 – Environmental Authorities and Mining Lease
https://www.facebook.com/PropertyRightsAustralia/posts/pfbid02pTwxR3Qysn7PEKZ3FbjwnK2gWKGeH16qtfAfYVyA9Wv3ohXGKn5tWYtjHwX1m8jpl
Oct 7 – concerns of Llew O’Brien MP
https://www.facebook.com/PropertyRightsAustralia/posts/pfbid02QUcUMXNS8EqNjTveuzNAaVsh1u1ghji18xYf7AyMNKyR4Xb6nsaTn7iKyQH48aYul
Oct 12 – Agforce, 125km eligibility zone
https://www.facebook.com/PropertyRightsAustralia/posts/pfbid0FVnmnzJJKmkoVw7ppyZbgEesbTQJ9tKtfKNBYFsjPUatWvMA8FALQVJPYtFJBwc9l
Oct 15 – Increase in executive power
https://www.facebook.com/PropertyRightsAustralia/posts/pfbid0fV8HHjywuwTkKM1MwbHmWjPMozkzMZYHzzoMxsCE7zeJG5Zv2kFjNVHspQSs5rBpl
