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Greens bill to protect farmland from mining voted down by Govt, Nile, Shooters
Thursday 04 June 2009
This evening, government MPs, the Shooters Party and Rev Fred Nile united to vote down a Greens bill in the NSW Upper House that would have protected prime agricultural land from mining, the Safeguarding Agricultural Land and Water from Mining Bill.
"This evening's vote is a disappointing outcome for farming communities
in the Gloucester and Liverpool Plains regions", said Greens MP and
mining spokesperson Lee Rhiannon.
"The bill received support from the Coalition and from Gorden Moyes but was voted down by one vote.
"The government, the Shooters and Rev Fred Nile united to vote against the bill.
"The bill lost 20 votes to 19 votes.
"Although
the vote was lost, today was a success as there is now a greater
recognition of the need to protect prime agricultural land.
"The
Coalition have publicly committed to supporting legislation to achieve
this, and the community will certainly hold them to this.
"This
vote will not kill off the campaign to protect our best food-producing
land. Local farming communities and the Greens will now redouble our
efforts to protect these rich, productive soils from mining," Ms
Rhiannon said.
For more information – Greens MP Lee Rhiannon 9230 3551, 0427 861 568
Visit http://www.miningdirt.org.au/ for a rundown on the Greens' campaign.
Read about this debate in Hansard.
