Agricultural Protection Bill - Defeated by One, Single, Vote

More than 200 farmers from across New South Wales converged upon the steps on Parliament House yesterday, chanting "You Can't Eat Coal" in support of the proposed amendments to the Mining Act to protect farming land from mining expansion. Despite this, the bill was voted down in the House by a single vote - as the Shooters Party, the Rev. Fred Nile and the ALP joined forces to defeat the proposal.

Greens MP Lee Rhiannon, who brought the bill before the Parliament said that the farming communities from the Gloucester and Liverpool Plains regions in particular would be understandably disappointed at the outcome: 

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 - Sydney's food bowl - from mining.

I am disturbed that there's been scare tactics that people will lose their jobs, that the industry will close down. That's nothing to do with this bill. The bill is about restoring balance between mining and farming.

Rhiannon noted the large contingent of farmers from these regions in the public gallery during the debate, and re-iterated their profound disappointment with the decisions of the Shooters Party and the Christian Democrats: 

Amid fiery debate between MPs, around thirty farmers walked out of the public gallery, shouting 'Shame! Shame!' while Reverend Nile was speaking. They were responding to claims by Rev Nile that farmers have been duped by the Greens.

The government today missed the opportunity to recognise that the best food-producing land in NSW is a public asset that should be preserved for the future by law.

Protecting prime farming land is critical because the world is facing the prospect of increasing food insecurity and decreasing harvests as a result of climate change.

The Greens today have acknowledged the support of the Liberal and National Parties. But spokespeople from those parties have affirmed that both parties have a long-standing commitment to protecting farms from mining. As party leader Andrew Stoner was quoted in the Sydney Morning Herald: 

The NSW Nationals have always supported the principal of protecting the state's iconic farmland. (emphasis added)

NSW Farmers Converge on the Parliament

More than 200 farmers have travelled from the across the farming regions of the state to support the passage of the bill. 

Among the participants in the protest was Gloucester Resident Partnership president Gary Ferris, who was greeted with resounding cheers when he addressed the crowd: 

We are a community being ignored by the state government. Gloucester is sick and tired of being lied to by Ian Macdonald.Of being disregarded.

Long term destruction of our valuable agricultural and food producing land has to be stopped.

Where will the food come from once our land is destroyed?

The State Government has ignored our approved, long-term, sustainable, local environment plan. Instead they have allowed coal exploration to occur in scenically protected zones. Shame on you Labor!

According to a report on the ABC's World Today, four full busloads of farmers came to Sydney from Caroona and Gloucester. They were joined in solidarity by many city supporters, who together marched along Macquarie Street holding signs declaring "You can't eat coal" and "Shame Macdonald Shame", aimed at Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald.

Tim Duddy from the Caroona Coal Action Group reminded those at the protest about the blockade that has been set up to prevent mining exploration in the region, which has now been in place for more than 10 months: 

We have farmers in the area in their 80s that every day are manning a blockade against BHP because the planning process in this state failed those people and residents of the Liverpool Plains.

It is very sad for the people of NSW that blind political prejudice will prevent the protection of the state's food production.

We will continue our fight, this is not over.

Support From the Farmers Association

The NSW Farmers’ Association, who came out in support of the bill, has also acknowledged the fierce debate surrounding the bill in Parliament yesterday. 

In a press release issued by the NSW Farmers’ Association, its President Jock Laurie said the fact that the Bill was defeated by just one vote was a clear indication of the level of concern in the community about the impacts of mining on agricultural production and water resources. He was quoted as saying: 

Yesterday’s Bill was debated very strongly in the House and it is clear that there is strong support for this among Members of Parliament. This has put the issue firmly on the agenda, and we will continue to work with these Members to ensure it remains top of mind.

Yesterday’s Bill wasn’t just about protecting prime agricultural land, but also about the greater issues of food security, and the interaction between agricultural land, water resources and mining activity.

It is crucial for the future of farming that we get the balance right.

The time has come for Government to acknowledge the impacts of mining on agriculture and to provide legislation that ensures the sustainability of our most productive farming lands.

These farmers will not give up the fight – and neither will we.

Independent MP Rev. Dr Gordon Moyes

A strong voice of support for the bill came from the Independent Member of the Legislative Council, the Rev. Dr Gordon Moyes. Moyes has been a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council since 2002, and served as a member of the Christian Democratic Party before being expelled from that party in March this year.

Part of the basis of his split with the Christian Democrats was his conviction that the party should place a greater emphasis on environmental issues, and has frequently taken positions in the Parliament that affirm an environmental justice approach. This was reflected in his speech before the House in favour of the Bill: 

Let us consider an activity that is known to be harmful — for instance, the long-established, unfettered mining exploration permitted by the State Government, this tearing up of the very fabric of life, with resulting despoliation of groundwater, and human and animal ecosystems and habitats, leaving them unusable afterwards, and taking all the financial profits offshore to foreign shareholders, so that it is not even we who get a benefit from this devil's bargain. That is an obscene scenario, but that is what is happening right now, as we speak...

The Mining Act came into effect before the term "climate change" was ever heard of, when the outback seemed to go on forever and the Australian population was small. We no longer live in that age; we live in a time when every square metre of rich ground with good running water needs to be recognised for the amazing blessing that it is, and must be cherished and protected. I would like to emphasise that point: our scarce food-bowl country in New South Wales must be recognised as such by the Government, and cherished and protected by the Government.

The Shooters Party

The opposition to the bill by the New South Wales Shooters Party has led to speculation about their motivations. As Greens MP Ms Rhiannon said in her press release: 

The NSW Shooters Party also deserted farmers today to support the government in opposing this bill. Only yesterday the government allowed the Shooters to introduce their private members bill to expand hunting in NSW.

Was this a deal? We will never know.

Six Degrees have sent letters to both the Reverend Niles and the Shooters Party, requesting that they give reasons for their decison to vote against the bill.

They have not responded to date.

We will be sure to make their responses publicly available when they appear.   

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