A Queensland church congregation has written an open letter to the Premier calling on the government to open up negotiations for proposed railway lines in the Galilee Basin State Development Area.
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In November 2013, the Queensland Government announced the Galilee Basin Development Strategy to increase the efficiency of coal mines - a key part is the proposed Galilee Basin State Development Area that seeks to establish areas for rail infrastructure.
Reverend Dr David Ferguson has written an open letter on behalf of the Clermont congregation of the Uniting Church, saying his members were disappointed to see there was hardly any room for negotiations between local farmers and the Coordinator-General of the project.
“These people are not anti-development, but have lobbied successive government to negotiate with them to ensure the proposed railway between the Galilee Basin and the coast takes into account the needs of their businesses and does not unnecessarily disrupt the hydrology of the area, flooding their properties every wet season,” he wrote.
He also outlined fears that the proposed plans would essentially create a dam and would risk flooding local properties.
Dr Ferguson stressed the congregation, along with local farmers, was not against development and welcomed the railway.
“We're not against the project. We just want to provide another voice for local farmers,” he said.
“Farmers have lived harmoniously along with mining projects, we want a community where the agriculture industry and mining industry can sustain hand in hand.
“They actually hoped that at one stage they would be able to use the railway to open up new opportunities in their area.”
Local farmer John Burnett said multiple railway lines had been planned and this could cause hydrologic damage. He said he had been in discussions with the coordinator general of the project.
“We've been talking to the coordinator general numerous times. [The Coordinator-General] said because the previous Labor government committed to let the proponents build their own lines, there's nothing they can do about it to get them all to the table and putting forward one proposal,” Mr Burnett said.
“The coordinator general role is to act in the best interest of the community and the state of Queensland.
“The best possible action from them would be to develop a railway and transit corridor that services the new area to open up new industry potentials, including mining.”
Submissions for the Galilee Basin SDA closed early in April.
The Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning has been approached for comment but has not responded.
