Andrew Barger Director - Industry Policy A future in farming? Coexisting with mining ABARES Outlook Conference 2 March 2011.

Andrew Barger

Director - Industry Policy

A future in farming?Coexisting with mining

ABARES Outlook Conference2 March 2011

Coexistence, not conflictRespect and engagement on the ground, rather than headline-grabbing stunts.

Queensland systems allow coexisting land uses, simultaneously and sequentially.

Uses above the soil:

farming, cultural heritage, environmental, urban, infrastructure (power, telecommunication, water etc).

Uses below the soil (“mining”):

Open cut, underground, coal seam gas, underground gasification, geothermal, carbon capture and storage.

Once were coal mines.Thriving sorghum at Peabody’s Wilkie Creek Mine, February 2011

Industry’s view

• Exploration is not mining.

• Objective assessment on merits, not blanket bans.

• Integrated land plans for current and future generations.

• Plan to maximise economic, social, cultural and conservation values.

Australia’s two great primary industries can continue to co-exist.