By Member for Springwood Mick de Brenni
If a private company wanted to buy your home or property, you would expect to be free to
say no.
But what if the government could just step in and take your land anyway?
That is what every household in Logan is now faced with, thanks to the state
government’s new, so-called ‘Critical Minerals’ law.
Despite its name, the law is not about critical minerals. It gives ultimate power to Deputy
Premier Jarrod Bleijie to declare other developments “State strategic projects”, based on
whether he considers them important.
That matters to families living on properties right across Logan, where land is already under growing pressure from developers.
Once a project is anointed with Jarrod’s special status, his new laws that he rammed
through the parliament using their majority, mean a private company can seek compulsory
acquisition of your land, even if you’ve refused it.
The LNP claims there are safeguards, including a requirement for the company to negotiate
with you for at least six months.
But it is hardly an equal negotiation when the owner knows the government could ultimately take your property.
It sounds more like a process designed to wear you down into submission.
A final offer may remain open for as little as ten business days, while important but
expensive appeal, review and notification rights have been narrowed too.
What makes this power grab even more outrageous is that it’s not only for public good, like
a school, hospital or a water project.
Instead it can be used for private projects – overturning long held rights of our community.
Farmers, legal experts and property rights groups warned these changes went too far.
The government also failed to identify a Queensland project that was lost because existing
powers were inadequate – not one.
If it seems like this is about stitching ordinary people up, for the benefit of wealthy LNP
donors, that’s not surprising.
Our state is right to support the critical minerals industry and the secure jobs and
opportunities it can create, especially in regional Queensland.
But supporting that should not mean giving private companies an unfair advantage over ordinary Logan families.
A home is more than a line on a project map, and a farm cannot simply be packed up and
moved.
That is why Labor voted against this law, because no matter how big or small your castle is, you deserve better than this.
Subscribe to stay up-to-date with news from across Logan. You’ll receive a link to our digital newspaper direct to your inbox each week. It’s free.
Follow MyCity Logan on Facebook and Instagram
