Group previously accused of being part of ‘astroturfing’ campaign says ‘community deserves clarity’ on position of candidate in Queensland seat of Groom
Land Court president excludes herself from fresh Queensland mine hearing
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The president of Queensland’s Land Court has excused herself from a further re-hearing of the New Acland coal mine case, to be tentatively set for November, saying she had formed views about the merits of some of the issues that could affect its proceedings.
At the first court date for the long-running legal fight since the High Court set aside previous orders this month, judge Fleur Kingham said it would be “inappropriate” for her to be involved beyond managing the case to a new hearing.
The long-running legal battle between farmers and New Hope Group has reared its head again with a new order for a fresh Land Court hearing into the controversial coal mine set to go ahead.
Activist farmers win High Court victory over mining giant
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An activist group of dozens of drought-stricken farmers has won the latest round in a 13-year battle to stop the expansion of a coal mine west of Brisbane.
In a 5-0 decision on Wednesday, the High Court overruled orders by Queensland’s Supreme Court in 2019 allowing New Hope Group to expand its southern Queensland New Acland Mine onto agricultural land.
But the decision has not deterred New Hope from pushing ahead with the project. The company said after the judgment it was seeking a guarantee from the Palaszczuk government that approval for the mine will go ahead.
3 February 2021
A Queensland community group has been successful in a High Court appeal over the proposed expansion of the New Acland Coal Mine, which is set to be reheard after the court ruled that earlier judgements favouring the coal company had been impacted by “apprehended bias”.
New Hope Coal has long been pushing to expand the company’s New Acland coal mine in Queensland, which would almost double the amount of thermal coal produced by the mine, that is predominantly used for electricity generation.
The expansion faced legal challenges launched by local community group Oakey Coal Action Alliance, representing more than 60 local residents and landholders, which opposes the mine on the basis that it would destroy otherwise productive agricultural land. The group had been represented by the Environmental Defenders Office in the legal action.