Ten of Queensland's leading resource, environmental and academic experts will join forces to advise the Palaszczuk Government on the allocation of funds to rehabilitate failed resource sites.
Deputy Premier and Treasurer Jackie Trad said the advisory committee has been established under the Financial Provisioning Scheme (FPS).
"The Financial Provisioning Scheme Advisory Committee will ensure Queenslanders are not footing the clean up bill at failed resource sites."
Through the FPS, resource companies contribute to a pooled fund that can be used to address issues at sites where companies have failed to meet their environmental and rehabilitation obligations.
"Stakeholders, including those from resource companies and environmental groups, played an instrumental role in the development of the scheme," Ms Trad said.
"The establishment of the Advisory Committee builds on these foundations to make sure we get the best outcomes for the environment while insulating Queenslanders from rehabilitation costs.
"Our FPS laws will compel resource companies not to leave holes in the ground and our Advisory Committee will ensure rehabilitation doesn't leave a hole in the pockets of Queensland taxpayers."
The new committee would provide advice to Government about funding requests from the FPS fund for:
- remediation/rehabilitation activities at land on which an abandoned mine exists; and
- research that may contribute to the rehabilitation of land on which resources activities have been carried out.
The committee will be Chaired by Ms Maryanne Kelly, Acting Deputy Under Treasurer of Queensland Treasury's Agency Performance Group.
Committee members include:
Dr Carl Grant – the Group Head of Mine Closure Planning and Environment (Anglo American)
Mr Richie Ah Mat – Chairperson of the Cape York Land Council Aboriginal Corporation who has extensive experience on committees overseeing the relinquishment of mining areas, rehabilitation and opportunities that support Traditional Owners
Mr Michael McCabe – former coordinator of the Capricorn Conservation Council and member of the Central Queensland Mine Rehabilitation Group
Mr Matthew Paull – Queensland Policy Director and the Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association
Ms Rhonda Jacobsen – a Ngempa Kamilaroi woman who works in the Future Acts Mining and Exploration Unit with the North Queensland Land Council
Dr Jo-Anne Everingham – Senior Research Fellow, Mining and Regional Communities and the University of Queensland, Lock the Gate representative
Dr Julie Beeby – Non-Executive Director (Chair) of several boards. Chair of the Environmental Committee of the Queensland Resouces Council
Professor Martine Maron – ARC Future Fellow and Professor of Enviornmental Management, University of Queensland. Deputy Director, National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub
Mr Stephen Smyth – Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union District President and member of the CFMEU's Coal Mining Safety and Health Committee
