Click here for photo of QRC Chief Executive Ian Macfarlane
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Click here for TV grabs of QRC Chief Executive Ian Macfarlane.
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The legal consequences for activists who stop trains from hauling coal to port needs to take into account this unlawful behaviour currently costs the state taxpayer about $3.4 million a day in lost royalty taxes, the Queensland Resources Council (QRC) said today.
QRC Chief Executive Ian Macfarlane said less coal for export means less royalty revenue for the state budget to fund health, education and other essential government services.
“Right now, Queensland needs all the revenue it can get to deal with the ongoing, economic impact of Covid-19, which is unfortunately a long way from being over,” he said.
“People who choose to lock themselves onto rail lines and port equipment and climb onto coal wagons are not harmless, and their actions come at a huge cost to individual companies and to Queensland.
“There are other, lawful ways to express your political views which don’t place people’s lives, jobs and safety at risk, or cost the taxpayer millions of dollars in lost state revenue.
“I suggest these protesters consider what other options they have to get their message across.”
Mr Macfarlane said having to deal with threats and abuse by protesters on a regular basis was also taking a toll on the health and wellbeing of affected resources’ employees.
“In some cases, female employees have been subjected to disgraceful sexual slurs, which have no place in any workplace under any circumstances,” he said.
“It’s an impossible situation on sites like Bravus’ Carmichael Mine where protesters are encamped without consent and creating unnecessary physical risk and mental stress for law-abiding workers.
“The situation is escalating and can be resolved now under existing mining legislation before someone gets seriously hurt. It’s now up to the Queensland Government to make sure that happens.”
Mr Macfarlane said the law allows for protesters found to have acted illegally to be jailed, or fined up to $7,000.
“The QRC is urging courts to protect resources’ employees and companies from anti-social and disruptive behaviour by imposing penalties on activists who break the law that reflect the physiological and economic damage they are causing honest, hard working Queenslanders.”
