A major phosphate mine, north-east of Mount Isa, will have to submit a low level Environmental Management Plan rather than a much more comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment despite the fact that it meets all four major criteria for such an EIA.

The mine, owned by entrepreneur Joe Gutnick, has been promised a fast-track environmental approval after meeting with Premier Anna Bligh and local ALP member for Mount Isa Betty Kiernan.

Mr Gutnick reportedly donated $12,000 to Ms Kiernan’s campaign before the last state election.

The mine site borders a creek in the catchment of the Gregory River. This catchment comes under the Wild Rivers Act and this should be one of the factors that triggers an EIA. The Gregory River flows to Lake Eyre.  Local landowners are still upset about these impacts on their properties.

This area was also badly flooded during the heavy rains earlier this year. These floods caused major, ongoing pollution events downstream from the nearby Lady Annie, Ernest Henry and Mount Oxide mines. Any approval for this proposed phosphate mine should require an EIA that estimates the extent of risk from another such flood.

Why would the State Government give a fast track environmental approval to such a large mine with such potentially devastating impacts in such an area?

A mine owner has a meeting with the Premier and, all of a sudden, the four key triggers for requiring an EIS for his project just fade from view despite the fact that this mine site qualifies on all four counts.

The Queensland mining industry has a long history of poor environmental management and lack of rehabilitation of old sites. The environmental regulators in the State Government and the two major political parties in this state also have a long history - of being captured lock, stock and barrel by the mining industry.

It should also be remembered that disgraced former Labor minister, Gordon Nuttall, has been convicted of taking bribes from an executive officer of a major mining company.

It is time for a Royal Commission into all aspects of the relationship between political parties and development interests - especially mining and property development.