PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Queensland’s opposition party has reportedly contacted the Crime and Corruption Commission to investigate Deputy Premier and Treasurer Jackie Trad’s dealings with the state’s miners, claiming “extortion”.
Trad earlier this week promised miners that royalty rates would remain frozen for the next three years, while at the same time urging miners to voluntarily contribute as much as A$70-million to a Resource Community Infrastructure Fund.
The fund would be targeted at improving economic and social infrastructure across Queensland’s resources communities.
Reports emerged on Friday that Opposition leader Deb Frecklington had written to the Queensland watchdog saying the fund could “constitute an offence of extortion” under the Criminal Code.
"This is extortion, it is blackmail, no matter how you look at it. This is a shakedown of the resources industry to try to prevent them from ever opening a new mine in Queensland again,” she was quoted by the SBS on Friday.
However, Trad has defended the fund in an interview with the ABC.
“This is not a threat. It’s a voluntary contribution. If people don’t want to contribute, they don’t have to. I have already ruled out royalty increases in the 2019/20 Budget; that gives industry a level of confidence.
“What I’m saying to industry is that I would like to extend that level of confidence out to three years, but in return I think we can work in partnership to deliver a bit more in regional communities,” she said.
The Queensland Resources Council this week said that it would take the matter to its member companies for consideration, but CEO Ian Macfarlane had warned that an increase in the royalty rates would be a disincentive for investment in regional areas and would mean lost job opportunities for all Queenslanders.