Published Sunday, 29 June, 2008 at 05:00 AM
Premier
The Honourable Anna Bligh
Collingwood Park inspires new legislation
Queenslanders who live over old mine shafts could be guaranteed assistance if subsidence damages their home or businesses under a state government scheme.
Premier Anna Bligh has announced plans to enable existing property owners in the Collingwood Park area to have a legal note placed on their title documents.
The notification will recognise that the property is located in an at-risk area and will entitle owners to assistance if subsidence damages their home.
But the second stage of the proposal could give the State and Local Governments the power to prevent inappropriate development in old mining areas state-wide by developing special mine subsidence zones.
Premier Anna Bligh said she had asked the Department of Mines and Energy to investigate the parameters for the state-wide scheme and report back to cabinet in August.
“I said when I became Premier that I wanted to look over the horizon to prevent problems developing in the future and that is what this proposal will do,” she said.
“My government reacted quickly to the problems at Collingwood Park and we offered an appropriate package of assistance to those people.
“The first part of this proposal is to give all the people of Collingwood Park an enduring guarantee of the same assistance should more problems occur in the future.
“Because that guarantee will be entered on the legal title it will transfer between owners and should provide a concrete foundation for property in the area to retain it’s value.”
The notification system can be introduced in Collingwood Park immediately under existing legislation - but stand alone legislation is needed to create the state-wide system.
Under the cabinet approved plan the Department of Mines and Energy will investigate powers to designate mine subsidence zones in specific areas around the state.
“This would create a mechanism to ensure responsible planning decisions by local councils and set guidelines for development within the declared zones,” said the Premier.
“The whole point of this proposal is to reduce the risk of future mine subsidence damage to properties.”
Records show there have been a number of instances of mine subsidence in the Ipswich area over the last 100 years.
In 1904 Ipswich City Council noted that a nine bedroom house, general store and bakery was damaged when an old mine shaft collapsed.
Subsidence associated with past mining activity has occurred in the Collingwood Park area as well as other areas of Ipswich in Dinmore, Bundamba and Blackstone.
“Queensland has a proud mining heritage and many towns such as Ipswich, Gympie and Mt Morgan, were founded around mining activity over a century ago,” said the Premier.
“We need to make sure we have regard for the past, when we plan for the future and that is what this legislation will help us to do.
“My hope is this proposal will allow us to prevent the sort of pain and disruption to people’s lives that the residents of Collingwood Park have experienced.”
Mines and Energy Minister Geoff Wilson said the Bligh Government had acted swiftly and decisively to make sure Collingwood Park householders were safe and sound.
“We got them out of there, helped them move, and found new homes for them,” Mr Wilson said.
“Some of these old mine sites are a legacy of decades of neglect that saw mining companies move in, make their millions and move on.
“We can’t avoid what happened in the past, but we’ve acted decisively for Collingwood Park residents and we’re looking beyond the horizon as well,” he said.
The Premier and Minister Wilson commended the Member for Bundamba, Jo-Anne Miller, who rallied behind her local community in their time of need.
“The community wanted legislation in place to give them security over their homes and we’ve delivered,” Ms Miller said.
“And I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart for working with us in getting to this point. We’re the sort of community that reaches out to each other in times of need,” she said.
Premiers (07) 32244500
Premier Anna Bligh has announced plans to enable existing property owners in the Collingwood Park area to have a legal note placed on their title documents.
The notification will recognise that the property is located in an at-risk area and will entitle owners to assistance if subsidence damages their home.
But the second stage of the proposal could give the State and Local Governments the power to prevent inappropriate development in old mining areas state-wide by developing special mine subsidence zones.
Premier Anna Bligh said she had asked the Department of Mines and Energy to investigate the parameters for the state-wide scheme and report back to cabinet in August.
“I said when I became Premier that I wanted to look over the horizon to prevent problems developing in the future and that is what this proposal will do,” she said.
“My government reacted quickly to the problems at Collingwood Park and we offered an appropriate package of assistance to those people.
“The first part of this proposal is to give all the people of Collingwood Park an enduring guarantee of the same assistance should more problems occur in the future.
“Because that guarantee will be entered on the legal title it will transfer between owners and should provide a concrete foundation for property in the area to retain it’s value.”
The notification system can be introduced in Collingwood Park immediately under existing legislation - but stand alone legislation is needed to create the state-wide system.
Under the cabinet approved plan the Department of Mines and Energy will investigate powers to designate mine subsidence zones in specific areas around the state.
“This would create a mechanism to ensure responsible planning decisions by local councils and set guidelines for development within the declared zones,” said the Premier.
“The whole point of this proposal is to reduce the risk of future mine subsidence damage to properties.”
Records show there have been a number of instances of mine subsidence in the Ipswich area over the last 100 years.
In 1904 Ipswich City Council noted that a nine bedroom house, general store and bakery was damaged when an old mine shaft collapsed.
Subsidence associated with past mining activity has occurred in the Collingwood Park area as well as other areas of Ipswich in Dinmore, Bundamba and Blackstone.
“Queensland has a proud mining heritage and many towns such as Ipswich, Gympie and Mt Morgan, were founded around mining activity over a century ago,” said the Premier.
“We need to make sure we have regard for the past, when we plan for the future and that is what this legislation will help us to do.
“My hope is this proposal will allow us to prevent the sort of pain and disruption to people’s lives that the residents of Collingwood Park have experienced.”
Mines and Energy Minister Geoff Wilson said the Bligh Government had acted swiftly and decisively to make sure Collingwood Park householders were safe and sound.
“We got them out of there, helped them move, and found new homes for them,” Mr Wilson said.
“Some of these old mine sites are a legacy of decades of neglect that saw mining companies move in, make their millions and move on.
“We can’t avoid what happened in the past, but we’ve acted decisively for Collingwood Park residents and we’re looking beyond the horizon as well,” he said.
The Premier and Minister Wilson commended the Member for Bundamba, Jo-Anne Miller, who rallied behind her local community in their time of need.
“The community wanted legislation in place to give them security over their homes and we’ve delivered,” Ms Miller said.
“And I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart for working with us in getting to this point. We’re the sort of community that reaches out to each other in times of need,” she said.
Premiers (07) 32244500