The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) has criticised the Land Court over its ruling on the Wandoan mining project in the Surat Basin on southern Queensland's Western Downs.

Yesterday, the state's Land Court gave the final go-ahead for the Xstrata mining company to develop Australia's biggest open-cut coal mine near Wandoan, north-west of Toowoomba.

The Land Court recommended the Queensland Government approve the project and new Liberal National Party (LNP) Premier Campbell Newman says he is excited at the prospect.

Lobby group Friends of the Earth and seven local landholders had tried to halt the project on environmental grounds and say they are devastated with the court's decision.

Farmers say the development will consume prime food-production land and destroy lifestyles. However, the new LNP Government disputes the claim the mine will be built on prime farmland.

Xstrata's plans have the potential to see the largest open-cut coal mine in the Southern Hemisphere and at the very least, it would be Australia's biggest open-cut coal mine.

Company "transparent"
Xstrata spokeswoman Katherine Lamond spokes outside court yesterday, saying the company is pleased with court's decision. "We think it acknowledges several things - firstly that we've had ongoing and open dialogue with landowners and also with the local community," she said.

"We've had vigorous efforts over the last four years through the approvals and regulatory process and also that we've planned a project that is going to meet the highest environmental standards.

"We've followed all the processes that have been put down by the regulatory bodies and the governments of the day. "We've just made sure that we've been open and transparent all the way through."

The Land Court recommended the mining leases be granted to Xstrata with some restrictions on farmland.

"Mockery"
ACF president professor Ian Lowe, who appeared at the hearing on behalf of plaintiffs Friends of the Earth, says the ruling sets a bad precedent. He says the Land Court ruling makes a mockery of government attempts to reduce carbon pollution.

"This coal mine, if it goes ahead, will contribute significantly to global climate change," he said. "What the court is saying is that we're happy to aim for five degrees increase in average temperature."

Professor Lowe says the court failed to look at the big picture. "Historically the courts have not been very good at considering the collective impact to a range of projects and I think that the court tends to look at each project, each coal mine, each development in isolation," he said.

The plan for the thermal coal mine, coal handling and preparation plant has environmental approval from both State and Federal Governments.

Xstrata is now proceeding with the final stage of its mining lease application. The area would cover 32,000 hectares and the mine would have a life of more than 30 years.

Farmers "disappointed"
But neighbouring farmers like Pat Devlin are bitterly disappointed. "This is prime food producing area here," he said.

"The Wandoan area could potentially be one of the best grain growing areas in Queensland and certainly is one of the best cattle growing areas in Queensland. "We're not going to be able to feed our grandchildren at the rate this is going."

"For the short-term gain that this mine is going to give if it does go ahead, the short-term gain is going to be nothing compared with famine in 50 years' time."

LNP support
The Land Court decision was one of the last remaining hurdles for the Wandoan coal project. Mr Newman says the LNP Government supports the project and a balance is being achieved.

"You have to distinguish that this is not actually on the strategic cropping land of the Darling Downs," Mr Newman said.

"We've actually ruled out a number of projects, for example, we have in the election campaign said that we don't support stage three of the Acland open-cut coal mine.

"We've also said we didn't support the coal to liquids project at Felton, so that's where we're saying it's just inappropriate. "Wandoan is a different matter."

"Again I stress this has been approved by the previous government, it's now been upheld by the court generally." "Frankly the project's going to go ahead."

Green "tactics"
Queensland Resources Council chief executive officer Michael Roche says the court case was part of a green plan to harass the coal industry. "Judging by the anti-coal movement strategy document which came to light earlier this month, this type of litigation will be a common occurrence," he said.

"We'll obviously be thinking about how to address these sort of tactics in the future. "This is a project that will be subject to the world's highest carbon price - I don't know what Professor Ian Lowe expects over and above that."

(By Annie Guest and Sam Burgess, ABC News, 28/03/2012)