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Category: Mining Industry / Law, Crime and Justice / Coal / Government and Politics

New police powers to stop 'lock-on' mining protests proposed

Monday, 7 Mar 2016 11:33:53 | Ashleigh Raper

One of the so-called Knitting Nannas locked onto a fence at a coal seam gas protest near Narrabri in northern NSW (Supplied: Facebook)

The New South Wales Government wants to give police new powers to crack down on mining and coal seam gas protesters chaining themselves to equipment to stop production.

It will introduce a bill to Parliament this week proposing search and seizure powers for police and an increase to the fine for aggravated unlawful entry on enclosed lands to $5,500.

Energy Minister Anthony Roberts said the aim was to stop "extremists" using so-called lock-on devices on mining equipment.

"These reforms are clearly targeted at preventing and curtailing illegal and unsafe activity," he said.

"It improves the ability of the police to search and seize such objects before they are used to interfere with or cause damage to a business, and most importantly help minimise the likelihood of situations where people's lives, including the rescuers, are placed at risk."

Protesters that use the lock-on devises include the Knitting Nannas anti-coal seam gas group, in which members regularly chain themselves to equipment as mining-related sites throughout NSW.

Three members of the group, including a 71-year-old woman, were arrested earlier this year when they locked themselves to the gate of a Santos facility near Narrabri in the north of the state.

The NSW Minerals Council chief executive Stephen Galilee said mining companies believed the new measures were necessary.

"Our member companies have been telling us for some time about their serious concerns for the safety of their mining workers as well as for those protesters who are illegally accessing mine sites," Mr Galilee said.

"We respect people's right to protest, but our concern is when that protest activity becomes dangerous, it becomes illegal and it puts people safety at risk."

No need for new laws: Opposition

The Opposition's Energy spokesman Adam Searle said the Government had not made a case for the new measures.

"The Government is just playing politics," Mr Searle said.

"The fact is there are adequate laws that deal with trespass, obstruction and criminal damage."

Knitting nannas arrested at protest Photo: The Knitting Nannas members after their arrest at a protest at Narrabri. (Supplied: Knitting Nannas)

The Greens mining spokesman Jeremy Buckingham described the legislation as "draconian".

"This has nothing to do with safety, there has been no incident that should warrant these laws," Mr Buckingham said.

"This is about Mike Baird and the Minister doing the bidding of their mining mates".

Anti-mining group Lock the Gate spokeswoman Georgina Woods said the bill was aimed at furthering the interests of mining companies.

"What the Government is doing is trying to make it easier for mining companies to get away with damaging water supplies and riding over the top of local communities," Ms Woods said.

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