growers@sgcotton.com.au Roger Tomkins - Greenmount Press

16th Cotton Conference roundup
AFTER two record seasons in the Australian cotton industry,
it was not surprising that the 16th Australian cotton
Conference was also a record. There were over 1500
registrations for the Conference held at the Gold Coast on
August 14–16.
The big crowd was informed by some great speakers,
including many from overseas. The program was an intelligent
mix of research and marketing with some ‘left-field’ topics
thrown in as well.
Another record was set in the support shown by Trade
Exhibitors, with a good ‘buzz’ in the trade area at all times.
Above all, the Conference was a great networking opportunity
and a chance for a break before next season.
Coal seam gas and mining
session attracts a packed
house
Delegates to the Conference flocked to the Coal Seam Gas
and Mining session to hear whether genuine co-existence is a
possible or an impossible goal.
Dalby based lawyer Peter Shannon told the audience that
while ‘co-existence’ was the buzz word, for a lawyer like himself
it was all about the impact on property rights.
“The energy industry stands to make billions, but landholders
can at best only break even,’ Peter said.
Peter said that he felt the law needed to change to ensure
landholders where fairly compensated, and also that fair
compensation would lead to a much more positive business
relationship between the landholders and the resource
companies.
James Baulderstone from CSG producer Santos agreed that
it was important to develop a positive business relationship with
landholders.
“We have to be able to come back onto properties to service
the wells, and that relationship is not going to work if the
landholder is looking daggers at you all the time,’ he said.
Referring to Santos’s recently announced compensation
package which included a $30,000 upfront payment, James
said while there could be a discussion around whether it was
enough, it was also important that resource companies brought
something to the community, like highly skilled jobs.
“We are the new kids on the block, and we must bring
something to the table,” James said.
This feeling was echoed by Queensland Resource Council CEO
Andrew Barger who said the mining of resources must have a
positive legacy for communities.
“As an industry we need to talk less about the billions of
dollars involved, and more about agronomy,” he said.
“What can we do to help you increase your yield on your land
that we are not impacting on,” he said.
But while the audience agreed that mining had to give
something back to the community, statements from the floor
indicated that despite the reassuring words of the resource
Panel members for the coal seam gas session.
August–September 2012 The Australian Cottongrower — 15