Intelligence Squared debate on Mining

The next debate taking place on Tuesday 21 August, 2012 at the City Recital Hall in downtown Sydney is titled 'We'd all be better off if farmers had the right to say NO to miners.' The title brawl in the Recital Hall.

Australia is endowed with vast reserves of mineral and energy resources lying deep below ground.

Historically, Australian governments have claimed that our collective prosperity depends on these resources and have exercised ultimate control of what lies below.

Governments then grant rights of exploration and access to land otherwise used for productive purposes by the nation’s farmers and graziers.

Despite helping to feed the nation and preserve a distinctive way of rural life, farmers have no right to keep the miners off their land. Nor can farmers exercise control over how the extractive industries affect a vital commons—the quality of our water.

As the need for food security intensifies, is it time to grant famers new legal entitlements to control access to their land? Would this serve the public interest—with famers acting as stewards of the public good? Or would this simply allow farmers to enrich themselves trading public goods for their private interest?

21 August 2012

City Recital Hall Angel Place, Sydney - 6:45 to 8:30pm 

Speaking on the night are: FOR - Senator Bill Heffernan, Drew Hutton, Tim Duddy. AGAINST - Julian Malnic, Katherine Teh-White, TBA. For further info and bookings visit iq2oz.com or call 02 8256 2222.