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Tougher penalties for illegal protestors: QRC

Queensland Resources Council (QRC) chief executive Ian Macfarlane believes not enough is being done to keep resources’ employees and companies safe from anti-mining activists.

The QRC has called for tougher penalties to be imposed on protesters who illegally disrupt mining activities, and abuse and harass people working in the resources sector.

Macfarlane said the legal system is not doing enough to protect workers from anti-mining activists who repeatedly break the law and jeopardise workplace safety.

“It’s no exaggeration to say people’s lives are being placed in danger – not only the lives of protesters, but that of honest, hardworking people whose workplace safety is being threatened on a regular basis,” he said.

“Protesters are entitled to lawfully express their views, but they’re not entitled to abuse or harass people or to disrupt our workplaces and make them unsafe just because they don’t like our industry.

“The constant harassment, abuse and law-breaking happening on Queensland mine sites and at port and rail facilities has got to stop.”

Macfarlane said the behaviour would not be tolerated in any other industry, and it’s taking a toll on the health and wellbeing of resources’ employees who have to deal with these activists.

Macfarlane said there are not enough legal consequences being imposed on perpetrators in the form of the maximum legal penalties available.

“I feel for the police officers who arrest the perpetrators and then have to see them go through court and receive a slap on the wrist in the form of a minor fine. In some cases, there’s not even a conviction recorded.

“People who break the law should face the full force of the law.”

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