New legislation in Queensland aims to limit the ability of residents to object to mining projects, including coal, by requiring approval from the state minister before objections can be formally considered in court. The proposed law would also restrict eligibility to only those living within a 125km radius of a proposed mining site. This change has drawn criticism from environmental and community groups, who argue it undermines democratic and environmental protections. The Greens have labeled the move "corrupt," while the community group Lock the Gate Alliance accused the state’s Liberal National Party (LNP) government of favoring mining companies over public and environmental interests. The bill, introduced by the state’s minister for natural resources, Dale Last, is framed as a way to "streamline approvals and make faster decisions" on mining projects. According to Last, the changes would prevent activists and environmental groups based far from the project site or funded by foreign entities from having a say in the approval process. Under the new rules, only individuals or groups within 125km of the project, and whose interests would be directly affected, would be eligible to object. This would exclude many local communities who have historically raised concerns about the environmental and social impacts of mining. Currently, objections to mining projects are automatically referred to the state’s land court for independent review. The new legislation would allow the decision-maker—either the resources minister for mining leases or the director-general of the environment department for environmental approvals—to decide whether to send the objection to court. Anthony Gough, acting director of the Queensland Conservation Council, criticized the change, saying it would allow the minister to "pick and choose" which objections are heard in court. He argued that the bill removes the right of community members to challenge harmful mining projects through legal means. Queensland is Australia’s largest producer of coal and has the country’s second-largest mining industry. It is also the most polluting state due to its reliance on coal for energy. The current objection process has been instrumental in halting projects that could harm environmentally sensitive areas, such as the sand mining ban on World Heritage-listed K’Gari (Fraser Island). Critics argue that the new law would deny communities the right to protect their land and resources simply because they live more than 125km from a mine. The government also canceled a review of objection laws last year, replacing it with a review conducted by a cabinet sub-committee, which critics say lacks independence.