KARREMAN Quarries, one of the largest employers in Redland City, has escaped prosecution for quarrying without a permit near the top of the Brisbane River.
A package of retrospective legislative amendments to the Water Act, called for by deputy Premier Jeff Seeney, legalised the quarry’s activities.
The quarry is one of the largest donors to the LNP and over the past five years has donated $75,000 to the party.
The Department of Natural Resources and Mines was prosecuting the quarry over unlawful extraction of sand and gravel from the upper reaches of the Brisbane River, at Harlin, where there are many farms.
Local farmers have campaigned against the company's activities, claiming they cause excessive erosion of their properties.
ABC's 7.30 reported the legislative reforms were drafted after a meeting between Natural Resources Minister Andrew Cripps, senior bureaucrats and Mr Seeney in April.
The Labor Opposition said the amendments were unheralded and its members knew nothing about the retrospective changes, which means the company cannot be prosecuted.
According to 7.30, the amendment stipulates the type of extraction of quarry material for which Karreman Quarries was under investigation "is lawful, and is taken to have always been lawful".
Scientists at the Australian Rivers Institute warned in 2007 that sand and gravel extraction on the Upper Brisbane River, which feeds Wivenhoe Dam, was unsustainable and should cease.
The Institute's report said quarrying also flushed excessive sediment and nutrients into Wivenhoe Lake, the main source of drinking water for Brisbane, increasing the costs of water treatment and reducing the lake's capacity.
In March 2011, calls were made in Parliament for Redlands MP Peter Dowling to resign after claims he had taken “cash for comments” from Karremans.
The then Minister for Energy and Water Utilities Stephen Robertson made the call after Mr Dowling spoke out about amendments to the Mining and Quarrying Safety and Health Act.
At the time, Mr Dowling said the amendments were a “vindictive” government vendetta against Mount Cotton-based Karreman Quarries and only served to make Queensland a “nanna” state.
The amendments forced mine executives to ensure no heavy equipment was operated or maintained by people under the age of 16.
Mr Dowling said the amendments only targeted Karreman Quarries, operated by Dick Karreman, whose grandson had been driving a 30-tonne excavator.
