Greens introduce new laws to protect landholder rights

The Australian Greens will today introduce a bill to give South Australian landholders the right to say no to coal and gas mining on their land.

The bill also seeks to ban all fracking for unconventional gas, said Australian Greens Senator for South Australia Penny Wright.

"It's a disgrace that landholders still do not have any legal rights to protect their land, water and climate from coal and gas mining," Senator Wright said.

"It sets landholders up for a David and Goliath battle, because the mining companies know farmers don't have any options.

"Our bill would give landholders, including farmers, local councils and Native Title holders, the legal right to say no to coal and gas exploration."

Senator Wright said many South Australian communities, particularly in the state's South East, were already united in the fight against fracking.

"Fracking for unconventional gas is a dangerous process that is risking our prime agricultural land and water and it needs to stop.

"We need to stop undermining sustainable employment in agriculture and tourism for the sake of the private profits of big mining companies."