 |
Talk to the Farm and Rural Legal Service (Mining) about your rights and options
Legal Aid's Farm and Rural lawyers can help farmers and rural landholders with issues connected with mining, gas and oil pipelines, and infrastructure development on their land.
Print version:
 Need help sorting out a dispute with a mining or gas company? (PDF - 192Kb)
|
On this page:
How can the service help me?
If you’re a farmer or rural landholder, Legal Aid Queensland’s Farm and Rural Legal Service (Mining) can provide you with legal advice and minor legal assistance about issues connected with mining, mineral exploration, gas and oil exploration and production, gas and oil pipelines, fossicking and similar activities like quarrying and infrastructure development.
What is legal advice and minor legal assistance?
Legal advice and minor legal assistance might include advising you about your rights and responsibilities, writing letters on your behalf, examining and preparing documents and conducting negotiations and/or mediations on your behalf. Up to six hours of advice and minor legal assistance is available.
How can I get legal advice?
- by phone, fax, post or email
- by visiting your local Legal Aid office
- through videoconference or
- at your property.
How you get legal advice will depend on your circumstances and the nature of your legal issue.
My problem is complex — is any extra help available?
Yes. People who have more complicated legal issues can access up to 35 hours of legal assistance through our extended service. When we are experiencing a high level of demand for our service, we give priority to people who:
- are financially disadvantaged
- would have difficulty accessing other legal help.
To access this service you will need to discuss your case with our lawyer and complete an application form.
Can the service represent me in court or help with conveyancing?
No. Our Farm and Rural Legal Service (Mining) lawyer cannot act for people in court proceedings. They can give you general advice about court proceedings and, if the matter is straight forward, assist you in drafting court documents. The service cannot help with conveyancing or prepare conveyancing documents.
Who is eligible?
The service is available to rural landholders, rural land occupiers or their representatives who are experiencing problems with:
Our advice and minor assistance services (including receiving instructions, research, attending meetings etc) must be able to be provided within a six hour period or, if you are eligible for extended legal assistance, a 35 hour period.
Is the service free?
There is no charge for this service. You might have to pay for certain services or products recommended by our lawyer to help with your legal problem, including land title and tenure searches, valuations and consultants fees.
If you are successful in recovering your costs, like legal costs and fees for searches, valuations etc, from a third party (eg mining, oil or gas company or developer) because of the work we do on your behalf, we will ask you to reimburse our legal costs from this payment.
Can you organise an interpreter?
Yes — we can organise for an accredited interpreter to help you. If you would like this factsheet explained in your language, please phone the Translating and Interpreting Service on 13 1450 to speak to an interpreter. Ask them to connect you to Legal Aid Queensland. If you have a hearing impairment please call the TTY service on (07) 3238 3023. These are free services.
How do I provide feedback?
Your feedback — complaints, compliments and suggestions — is welcome and we take it seriously. To make a comment about the service you received from Legal Aid Queensland, you can complete our client feedback form. The form is available from your local Legal Aid office and our website. You can also give us feedback by:
writing to us at GPO Box 2449, Brisbane, Qld, 4001
calling 1300 65 11 88 and talking to our staff
emailing feedback@legalaid.qld.gov.au