A segment on sandmining has caused Queensland Deputy Premier Andrew Fraser to criticise 612 ABC’s new Morning presenter Steve Austin and terminate his regular appearances on the show. Fraser responded strongly via Twitter to an interview last Monday on Austin’s Morning show.

Austin spoke to Nikki Parker from the ‘Friends of Stradbroke Island’ lobby group, who claimed that the sandmining company Sibelco and the Queensland State Government had co-determined the fate of Stradbroke Island:

‘The mining company in 2010 [gave] maps to the government saying what can be a national park [on Stradbroke Island],’ alleged Parker. ‘The only thing [the mining company] wants is to keep mining on the areas they want to mine… The Anna Bligh Government has accepted the mining company’s own National Park plan [for Stradbroke Island]’

Parker’s opinions were followed by a debate between Parker and State Environment Minister Vicky Darling, who denied the claims. Austin then put out the call for talkback.

“I’m keen to hear from you if you think it’s appropriate that mining companies have so much input into state government policy,” he said.

Andrew Fraser responded on twitter: “Total claptrap . . . We legislated the mining company’s rights away last year . . . so conspiracy theories [are] not incubated.”

In further tweets, Fraser confirmed he would not return to this regular 612 Mornings segment ‘Party Games’, which he had participated in with the Liberal National Party’s Tim Nicholls since 2009.

“Steve, your first 30 mins demonstrates why I won’t be participating in your games,” he tweeted.

Austin responded through the ABC 612 website saying: “I notice you’re not to busy to tweet, Andrew it’s an open invitation, we would love to have you back.”

It was Austin’s second day in the Mornings slot, which had previously been occupied by Madonna King for five years.