Daughter of farmer who killed himself over mining battle slams Q&A panel

The daughter of a Queensland farmer who killed himself after a long battle with coal companies has accused last night's Q&A panel of not caring about the plight of farmers.

Helen Bender buried her father George on Saturday, after a decade-long fight against coal seam gas exploration on his Chinchilla property.

"One of the last things my father said: 'No one is listening, why are you wasting my time?'" she told the panel from the audience.

"I don't think anyone is listening ... I don't think the nation is listening, I don't think any one of you politicians care, or want to care.

"You are a turntable, you walk in, walk out, you talk the talk, you are just here for show. You are not listening."

Last night's episode was held in Toowoomba, with panellists including Federal Minister for Rural Health Fiona Nash, Labor MP Joel Fitzgibbon and singer Katie Noonan.

Ms Bender's statement came after Mr Fitzgibbon said he was a "strong supporter of the coal mining industry", but mining exploration was a "state-based issue".

"I'm sorry but I think that's a cop out," Noonan replied.

"The extraction of those resources are too significant to the national economy," he continued.

Ms Nash said she agreed that farmers should have the right to block CSG mining on their land.

"The answer is simple, farmers should be able to say no and state governments should change what they can so they can vote no. That is my view," she said.

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