Greens call for no new coal mines as NSW Government moves to stop Drayton South

MEDIA RELEASE - 15 December 2016

The Greens NSW mining spokesperson Jeremy Buckingham today congratulated the NSW Government on their decision to stop the farcical Drayton South coal mine, but urged them to act to cancel the Shenhua Watermark project, the Kepco Bylong proposal, the Southern Highlands Berrima coal mine and the proposed Wallarah 2 coal mine on the Central Coast, saying NSW does not need any new coal mines.

“The Greens have been calling for Drayton South to be cancelled for years, and we congratulate the NSW Government on finally making the decision to end the uncertainty for the thoroughbred industry in the Hunter Valley” Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham said.

“This project has exposed the failure of the current NSW planning system, where there are no red lights and multinational mining giants can continue to push coal projects even though they are uneconomic, opposed by the community and will cause irreparable environmental harm.

“Coal is the whale oil of the 21st Century and NSW does not need any new coal mines.” Mr Buckingham concluded.

On the Shenhua Watermark coal mine in the Liverpool Plains, Mr Buckingham said:

“Farmers on the Liverpool Plains, facing the prospect of the Shenhua Watermark mega mine being built in our food bowl, deserve the same degree of certainty about their future as has been afforded the thoroughbred industry today and I urge Mike Baird to cancel this mine.”

On the Hume Coal Southern Highlands Berrima proposal, Mr Buckingham said:

“It is unacceptable that Southern Highlands communities still have the threat of the Berrima coal mine hanging over their head and Mike Baird should cancel this mine too.”

On the KEPCO Bylong coal project, Mr Buckingham said:

“The beautiful Bylong Valley, home of Peter Andrew’s Natural Sequence Farming, is still set to be destroyed by KEPCO’s coal proposal.  The Bylong Valley has a large area of highly valuable biophysical strategic agricultural land and Mike Baird should cancel this mine too.”

On the KORES Wallarah 2 coal mine in the Central Coast, Mr Buckingham said:

“The drinking water catchment for the Central Coast is still threatened by a coal mine which the Liberals promised would never go ahead.  Today Mike Baird has given certainty to the Hunter Thoroughbred industry, but when will he give certainty to the over 300,000 people on the Central Coast and cancel the Wallarah 2 coal mine?”

Contact: Max Phillips – 9230 2202 or 0439 460 691

 

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