Premier Berejiklian should cancel entire Shenhua coal license & visit Liverpool Plains

Media Release - 12/07/2-17

The NSW Government’s announcement today of a buyback of 51% of the Shenhua mine licence does not go far enough, with the NSW Greens calling for the Premier to cancel the project.

NSW Greens Resources spokesperson Jeremy Buckingham said:

“Today’s announcement is a recognition that building a giant coal mine in Australia’s best agricultural area is a terrible idea, but anything less than full cancellation does not lift the threat.

“Anyone who has visited the area knows how interconnected the ridges are to the plains. The idea that you can dig a 300 metre deep pit next to a flood plain and it will not impact on the water table is ridiculous. It is certainly not worth taking the risk.

“I challenge Premier Berejiklian to visit the Liverpool Plains, to see the site of the proposed mine and then show some strong leadership by completely cancelling the licence for the Shenhua mine.

“There is no ‘safe’ size for the Shenhua coal mine. It is the wrong mine, in the wrong place, at the wrong time as we confront dangerous climate change.

“The fact that Nationals MP Kevin Anderson is still pushing the mine shows how beholden the Nationals are to the big mining corporations. He should be ashamed he has not backed local farmers over a Chinese Government owned coal mining corporation.”

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