“Merits appeal rights for those who oppose these projects are unavailable so, without an independent umpire, people and industries that are affected by mining have effectively got no say and no protection.”
Under NSW laws, communities lose their right to a merits appeal of decisions if the IPC holds public hearings on a project.
Stokes as the planning minister is responsible for making the decision as to whether a hearing is held.
Woods said Stokes had “stripped the IPC of its independence”. “It is now little more than an extension of the NSW Government and Planning Department, that rubber stamps anything that comes its way,” she said.
NSW approves coal mine at Jerrys Plains despite protests from nearby horse stud farms
TueTuesday 22
Proposals for open-cut mines on the site had been rejected in 2012 and 2017.
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The Independent Planning Commission (IPC) in New South Wales has approved a proposed underground coal mine in the state s Hunter Valley, a week after China placed a ban on Australian imports.
Key points:
The approval comes just weeks after China moved to block Australian coal Labor MP Joel Fitzgibbon says the project shows the strength of the mining industry
Malabar Resources was seeking approval to mine 148 million tonnes of coal for the next 26 years at Jerrys Plains near Muswellbrook.
New South Wales greenlights Maxwell coal mine
New South Wales .
(Image courtesy of Malabar Coal).
The New South Wales Independent Planning Commission granted consent to Maxwell Ventures for the development of its namesake underground coal mine in the Muswellbrook Local Government Area, southeastern Australia.
In its decision, the Commission points out that the project’s potential impacts on surrounding communities can be “reasonably and satisfactorily” identified, avoided, mitigated and managed, as long as the company complies with the 169 conditions imposed on its development consent.
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The $509-million Maxwell project is hosted on the site of the former Drayton open-cut mine, operated by Anglo American until 2016
Coal mine threatens sacred land, say Aboriginal elders An underground coal mine that threatens two of the Hunter Valley’s leading horse studs will disturb sacred land, Aboriginal elders have said.
Environment by Matthew Benns
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Subscriber only An underground coal mine that threatens two of the Hunter Valley s leading horse studs will disturb sacred land. Aboriginal elders say the Maxwell Underground Coal Mine will be dug on the site of an ancient massacre and that subsidence will disturb ancient burial sites. Coolmore principal Tom Magnier with horses Invincibella and Sunlight. Picture: Toby Zerna The area Malabar Coal seeks to dig the Maxwell mine is an extremely important place and location for our people, representative of the Wonnarua people Scott Franks said.