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April 4, 2014
Issue 43
Council opposes Wallarah 2 yong Council has voiced strong opposition to the Wallarah 2 coalmine with Wyong mayor Cr Doug Eaton and senior staff addressing a public hearing of the Planning and Assessment Commission on April 2.
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Mayor Cr Doug Eaton, along with technical staff from council, outlined the potential impacts on the water supply system and other key council assets. “Over the past three years, we have invested heavily in the Central Coast water supply system with a plan to secure our water supply for decades to come. “The last thing we need right now is for that to be jeopardised,” he said. “We engaged two independent consultants to look at this proposal and they have found a number of concerning gaps and inconsistencies in the mine’s modelling, underestimating the potential impacts on our groundwater and surface
water supplies. “In short, our expert advice is that there is a risk to our water supply. “This is a risk that council and the community should not be forced to accept. “With the State government predicting a population increase of 70,000 over the next 20 years, it is folly for them to approve a mine that risks not being able to supply water to these new residents. “I thank the community for coming out in force today to clearly demonstrate the widespread opposition to this mine proposal.” Media release, 2 Apr 2014 Wyong Council media
The crowd at the Wallarah 2 coal mine public hearing of the Planning and Assessment Commission
Photo: Mark Ellis
Labor votes with Coalition to stop urgent debate on water protection bill “The Greens bill would introduce almost identical he Greens NSW spokesperson on mining Mr Jeremy Buckingham votes to five. have enacted Barry legislation, but it will be “Labor have stabbed has slammed the Labor Party for putting their short term political O’Farrell’s promise to too little and too late, as the people of the Central interests over the interests of the people of the Central Coast.
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“Labor’s decision to join with the Coalition to vote down the Greens bill to protect the Central Coast drinking water catchment from mining means that any legislation
that passes the parliament will be too late to stop the Wallarah 2 coal mine,” said Mr Buckingham. “Labor joined with the Coalition and Shooters Party this afternoon
We
(March 25) to vote against a motion to urgently debate and decide on the Central Coast Water Catchments Protection Bill 2014. “The motion failed 32
Coast in the back by deciding it was more important to play politics than to pass legislation to stop the Wallarah 2 coal mine,” said Mr Buckingham. “Labor intend to
it will not be able to be debated until after the Planning Assessment Commission has made its decision, expected in April. “The earliest it could be debated is May 6.
protect the Central Coast water catchment ‘no ifs, no buts, a guarantee’.”
Media release, 25 Mar 2014 Jeremy Buckingham, The Greens MLC
the Wyong Shire