“The visit allows the Premier to meet some of the 1800 hard working miners whose jobs are hanging in the balance, caught up in the NSW Planning System,” NSW Minerals Council CEO, Stephen Galilee said.
“With unemployment in the Hunter at nearly 13%, it’s critical that the NSW government do everything it can to support job-generating projects in the region.”
Anglo NSW projects director Rick Fairhurst said Baird spoke with a number of workers, suppliers and charities who all rely on Drayton and will suffer if the Drayton South extension project is not approved.
“Drayton South will secure 500 jobs, continue to support 140 local businesses that supply to the mine, provide ongoing state royalties and taxes of over $60 million annually and support the community through sponsorships and partnerships,” he said.
“These are not just numbers; they are people’s livelihoods, businesses and futures and we’re pleased the Premier and Minister took the time to see the site with their own eyes while committing to an approval process based on the facts.”
Both Baird and Stokes were driven the southern edge of the proposed mining area, which has been revised since the last greentape setback, allowing them to clearly see the boundaries of operations in relation to nearby properties.
“With the 2015 project application reduced by 25%, there are now two ridgelines between our proposed operations and the boundary of our nearest neighbour which will ensure zero impact to the neighbouring studs operations,” Fairhurst said.
“Mining and thoroughbred horse breeding have coexisted here for nearly a century there is no need to choose between these two successful industries.”
Anglo cut 45 jobs from its Drayton mine in February with this blamed on second rejection of the Drayton South extension project in October.
Anglo took another five years off the expected mine life of the Drayton South project – reducing it to 15 years with 75 million tonnes of resources targeted at a rate of 6Mt per annum run of mine – as part of its underway third application seeking state government and ultimately PAC approval.
The PAC said there was a lacking environmental buffer to nearby horse studs when it rejected the second version of the project in October.
“The project will not be visible from any of the horse stud operational areas,” Anglo’s consultancy Hansen Bailey said in the third application.
Meanwhile, PAC said the relocation of the entire village of Bulga (population about 350) should be given serious consideration on dust and noise-grounds as part of its recommendation for conditional approval of the 21-year MTW life extension in early March.
Baird and Stokes also met Bulga residents and visited a horse stud near the MTW complex.
“Co-existence is important but it's not co-existence without boundaries,” Baird said according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
Stokes flagged that more tours were likely.
"I plan to be a constant visitor to the area, as I will be to other areas where there are contentious development applications," he reportedly said in Bulga.
"Just because somebody applies doesn't mean every application will get approved. We've got to get those messages out early on in the process so that we don't get to the situation where there's heightened conflict.”
