The training school was proposed by former Construction Forestry Mining and Energy union leader John Maitland, who made a windfall profit of $15 million when the project was sold to NuCoal in February 2010.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption heard that Macdonald granted the licence to interests associated with Maitland without a competitive tender because of his friendship with the former union leader.
NuCoal managing director Glen Lewis told ILN that the company had fully complied with the conditions of its exploration, which included the development of the Hunter Valley training school.
“I can’t comment on the previous proponents of the training school other than to say that since NuCoal has owned the project in February 2010 we have complied fully with all requirements of the licence and constructed the stage 1 facility which is an addition to any requirement the EL placed upon the tenement,” he told ILN.
“NuCoal has constructed a stage 1 facility that will allow it to run classes on mining related topics.
“The first course was undertaken in March this year. A stage 2 facility consisting of a simulated mine and vehicle training area is before Singleton Council for approval and will then allow further training to be undertaken until the training mine itself is constructed as part of the overall Doyles Creek underground project.”
The addition of stage 1 and 2 was an initiative of NuCoal to allow some initial benefits to be provided while the main project goes through the approvals process, Lewis said.
“The intention is to continue to work with Industry and provide any relevant mining related courses over the next few years until the training mine is constructed,” he said.
“At that point, based on feedback to date, we will also look at using the facility for some R&D type work for OEMs and other mining suppliers.”
NuCoal said in a letter to shareholders last week that it had sought and been granted leave to be represented before the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
“The company intends to engage in responding to and assisting the ICAC to fully understand the facts and circumstances surrounding the grant of EL 7270 [Doyles Creek] in the interests of the company,” it said.
