A Boggabri farmer has reacted with disbelief to the federal Environment Minister’s approval for Whitehaven Coal’s Vickery coal mine.
In information distributed by the Lock the Gate Alliance, Dave Watt said he struggled to understand how the minister, Sussan Ley, could approve such a project.
“History will remember that as the world was experiencing the devastating impacts of climate change; horrific bushfires and the worst drought we’ve ever seen, Sussan Ley approved a colossal new coal mine,” he said.
Agriculture student Liam Donaldson, also of Boggabri, described the development as a barbaric project.
“I would have thought the Environment Minister would look out for the environment,” he said.
Lock the Gate Alliance NSW coordinator Georgina Woods described Ms Ley’s decision as a “betrayal of young people and future generations”.
The NSW Independent Planning Commission approved the Vickery project in August 2020.
In July this year, the Federal Court made a declaration that the Environment Minister, Sussan Ley, has a duty to take reasonable care to avoid causing harm to children from carbon dioxide emissions when considering the Vickery application.
Following the court’s declaration, Ms Ley flagged her intent to appeal the decision.
Whitehaven Coal forecasts the Vickery project will generate about 500 jobs during construction and 450 during operations while also contributing $271 million in wages to support local businesses and the economy.
The company has welcomed the ministerial approval in what it described as an exhaustive process of evaluation and consultation spanning five years.
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- Whitehaven Coal reports strong sales
- IPC gives Whitehaven Coal’s Vickery Mine Extension the green light
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