under the busy Hume Highway and Main Southern Railway Line.

But this week, the Liberal MP for Hume no longer has any objections.

Illawarra Coal has convinced him there will be no extra risk to public safety when longwall mining begins later this year.

Mr Schultz last week joined Macarthur MP Pat Farmer and Campbelltown Liberal councillor Jai Rowell in a meeting with the mining company’s senior engineers.

They were briefed on future plans and mitigation works under the freeway and rail line.

Mr Schultz said it had allayed his fears.

“It went a long way to reassuring me that the proposed mining under these major pieces of infrastructure will pose no increased risk to public safety,” he said. “I have requested a written report from BHP on all these measures.”

“I advised them that more emphasis should be placed on public education and information.”

But Wollondilly Mayor Michael Banasik said Council was very concerned about the mining and any possible damage.

“I know that jobs are critical but it shouldn’t be a matter of mining at all costs,” he said.

“We need to make sure the government puts in place the best practices.”

Greens MP and mining spokesperson Lee Rhiannon said the Greens believed there should be no new coal mines and that major transport routes should be protected.

“One of the real concerns with the Coalition is how powerful the mining companies are,” she said.

“The Liberals, Nationals and Labor fall in behind the coal companies rather than stand up for public interest.”

She said between 1998 and 2005 BHP donated $65,250 to the Coalition and $23,350 to the Labor Party.

Macarthur Liberal MP Pat Farmer fired back and said that if the Greens investigated problems and listened to what people had to say in the industry they might have a greater following from voters.

“It would have been easy for us to take a shot at the mining company to get our heads in the paper but we are