After six months of being on the back foot over a possible longwall mine at Sutton Forest Cockatoo Coal went on the offensive to clarify what it said were “misconceptions” about its plans to mine or not to mine.
Korean firm POSCO is backing the Australian mining firm to explore a 115 million ton deposit.
Sutton Forest resident Peter Martin stumbled across the announcement to the ASX last year about the deal to buy a mining lease for $75 million.
Since then Mr Martin and his gang at the Southern Highlands Coal Action Group have run a well-oiled campaign to stop the miners drilling before they have even dug a hole.
They have used technical experts, called in corporate favours and visited Parliament to find out who has leases for what and what they cover.
What they and the News have both discovered is, while firms say they are transparent, trying to get information on such things as what constitutes “work requirements” on a lease isn’t easy.
The law favours the miners. If they like what they see, or can’t see, under your land the Crown will take their side over yours.
It seems hard to believe that at a time when issues involving energy sources and preserving our future seem paramount, residents don’t have any control over what happens in their backyard.
No one doubts we need mining, our huge electricity bills and the insatiable overseas demand for our coal clearly show that.
The people of the Hunter have battled hard to stop a mine, but with multinationals hungry for coal it will take a war chest to fight it out in court.
Mr Martin has publicly thanked Pru Goward for her efforts to protect the Highlands but with royalties totalling more than $1 billion in 2008-09 any NSW government can’t ignore the financial contribution they make to the State’s coffers.
A balance is needed, but with landowners powerless to stop the miners it isn’t a level playing field.
Email a friend