Big coal’s big victory in the Liverpool Plains could have a big impact on the March State Election and potentially the future of agricultural land.
Tamworth’s Nationals MP Kevin Anderson is facing voter backlash after Chinese coal giant Shenhua gained government approval to start digging the massive open cut Watermark mine in the ridge country above the black soil plains.
The seat’s former MP, independent Peter Draper (pictured below), is back in the ring this election and opposes Watermark.
Farmers reacted angrily to the news and asked if Watermark can mine at Breeza, is anywhere off limits?
Shenhua’s proposal was accepted by the PAC, which modelled the mine’s impact on water resources and agriculture to demonstrate potential impacts are within acceptable levels.
However, the PAC’s report highlighted a policy gap, increased pressure on the government and directed it to develop policy to exclude mining from the Liverpool Plains.
“The Commission agrees with earlier findings that the NSW Government should do more work to prohibit mining on the highly valuable black soil plains,” the PAC’s report said.
Nationals MP for Tamworth Kevin Anderson responded to the Watermark approval by calling for tighter restrictions on future development on prime agricultural land.
He took the seat at the last election in 2011 from independent Peter Draper, who served as Tamworth’s representative for eight years, with a margin of 12 per cent.
Mr Anderson said he would argue for reform to key land use policies in the lead up to the election.
“Resources extraction galloped ahead under the previous government, where little or no restraint was put on those industries. We as a government need to claw back control.
“I will argue to review the Strategic Regional Land Use Policy to see how it has been implemented and managed in sensitive areas. Where needs be, if there are failings, I will be advocating for it to be bolstered.
“I have had landholders in my office at their over this project, saying it was causing significant unrest in local communities and that concerns me greatly.”
Mr Draper said Watermark’s approval could reshape the election in the North West.
"You could very well see two or three National Party members lose their seats over this (Tamworth, Barwon and Upper Hunter). I think there will be a huge protest about it." Mr Draper said.
It is "astounding" the PAC could approve the mine, and the risk to the prime agricultural land of the Liverpool Plains was simply too big to ignore, Mr Draper said.
"I was down there a week ago, and if there's a single place in Australia there shouldn't be a mine, it's the Liverpool Plains.
"Agriculture doesn't harm the environment, and it's sustainable. We should be protecting agriculture, not harming it."
Mike Foley
Senior journalist for The Land.
Senior journalist for The Land.
