'FIFO' Premier gives mine a flying start

Mr Baird today flew into Tamworth, where he was greeted by farmers protesting the Shenhua coal mine approval and then jumped on another flight to Maules Creek, to officially open Whitehaven’s controversial mine.

Touching down at Tamworth, Mr Baird was greeted by angry protesters opposed to Shenhua’s recently approved Watermark coal mine.

Farmers demanded answers to questions over the future of agriculture in the district following the controversial approval of the Watermark mine, located in the ridge country above the black soil of the Liverpool Plains.

Mr Baird told protesters he would return to meet with them again, but said he would not step in to overturn the mine's approval.

The official purpose of the Premier's visit was to announce a new package of drought funding at the Tamworth Agricultural Institute, flanked by Deputy Premier Troy Grant, Primary Industries Minister Katrina Hodgkinson and local member Kevin Anderson.

Mr Baird was again peppered with questions at the funding launch, this time from local media, about Shenhua and the future of farming in the region.

Mr Baird said he had listened to the community on the impact of the drought.

“I have seen the devastating impact drought can have on our primary producers and I understand the challenges faced by regional and rural communities,” he said.

But the fly-in-fly-out Premier did not have much time to listen to farmers angered by the Shenhua development before moving on to the massive open cut Maules Creek coal mine, to spruik the benefits of coal for the State.

The NSW Minerals Council appreciated Mr Baird making the effort to attend.

“The Premier's presence at today's official opening also demonstrates strong NSW government support for the more than 20,000 mining workers and their families across the State, and his support for mining communities across regional NSW,” the Council said in a statement.

The controversial mine has been dogged by rolling protests from local farmers and conservationists since it was granted approval in late 2013.

Mr Baird said his visit was a recognition of mining's contribution to the economy.

“Mining plays a positive role in our State and the Maules Creek project and others like it contribute significantly to making NSW an economic leader in our nation,” he said.

National co-ordinator of Lock The Gate Phil Laird said the NSW government’s unquestioned support for the coal industry in approving three new coal mines and expansions this week could cost it heavily at the coming election.

“People are tired of the rhetoric and the mutual back-scratching for mining companies by our political leaders,” Mr Laird said.

“In the election on the weekend, Queenslanders rejected the LNP 'mining-at-all-costs' agenda and their lack of respect for impacted communities."

Lock The Gate claim approval of the Watermark mine will negatively impact one of the State's most productive food bowls.

"It seems the NSW government has stopped listening to communities. That is not something to celebrate,” Mr Laird said.