THE Bickham Coal Company made its case to NSW Planning Minister Tony Kelly in Sydney last week.
The delegation which included company representatives and pro Bickham community members used the meeting to emphasise the economic benefits of the proposed mine which currently faces scrutiny regarding its water report.
As part of their campaign, the delegation presented the minister with a survey of local businesses from Murrurundi as well as pro Bickham feedback from businesses in Blandford and Wingen.
Twenty five businesses that the company surveyed were in favour of the mine.
Bickham director John Richards said although it was up to the independent Planning Assessment Com-mission panel to refer its findings on the Bickham proposal to the Government, he still wanted to make sure the decision makers heard his argument as well.
“The chance to give the minister our facts was very welcome and the support from locals who wanted to have a say has been heartening,” Mr Richardson said.
“We laid it on the table that 386 jobs and $3.7 billion in revenue are at stake.
“We believe the best way to further tease out the facts is to have the proposal subjected to the rigours of full merit-based assessment, like all other major projects.
“We have every intention of working cooperatively with other industries for the mutual benefit of the Upper Hunter,” Mr Richards said.
Murrurundi Railway Hotel owner John Coates was one of the residents to meet with the minister and said he had noticed more locals were becoming more vocal in their support of the mine given the decline of various economic opportunities in the Blandford and Murrurundi communities.
“We are talking about a strong cross-section of large and small businesses that have registered support,” Mr Coates said.
Mr Coates said it only takes a few minutes talking to people in Murrurundi hotels to discover that a lot of the locals want the mine to proceed.
“People talk about how the mining industry has lifted towns such as Denman, if it can work there it can work for struggling Upper Hunter towns,” he said.
Murrurundi Aroma’s Café owner Peter Milgate also said many locals were depending on the Bickham Coal Mine to go ahead.
“There used to be a dozen food outlets in Murrurundi, now there are only half that.
“There used to be four service stations, now there is only one. And there are no major banks left at all,” Mr Milgate said.
“People are praying for good economic opportunities. We don’t want to lose out the same major heavy industry opportunities enjoyed by people in the lower Hunter Valley,” he said.
Long-term Murrurundi resident and former local Ambulance officer Bob Standen said countless shops and businesses have closed in recent years so it would be tragic to see this job creating opportunity lost.
“It’s a shame to see young people forced to move away from Murrurundi to find work and training opportunities,” Mr Standen said.
However, not all Murrurundi and Blandford business owners support the proposed mine.
Haydon Hall art gallery owner Peter Carlin said he did not believe the mine would have much benefit for Murrurundi or Blandford.
“I opposed this particular mine on a couple of grounds,” Mr Carlin said.
He was particularly concerned with pollution of high dust particles because of an inversion effect on the mountains.
“This part of the valley holds dust,” Mr Carlin said.
“You will see this with the high mist when moisture is trapped,” he said.
Mr Carlin said he was also concerned about visual pollution for travellers on the New England Highway.
He also doubted the mine would be of value to the local unemployed population and said he believed the mine would hire locals who already work for the company or people who already have a mining background who he believes would travel rather than relocate their families.
“We are already getting people wanting to buy and live here but if the mine goes ahead we won’t have that,” Mr Carlin said.
“I think the mine will be more negative than positive and I don’t believe the businesses will get more business out of it.
“I think businesses here in this town are doing quite well.
“This town will never be a multi million dollar town, it will always be a feeder town for Scone and Quirindi and niche businesses will do well.”
Stock Horse breeder Peter Haydon also opposes the mine and said the attention on jobs was a diversion from the water report and said he believed more jobs would be lost than gained if the mine were to go ahead.
Mr Haydon also said a number of the residents who speak in support of the mine are either current or previous employees.
“Bickham Coal Company will be the second biggest water user after the town of Scone, taking water from an already over allocated system,” Mr Haydon said.
“The no flow days will significantly increase.
“The coal company told the Planning Assessment Commision they will surrender an active irrigation licence to help restore flow. In fact this licence has never, ever been used.”
Aquaterra Hydrologist and Bickham Water consultant Peter Dundon said the Bickham Coal Mine water study was the most comprehensive in his 40 years of providing expert water advice.
“I am quite confident that all due diligence has been put into studying every possible impact the mine might have on local waterways, and that downstream impacts will be absolutely negligible,” Mr Dundon said.
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