Bulga residents and their supporters outside the PAC meeting at Singleton. Hearing to consider proposal to expand Mt Thorley Warkworth open-cut coal near Bulga village. : 無料・フリー素材/写真
Bulga residents and their supporters outside the PAC meeting at Singleton. Hearing to consider proposal to expand Mt Thorley Warkworth open-cut coal near Bulga village. / kateausburn
| ライセンス | クリエイティブ・コモンズ 表示 2.1 |
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| 説明 | Final public meeting of the Planning Assessment Commission considering Rio Tinto's proposal to expand its Mt Thorley Warkworth open-cut coal project near the village of Bulga in the Hunter Valley.***Media statement from local community group 'Bulga Milbrodale Progress Association':Bulga residents who have spent years battling Rio Tinto’s open cut coal mine expansion and twice won in court only to see the NSW government amend the law to make the project approvable, will be joined by supporters from around NSW at a final public hearing into the proposed expansion of the Warkworth mine which begins in Singleton today. The Planning Assessment Commission (PAC) has received an extraordinary number of registrations to speak (122). On day 1 seven out of every 10 people will speak against the mine extension. Mr John Krey, spokesperson for Bulga Milbrodale Progress Association, said, “Rio Tinto has put lipstick on a pig, but we know this latest coal mine expansion proposal, which will ruin the historic town of Bulga, is essentially the same one that was knocked back by both the Land and Environment Court and NSW Supreme Court. “The expansion of the Warkworth mine is widely seen as the exemplar of the unfair advantage the NSW planning system gives mining companies over communities that are left struggling with the noise, dust and water impacts of open cut coal mining. “Planning Minister Rob Stokes has said he wants to restore balance to mining decisions in the planning system. It will be too late for Bulga if he dithers any longer, because the Planning and Assessment Commission will very soon make a decision about this mine. “A record number of 122 people will speak at the final Planning and Assessment Commission hearings on Tuesday and Wednesday, a tribute to the strength of both anger and support this David v Goliath battle has created over the last five years. “The latest PAC report in March included a proposal to move the town, clearly admitting how damaging the mine expansion will be on Bulga and our daily life. “Rio Tinto’s greedy push to expand its mine will destroy Aboriginal heritage, precious bushland, wildlife, water courses and the peaceful enjoyment of our historic town. “My community is weary of this fight, but we are no way defeated. Both Rio Tinto and the Baird government will continue to feel the heat if this proposal is approved,” Mr Krey said. Georgina Woods, spokesperson for Lock the Gate Alliance said, “The NSW government has greased the way for Rio Tinto to get approval for this project, regardless of the terrible costs we know it will wreck on Bulga and the cultural and natural heritage of this part of the Hunter Valley. People are frankly fed up with the mining industry’s greed and insensitivity, and that’s why so many people from around the state are here today to support Bulga in this iconic battle. “Following this community’s victory in court the approval process was changed to put economic considerations above the impacts on water, biodiversity, amenity and other land uses. The public will have no right to test the merits of the Planning and Assessment Commission’s decision in court. The whole situation has been stitched up to suit a multi-national mining company - it’s deeply unjust. “We think the Planning and Assessment Commission has enough information to knock back this mine, but we also know that Commission is not allowed to make an impartial decision. They are instructed by the regulation to put the economic interests of the mining industry ahead of the interests of the community. The Government has to intervene and fix this mess, or they will be haunted by this mining project for years to come.” |
| 撮影日 | 2015-06-30 12:14:09 |
| 撮影者 | kateausburn , Sydney, Australia |
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| カメラ | Canon EOS 5D Mark II , Canon |
| 露出 | 0.008 sec (1/125) |
| 開放F値 | f/4.0 |
| 焦点距離 | 105 mm |