Source : Perth Now news
Anti-fossil fuel activists head to a tribunal demanding a government department hand over documents relating to coal mine expansion.
Lock the Gate Alliance had requested legal advice coal companies provided to the NSW Planning Department when a series of mines were approved to be modified across the state.
But the department rejected the request on legal professional privilege grounds.
The NSW Information and Privacy Commissioner found that reasoning was “not justified”, but the Planning Department rejected that not-binding decision and did not hand over the documents.
The matter will now be heard before the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal on Tuesday.
Lock the Gate has argued the mines were approved for modification rather than as new projects because the approval process attached to existing projects involves less scrutiny.
That includes less public participation in the approval process including no public meetings, along with no determination made by the Independent Planning Commission.
Lock the Gate Alliance research and investigations head Georgina Woods said the public had a right to know how coal mine developers were influencing governments.
“There are 10 coal projects undergoing or awaiting assessment as modifications, and we want to make sure they are subject to the highest level of scrutiny available in NSW,” she said.
“The NSW government must give full consideration to the impacts large coal mine expansions are having on communities, water, farmland, the environment, and climate and let the public participate in decision-making … these expanded coal mining proposals should not be snuck through the system.”
A Planning Department spokesman said it could not comment because the matter is before a tribunal.
A spokeswoman for Planning Minister Paul Scully pointed to the department’s response.
The sought documents include the legal advice backing the expansion of Boggabri coal mine, which deepened the mine and extended its life span to 2039.
The Australia Institute has previously called on the federal environment minister to block the expansion due to “unacceptable climate impacts”, while also stating it has no economic case.
