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AUSTRALIAN Coal Alliance campaign
director Alan Hayes and scientific officer Ron Sokolowski, along
with State Member for Wyong David Harris and Member for Dobell
Craig Thomson, met with Federal Environment Minister Peter
Garrett on Wednesday, 27th May. They were accompanied by
representatives from the business sector and Wyong and Gosford
Council. They were Mary Doherty, NSW Business Chamber, Kerry
Ruffles, Business Central Coast, John Asquith, Central
Environment Network, Cr Terri Latella, Gosford City Council, Cr
Sue Wynn and environment officer Greg White from Wyong Shire
Council.
Member for Dobell Craig Thomson said that the meeting with
Environment Minister Peter Garrett was very positive.
“The Minister immediately understood the argument presented by
the group against the planned coal mine,” Craig Thomson said.
Australian Coal Alliance Campaign Director Alan Hayes said the
planned mine would pose a significant threat to the water
catchment area in the valleys of Wyong Shire, which supplies
more than half of the whole region’s water supply.
“The Minister was also concerned about the endangered migratory
avian waders whose habitat would be threatened by the Kores
proposal,” Alan Hayes said.
Wyong Council’s Environ-mental Planning officer Greg White said
the risk of mine subsidence in the valleys is high. He said this
could severely affect groundwater supplies which run into the
rivers and streams, and in fact cause the water to dry up.
The message about putting pressure on the state government -
that a wide cross-section of the Central Coast community does
not want this mine to go ahead - was conveyed very strongly by
State Member for Wyong David Harris and Craig Thomson.
“I made a commitment to the people of the Central Coast before
the last election that I would do everything in my power to stop
the coal mine”, said Craig Thomson.
“I arranged this meeting to help secure the region’s future.” |
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