Shenhua's failure to apply for a mining licence for the fourth time means that it's time for the Minister for Resources John Barilaro to put the whole project out of its misery and cancel the company's mining lease for good, says Cate Faehrmann Greens MP and spokesperson for the environment and water.
"Shenhua Energy has now applied for four extensions and has had years to apply for a mining licence. The Minister for Industry John Barilaro must have the courage to stand up with farmers and take this project out the back and put it out of its misery once and for all," Says Cate Faehrmann
"The community has been holding its breath hoping that today would be the day that the government finally pulled the pin on this project that will destroy prime agricultural land, pollute precious groundwater and destroy sacred sites.
"To hear this today, on the day that the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into Koala Populations and their Habitat released its final report, is a kick in the guts for the Liverpool Plains and Gunnedah communities who are so passionate about protecting the region's koalas.
"One of the committee's recommendations was that the NSW Government must ensure the protection of the koala colony and their habitat on the Shenhua Watermark site. It also found Shenhua's absurd translocation method is scientifically unfounded."
"This weekend I met with Gomeroi people who told me it is impossible for their sacred sites to be preserved if this mine goes ahead. I also met with farmers on the Liverpool Plains who spoke of Shenhua's dodgy groundwater modelling that overestimates available water by one hundred to one thousand times.
"If this mine goes ahead it will be a disaster. Instead of granting yet another extension to Shenhua's exploration licence Minister Barilaro must kill it once and for all," said Ms Faehrmann.
