Notorious environmental vandal Whitehaven’s planned Winchester South thermal and metallurgical coal mine would have a devastating impact on water, threatened species like the koala, and the climate, according to the company’s environmental impact statement released today.

Lock the Gate Alliance has labelled a $60,000 fine handed to a multinational coal seam gas company that dumped more than one million litres of wastewater on surrounding land as little more than a “slap on the wrist”.

Origin, one of Australia’s biggest electricity and gas suppliers, could gain a significant competitive edge on its energy rivals by selling its gas assets while the Australian gas market is temporarily buoyed by Federal Government support and switching to become a green energy provider, according to a new report.

A new expert analysis reveals operational emissions produced from the eight major fossil fuel projects approved by the Independent Planning Commission (IPC) since the authority was created will total nearly 90 million tonnes - the same amount the NSW Government's Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap is expected to abate between now and 2030.

Farmers in the New South Wales north west have reacted with anger to the announcement by the Deputy Premier that some of the state’s most productive farmland will be available to be exploited by Santos for coal seam gas, describing the move as a “betrayal” of the National Party’s rural constituency.