Whitehaven Coal has again outbid a local farmer to secure precious water for its Maules Creek coal mine during a time of unprecedented drought in NSW’s north west.

More than twice the number of Queenslanders have signed a petition to save farmland on the Darling Downs from a coal mine expansion than those who signed a counter petition in favour of the project.

Lock the Gate Alliance has renewed its call for the destructive Bylong coal mine to be refused after a transcript from a high level departmental meeting revealed there are no examples of successful rehabilitation after mining and no protection for the state’s most fertile soils.

The Gasfield Free South West Alliance says the State Government has left the door open for fracking to take place in the South West, Peel and Metro regions.

Lock the Gate Alliance strongly commends Moree Plains Shire Council on its recently reaffirmed opposition to coal seam gas, and calls on the NSW Nationals to make good on the party’s recent move to wind up ‘zombie’ petroleum exploration licences.