In April 2013 the NSW Land and Environment Court rejected Rio Tinto's bid to bring its Warkworth open cut coal mine up to the edge of the village of Bulga, in the Hunter Valley. There were jubilation and tears of relief from Bulga residents, who had fought a long and determined campaign to save their community from coal.
Rio Tinto appealed the case to the Supreme Court. They lost again. Both times, the judges ruled that expanding the Warkworth coal mine would do more harm than good, not just for Bulga but for the whole of NSW.
Now, the NSW Government is trying to approve the project again, and this time they won't let it near a court room. Rio Tinto have rebadged and resubmitted their Warkworth mine plans, and the Planning Department has recommended approval. On 18th December, the NSW Planning Assessment Commission will hold a public hearing in Singleton to consider the latest proposal to expand the Warkworth coal mine.
It's time the NSW Government stood with communities, not coal companies. Join the residents of Bulga as they rally for fairness, justice, and the rule of law.
