Liverpool Plains farmers and Lock the Gate Alliance have condemned the move by the NSW Government to renew the Shenhua exploration licence on the Liverpool Plains, saying it was the third chance the government has had to end mining plans in our nation’s food bowl and the third time they had failed to do so.
Breeza farmer John Hamparsum said, “This is a dark day for our farms on the Liverpool Plains and puts the future of our national food bowl at risk.
"We’re disappointed but not surprised by this decision today.
"This Government has been backing this coal mine and ignoring the objections of the people who farm here and rely on this water resource for years.
"They don’t get it: they say they’re protecting the Liverpool Plains, but this is the Liverpool Plains. They approved a dirty great mine in the middle of your food bowl."
Georgina Woods of Lock the Gate Alliance said, “This is the third chance the Government has missed to stop this mine. First, they gave the mine approval three years ago. Then, they missed a chance to use a special clause in the licence that gave them the means to cancel it because mining had not commenced 8 years after the original grant.
“Finally, they hatched a secret deal with Shenhua to renew the licence and give the company $262 million, moving this huge coal mine one step closer to going ahead.
“This is a terrible blow, but the battle to protect the Liverpool Plains is far from over: we will not give up the fight until this state’s productive farmland and groundwater are protected from coal mining.”
