On 12 June, the Parliament of Australia raised for discussion the length of time New Hope Group’s expansion of the Acland mine application has been under consideration.
The mine has had 12 years of delays in receiving the necessary approvals. But in November 2018, the Land Court recommended grant of the project’s mining lease and environmental authority (EA). In March 2019, the Government granted the project its EA, but the Government has not yet granted the outstanding mining leases and associated water licence.
As a consequence, the company was forced to sack 150 workers in September last year. The State Government has been pressured to approve the mine despite, warning that without the expansion, the remaining 150 workers would eventually lose their jobs as well.
Senator for Queensland, Paul Scarr, who moved the motion of support in the Senate, called on the Queensland Government to expedite the approvals process for the New Acland coal mine and to not allow its approvals process to be delayed where there is no court order preventing the grant of the approvals.
“Since 2007 – 13 long years – New Hope has sought approvals for their Stage 3 expansion of the New Acland mine on the Darling Downs, which would extend the mine’s life until 2031 and boost annual production from 5.2 million tonnes to 7.5 million tonnes,” Senator Scarr said.
“In the face of continued legal action, the mine is likely to run out of coal in early 2021,” Senator Scarr said.
“If New Hope can’t expand before they run out of coal in early 2021, they’ll have no option but to shut down.”
In a Senate parliamentary vote, the Liberal National Government gave a strong support to approve the mine expansion, while the Labor Party and the Greens voted against the motion.
The motion of support saw 28 senators voting in favour and 25 opposing it.
Separately, New Hope Group is currently under investigation for alleged unlawful mining at Acland.
New Hope Group has rejected the claims, saying the mining of West Pit was considered in 2016 in the Land Court where the representative of the Department of Environment and Science, confirmed that the excavation of West Pit was not in breach of New Acland Coal’s environmental authority.
New Hope said the claims is an “attempt to frustrate and delay the approvals of New Acland Stage 3”.