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Boom in Hunter coal royalties comes at a cost
Wednesday 09 December 2009
Greens MP and mining spokesperson Lee Rhiannon said today that the tripling of coal royalties collected by the NSW government over the past three years from Hunter coal projects cannot be celebrated considering the associated costs (page 1, Newcastle Herald, 'State reaps $920m from Hunter coalmines').
"The $920 million in royalties pocketed by Treasury over the last three years have come at a significant cost to Hunter residents, public health and the environment," Ms Rhiannon said.
"The mining and burning of coal contributes almost 40 percent of Australia's greenhouse gas emissions.
"The massive costs of unchecked climate change will dwarf these million dollar royalties.
"The government fails to take into account the cumulative impact of mining on local communities, water resources and the environment when its assesses and grants new mining development approvals.
"Coal mining impacts on rivers, water catchments, threatened species, food security and the social cohesion of the Hunter region.
"Big Hunter-based mining companies like BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto have the ear of government and the long term impacts of their mining projects remain uncosted.
"A growth in coal exports will only exacerbate the damage done by this industry.
"Governments of all persuasion suffer from short-sightedness when it comes to the coal industry.
"The new Premier Kristina Keneally must look to the long term before giving the tick to future coal mining projects which will benefit overseas mining companies but come at a big price to the Hunter community and the environment," Ms Rhiannon said.
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