Minister’s fury over Chinese mine deal
Print Edition
THE Australian government was under fire yesterday after approving a huge Chinese-run coal mine near prime farmland, sparking division in its own ranks with Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce saying “the world has gone mad.”
Joyce called the decision “ridiculous” after Chinese company Shenhua was granted approval for the A$1 billion (US$740 million) Watermark mine near Gunnedah in New South Wales state, under 18 conditions the government said were among the strictest in Australia’s history.
“I’ve never supported the Shenhua mine. I think it is ridiculous that you would have a major mine in the midst of Australia’s best agricultural land,” Joyce said about the project in his constituency.
He said “the world has gone mad” if a mine could get the go-ahead near prime farmland, citing the case of a house in the area not allowed to be built because it would impact a nearby woodland.
Large-scale mining in rural areas and concerns about valuable agricultural and mineral assets passing into foreign hands is a hot topic in Australia, with the government earlier this year tightening scrutiny on overseas investment in farmland.
The NSW Farmers Association blasted the Shenhua move as turning a “food bowl into coal.” The area is known for its rich black soil, excellent water resources and ideal climate.
It said the Shenhua Watermark Coal Project, with a mine life of 30 years, would “disturb an area of over 4,000 football fields in size, in the middle of some of Australia’s best farming country.”
“Our members and the local community are more than disappointed — they are devastated over the lack of political will to protect this area,” said association president Fiona Simson.
But Environment Minister Greg Hunt, who approved the mine, said he had listened to community concerns and put strict conditions on the mine, with Shenhua needing to complete water and biodiversity management plans before any mining starts.
In a last ditch bid to halt the mine, a legal challenge has been launched by the NSW Planning Assessment Commission on claims officials failed to properly consider the impact on a koala population.
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