Mod 6 - Expansion of Coal Mine

This mining extension is extremely important to my family and I. Being employeed at MTW for 3 years, this is a fantastic place of employment. My wife is at home raising our 3 children, the lose of my employment (our sole source of income) would cause immense stress and concern to us as we would have to consider relocating and with our children all in school, the relocation implications associated with that.

Komatsu's operations in NSW are very much underpinned by mining activity, and as such, we are concerned by softening market conditions and the effect that this may have on our workforce. We therefore feel, that the proposed modification of Rio Tinto's Mount Thorley Warkworth mine is a positive step for the industry, that will help to mitigate the negative economic conditions faced by the region currently.

Komatsu Australia employs over 2,000 staff, including 470 staff in NSW.

Komatsu has a considerable infrastructure in place to support our customers in the Hunter Valley, with branches in Mt Thorley, Thornton, Gunnedah and Newcastle, in total employing over 110 people. In addition to this, we employ 43 staff in Remanufacturing facilities on the east coast to support this precinct and an additional 16 staff in our Distribution Centre in Sydney. These roles rely upon the viability of mining customers in the region.

Because the Hunter Valley represents a strategic region for Komatsu, we have piloted a number of training programmes there, including our National Apprentice Programme, which has since been recognised by the Federal Education Minister in the Employer Excellence Awards for Apprentices, as well as winning other National Accolades from the Civil Constructors Federation.

Komatsu has 28 apprentices in the Hunter Valley region.

As part of our commitment to the region, Komatsu has partnered with Kurri Kurri TAFE, and has provided in kind contributions to this institution, including the donation of earthmoving machines, and we continue to play an active role in this TAFE through permanent training arrangements. Komatsu apprentices from NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania receive training from Kurri Kurri TAFE which includes a residential programme.

Komatsu's investment in training in the Hunter Valley is a direct result of our need to support mining customers in this region.

Komatsu has a long standing relationship with Rio Tinto, during which time, we have found Rio Tinto to represent the highest standards of professionalism in regards to Safety, the Environment and Corporate Social Responsibility, and as such Komatsu strongly supports the application for proposed modifications at the Mount Thorley Warkworth mine.

I have been employed at Mount Thorley Warkworth for 3 and a half year as a mobile equipment operator.
If the Warkworth modification doesnt go through this will likely result in my postion no longer being nessasary to run whats left of the mine.
The loss of my job and income will be a terrible outcome as i will have to move away for work as i dont have any trade or other qualification to fall back on and mining jobs in the hunter are very rare. This willl impact my family and i very hevily in moving away as i help look after my fathers farm and my youngest brothers kids on days off so they can manage to work.
As well as trying to pay my morgages it will also hurt the local community being sporting teams that i play for and coach as well as local buisnesses which we support.

I am fully suportive of MTW Mining.

I am an employee on MTW. I was born in Singleton. I live Singleton, I have three young children and a mortgage. I shop and spend my wages locally. I strongly support the extension of MTW

I am supportive of MTW mining.

I support the extension of MTW because I am an employee, I have 3 children live and shop locally. MTW provides 100% of my income

Dear Minister,

I support Coal & Allied's Warkworth Modification application to gain access to an additional 350m of land owned by the mine, to avoid a significant drop in production and employment.

Mount Thorley Warkworth provides a stable income for over 1,300 full time employees in the Hunter Valley. And the operation of the mine reaches into many other businesses that supply MTW. Thousands of people depend on this mine and if production was to drop, the result could be devastating.

We need certainty. We've been wondering what the future holds now for four years. If this minor modification to an existing, 30 year old mine does not get approved, I am worried about what this will mean for local jobs and investment across the NSW mining industry.

I have been employed by Rio Tinto Coal Australia for a number of years, and feel that the additional income generated by employees in the local area will be greatly missed if the mine were to be closed.

Please accept this submission in support of the Warkworth Modification.

Regards
Elise Castle

I support the latest development application as my husband is employed in mining and without this jobs will be lost and he will be unemployable in his trade.

i have been a singleton resident for the past 3 years since i was employed as a mobile equipment operator at mount thorley warkworth. the bottom line for me is.. no extension most likely means no job, if myself and many others lose our jobs other mining employment in the area will no doubt be hard to get, leaving myself and others with no option but to leave the hunter valley area in search of employment elsewhere

This is a submission made by me as i am worried about the future of the mine. If this mine extension does not go ahead i can see me as a contrator being asked to leave. I also think that the jobs of the 1300 other workers will be at a great risk.
But it is not only the people that work here at the mine site that will be affected it is also the thousands of other companys that supply goods and services to this mine. In the climate that we are in at the moment i think it will be very hard on the comunity when there is 1300 direct job losses and countless more outside this work place.

I have been employed at Mount Thorley Warkworth Mine for the past 18 months. If the Warkworth Modification does not go through I will probably lose my job and source of income. I have small family and value job security.
Mount Thorley Warkworth provides a stable income for over 1300 full time employees in the Hunter Valley. The operation reaches into many other businesses that supply MTW. Thousands of people depend on this mine and if production was to drop, the result could be devastating.

I strongly support the extension for Mount Thorley Warkworth extension.

I've been working at MTW for approximately 16 months and in that time I have seen a cultural shift to a more environmentally aware workforce. I support Rio Tinto in the way we manage operations and I support the extension, knowing that Rio Tinto management will conduct operations to mitigate environmental and social impacts, as well as secure jobs for both Rio Tinto employees and contractors.

Dear Minister,

I support Coal & Allied's Warkworth Modification application to gain access to an additional 350m of land owned by the mine, to avoid a significant drop in production and employment.

I am currently an apprentice at MTW, this extension will secure my future the company and will keep alot of my work colleges in work aswell

If the mine was the close due to not getting this extension, not only will there people's significant job loss's, but homes and business will be closes due to the lack of workforce in the area spending money on local shops but alot of there assests would be withheld if we cannot afford to keep them.

What impact would there be if it was forced to close or downsize?

Mount Thorley Warkworth provides a stable income for over 1,300 full time employees in the Hunter Valley. And the operation of the mine reaches into many other businesses that supply MTW. Thousands of people depend on this mine and if production was to drop, the result could be devastating.

We need certainty. We've been wondering what the future holds now for four years. If this minor modification to an existing, 30 year old mine does not get approved, I am worried about what this will mean for local jobs and investment across the NSW mining industry.

Please accept this submission in support of the Warkworth Modification.

Regards
Christian Mcleod

It must be noted that many families derive an income from coal mining in the Hunter Valley, either directly as an employee or in the supply industry. Without these incomes many families will face severe financial hardships, possibly including my own family. Tha Hunter Valley has relied on coal mining for generations and let us remember we have built much of our electrical generating infrastructure due to the close proximity of coal. Importantly it must be shown that at Mt Thorley Warkworth there are employees who live in the locality of the mine, some of who are extremely supportive of any expansion plans. However there are also employees who are against expansion, these people are only against expansion due to personal interest be it in the form of a work related redundancy or in the hope the Mining company will be forced to pay more for any properties as a form of compensation. Many of the local people it must be said have moved into the area after the initial opening of the coal mine knowing that all of the implications associated with such a move are "next door".

November 21, 2013

The Hon. Bradley Hazzard
Minister for Planning and Infrastructure
c/- Elle Donnelly
Department of Planning and Infrastructure
GPO Box 39
Sydney, NSW 2001

Dear Mr Hazzard

I support the proposed modification to the Warkworth Coal Mine (Modification 6) and believe it is vital to secure the employment of approximately 1300 employees (myself included), as well as numerous local companies providing support for the operation.

Without the approval of the modification many local people will lose their jobs which will have a direct impact on the town of Singleton. As a local resident it would be very disappointing to see Singleton take a backward step when it has only just started to make positive progress with improved local businesses and facilities. As someone with a young family I am planning on remaining in the local area and understand how vital the mining industry is for job security and development of the area.

As outlined in the Environmental Assessment, the negligible environmental impact associated with this modification is far outweighed by the economic benefits what will be derived from the project.

Thank you for your support.

I believe the economy and employment should be the first priority rather than a hanfull of farmers and the enviroment,Rio is doing its best to sustain both.Where would singelton and other areas be when 1300 people decide to fifo interstate.

I have been employed at Mount Thorley Warkworth mine for 10 years as a Mobile Equipment Operator. I'd really like to see my employment time continue with this mine until retirement, however at the moment my job security is not guarenteed. MTW provides a stable income for over 1300 full time employees in the Hunter Valley. The operation of the mine reaches into many other businesses that supply MTW. Thousands of people depend on this mine and if production was to drop, the result could be devasting.
I support Coal and Allied's Warkworth Modification application to gain access to an additional 350m of land owned by the mine.

i am writing with concerns about the problems that coal and allied are having in gaining the extension to the current progect that is currently operating i have worked at this mine for about ten years and would like to continu into the futre this employment helps my family and also helps the local community in many ways