Mod 6 - Expansion of Coal Mine

I've been working at MTW for 4 years now, it's provided my family with the house I live in and a good source of income to live a healthy and comfortable living. If this extension does not go through it will force me and my family to move interstate as jobs are miniscule atm in the Maitland area.

The Mount thorley Warkworth operations is a vital work place and an importanant work place / career for myself and family now and for the future and would be devistating for it to cease operating in the future as it would imact my family and also other emlpoyees of the mine and also the sub contracters and buisnesses that rely on the on going work that this operations supplies for theirs familys and the community

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 have been involved with this mine since 1990 when I commenced employment in the local manufacturing industry that supported the Hunter Valley Coal Mines.

I have formed long term relationships with the people on site and I am concerned about there future and the future of the Hunter Valley's secondary businesses due to the proposal not being supported.

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

Mark Heagney

I am currently a permanent employee that has worked onsite for approximately 3 years. I live locally approximately 15 years with my wife and 5 children. If the extension did not go ahead it will impact my family greatly as we have two mortgages. I have no other trades or skills which would mean I would have to move out of the area or go FIFO which would impact my family as I would be away from home. My partner currently has a spinal cord injury and she depends daily on my assistance. It will impact on my children as Dad will be away from home and make it harder on my wife to everyday support such as pickup and drop off to school and sporting activities.
It will greatly impact the community, in the economy, local businesses will be effected as influx of miners will leave the area due to loss of jobs. Therefore will impact on the business owners.

I have been working for Mt Thorley Warkworth a little over 4yrs now and really enjoy it here. The impact on my family, businesses involved with Coal & Allied and the local community would be devastating. Alot of people would lose there jobs in which they depend on. I would like to see the expansion go ahead.

Ive been an operator out here for 2 1/2 years if they were to loose the extension it would impact my family severly if i was to loose my job. this job alows me to support my family and it will also impact alot of my friends who work as tradies in the industry who work out here and some of them have already lost there jobs as a result of the slowing work.

I have been working at MTW for over 3 years as an Operator. If the extension does not get approved, ultimately myself and many others will potentially lose our jobs. I am a single 23 year old without any other trades or qualifications and without this job I will no longer be able to afford my house. Many or most other workers of MTW are in a similar position with families to support from the one wage. The financial and social impacts of the closure or reduction of the mine site can be linked to almost every industry or individual in the area.

my name is paul cullen and im an operator at coal&allied mount thorley warkworth, i have worked there for 16 months, i have a wife and four daughters and my family depends on the survival of this mine as with many others in this area,i have lived in the hunter valley all my life and mining has been part of our community as long as i can remember and they assist and work with the community in many ways i would like to see that continue and provide work to us and many other companies that rely on these mining projects.
i hope our warkwork operation can go forward, as i would hate to move my family from the area to chase work.

I have been working at Mt Thorley Warkworth for 5 years having moved from WA back to NSW to be near my family, My husband works here aswsell and both of us losing our jobs would mean not beingable to pay our mortgage or loans that we have and having to sell everything unless we could find other employment. I enjoy working at Mt Thorley and had a long term goal of retiring at this mine as it is close to friends, family and would have to move back to another state or fly in fly out work as mining is all i can do to sustain my lifestyle and pay my bills. Please keep this mine alive.

I am a current employee at MTW and i moved to the small township of Broke. I am relying on MTW staying and operating to full capacity so i can keep enjoying my family lifestyle and provide for my child. Without mines like MTW staying open the town of Broke probably won't exist.

I am an employee at Mount Thorley Warkworth (MTW) within the Technical Services team and have been for close to fifteen (15) years and an even longer period with Coal and Allied and I wish to express my support for MTW's Warkworth Development Consent Modification.

This application to gain access to a parcel of company owned land and over which the company also holds the mining title, will allow for a continued and logical development and progression of existing mining operations which have operated successfully for over 30 years. It will provide greater surety of employment for over 1,300 full time employees and numerous others who have a direct and indirect involvement with MTW and allow these people make longer commitments to the region.

As part of these mining operations, MTW has provided and continues to provide numerous career opportunities for others coming into the mining industry. We risk losing, or not acquiring more of these people, with the industry and the larger community around MTW, being the poorer as a result.

Please accept this submission in support of the Warkworth Modification.

as an operator at MOUNT THORLEY WARKWORTH for the last three years an seeing the changes due to NON APPROVEL OF OUR EXTENSION JOBS LOST PEOPLES LIVES turned upside down familys losing almost everthing they have ever worked for etc etc ... with over 1300 jobs here on site . i think its a must for the future of all involed that this NEW aprovel is considered HIGHLY RECOMENDED

i have been working for coal and allied for nearly three years and in this time i have been working hard to set up my family for the future ! my family will be truly affected if the expansion doesnt get approval as my wage is the main income in my family wich supports two mortgages and two kids. if was to loose my job in the near futuer it would have a devastating affect to my family !!! i want to support this approval as much as possible thank you .

I have been operating at this mine for 3 years and have enjoyed doing so, this extension is needed to ensure all parties involved, employees, contract employees, suppliers, communities can continue to prosper from the mine at its full extent. Personally lots of people stand to lose significant assests, suffer strains on family and relationships. It is greatly appreciated if this extension is considered to prevent these issues from arising.

My husband and I moved back over to the hunter from W.A. (working in the mines in W.A ) 2 years ago, to be closer to family and friends and to have a job alot closer to home rather than fly in fly out. We were also hoping for job security which we received by getting put on full time with coal and allied.
Unfortunately with what's happening at the moment, we are unable to even think about purchasing property in the area due to not knowing how long we will be employed, and the uncertainty of other mines in the area not employing or not having a long mine life.
So where we stand is we are currently renting, unsure of our jobs and not willing to commit to any large purchases in the hunter area.
We have also noticed the large downturn in the area affecting rental properties. (now there are hundreds for rent, but when we first arrived the only rental we could get was a cabin at the caravan park $4oo per week ). We are still at the caravan park because we don't want to commit to a lease. The caravan park that was once packed with people is now all but empty and has been for months.
I understand the concerns of the towns in question for the expansion, but I also understand for things to move forward and for towns to survive we need to offer long term employment for people otherwise I do believe alot of the hunter like newcastle with bhp, will suffer from people goiung elsewhere for long term security.
We do not want to move back to Western Australia, but if that is the only area the government allows to move forward and allows for good job security and for people to be able to plan for their future without the worry then unfortunately we will make the decision to go back there.
This mine has been here for I think on 30 years. It is a good safe place to work and we enjoy it. The company is always trying ways to do things to make the outer communities not feel the effects of what we do. Surely there is a way we can all work together and keep the hunter thriving with good spending, building, and retail sales, all keeping everyone happy.

Warkworth mine brings a signifficant amount of employment opportunity to the local community. My father is employed at Warkworth mine, and I know a number of Warkworth employees from growing up locaclly. Should the application not be granted, such people will be at risk of losing their jobs.

I support the the mines extension as it provides 100's jobs for real people who have families and morgages.

Employed at this site for 10rys .At 59, im shore that if this exstention fails to go forward, that ill well be left on the scrap heap, With no hope of gaining emploment in this indusrtry in the Hunter Valley .So i will have to try outside mining for work and at my age this would be very difficult. To young to retire and nowhere enough in my supperanution to leave on .So its not going to be a happy retirement .only a lot of time on the dole que......PLEASE I ONLY NEED SEVEN MORE YEARS............

I have worked at MTW for 4 years, my father only retired last year and worked at Mt Thorley and then MTW for over 20years, my family has lived in the area and been supported by minning for as far back as anyone can remember. This site has given me more then i could have asked for as a child growing up being able to play every sport i have ever wished, regular family holidays, clothes on my back and a roof over my head and to want for nothing, im hoping with this extensions approval i will be able to provide my children with the same worry free upbringing i had, my wife also works in the singleton community and with potential job losses not only at MTW but the carry over affect into the wider community with the denial of this extension could/would be catostrophic to me and my family, we are also hoping to expand our family from 4 to 5 and we're unable to do so under the currant circumstances!!

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 work as a geologist for Rio Tinto / Coal and Allied at Hunter Valley Operations and have a significant number of friends and work colleagues that work at Warkworth. Their employment helps each of those people in the same way my employment helps me, to support my family, be active within the local community, support the local economy and plan for a successful future.
I am proud to work for Rio Tinto / Coal and Allied in the Hunter Valley and we are all proud of the work we do every day. We work hard to achieve the high standards Rio Tinto / Coal and Allied expect of us and we strive to up hold our good name.
Mount Thorley Warkworth provides a stable income for over 1,300 full time employees in the Hunter Valley. The operation of the mine supports many local charities and 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.
The people that work at Warkworth need certainty. They have 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
Robert McGrath