Warkworth Coal Mine Continuation

We have an office operational in Newcastle that services clients in the Hunter Region. Without the long term future of this mine secured the outlook for my business (notwithstanding that whole Hunter region) is bleak.

As an employee of an engineering company that provides service to Mount Thorley Warkworth myself and my family depend on the future of this mine for job security.
In the current economic climate with forced job cuts occurring regularly,the possibility of scaling back production and premature closure will have a detrimental effect on not only the 1300 MTW employees but the whole community in general.
It is for this reason that it is imperative that this approval is granted.
Thank you.

I support the MTW continuation 100%. The Hunter Valley and its strong, close-knit community depends on mining and what it brings economically to the region.

My family depend on my income and as a professional mining engineer, options are limited for work. There have already been too many job losses in mining over the past 12 months and these projects should be approved to secure employment for more than 1,300 people that rely on these mines for their income to support their families. I don't want to lose my job and be forced to move from the Hunter Valley to support my family.

Government has already taken enough jobs from Australia to overseas so to not proceed with this extension will again see another 1300 workers under threat and we as a community cannot continue to operate with more job losses when there are not enough job opening available.

As an employee and member of the community the Warkworth extension is very important to me, my family, friends and neighbours. We moved to the Hunter area four years ago, now we feel like part of the community, my daughter is enjoying her school, many clubs and friends. My wife has a part time job supporting a small local business, which works out well for us and her employer. I find myself working in a fulfilling job, being able to provide for my families future, whilst being able to see my family every day vs. the alternative of fly in fly out. If the extension was not to be approved, I feel I would have to leave the valley as there are already so many operations closing down or reducing operations due to poor economic conditions.


Apart for being involved in the community, my daughter’s school and clubs, we contribute in so many ways income taxes, local service and utilities, shopping and leisure time and supporting small business working around the house. This is just some of the way my small family contributes to the local/national economy. This is replicated by the 1300+ people who work at Warkworth. Not to mention all the contractors, suppliers, utilities and direct contribution from the business in taxes and royalties. In 2013, MTW spent $335 million with more than 600 NSW suppliers. This does not include what those working at the site pumps into the community.


There is no doubt that Mining impacts the environment and local community through Air Quality, Noise, Vibration, Ecology Visual, Heritage and Water but the overall proposal by Coal & Allied is expansive mitigating the impacts to a great degree and in many instances is leading practice relative to other operations in the valley and worldwide. At the coal face the operation is managed on a daily basis to ensure we are doing the right thing, including stopping equipment at significant cost and production impact.


Please approve the Warkworth extension application for me, my family, friends and our community.

Yours faithfully

Morgan Costello

Coal mining has been taking place in the Hunter Valley for 150 years, including continuous mining by the direct parent of Warkworth mine, Coal & Allied. It is an integral part of the Upper Hunter economy and society and there are potentially hundreds of years of resources remaining.
The Warkworth Continuation is not some sort of land grab; Coal & Allied has always owned that land and held a mining lease over it, and so anyone who has purchased into the area in the last 30 years in which the Warkworth mine was operating should have been well aware of the borders of the lease. Anyone familiar with coal mining would know that mines are inherently mobile, constantly moving around their footprint depending on the market conditions and underlying geology. It's ridiculous to suggest that a coal mine should not be allowed to exploit its own land and tenements, especially when the small group of committed opponents nearly all voluntarily chose to settle in the area after the Warkworth mine was established.
The Upper Hunter Valley is all about coal mining. Economically, it would be devastated if mining were to cease, as is evidenced by the increasing number of empty shopfronts lining Singleton streets since the industry started a downturn. The committed core of non-working non-productive opponents have no respect for the thousands of direct and indirect employees, who are mostly young, very productive and are now scared to buy a house, start a family, make any sort of commitment as they fear they only have another year or so of employment left. The government should be doing everything in its power to keep the coal mines viable rather than pandering to a tiny group of NIMBYs and those from distant parts who oppose coal mining for purely ideological reasons, notwithstanding that every day some new evidence emerges that erodes the entire foundation of the notion of anthropogenic global warming.

I am for the extension to go ahead. I believe the local economy will suffer greatly if it does not go ahead. I for one will be moving out of the nsw area to find work

Need my job to support my family

I believe for this to go would be a huge lost to the community. To have such a large Number of people out of work will be deverstating given times are already tough. Recently in the news the government was pushing the point that they are trying to tighten up those on the dole and not rapidly increase the number of unemployed. The upper hunter is well known for it's mining region and it is the backbone of many businesses. For that to close many people would have to move in search of new employment.

Need my job to support my family

1300 jobs depend on Mount Thorley Warkworth which has been part of the Singleton community for more than 30 years. I can only imagine what the impact would be to families who have been in the region for generations if it is not approved to continue mining. But the impact doesn't stop with the people directly employed by MTW: in 2013 alone we spent over $188 million with local businesses in the Upper Hunter. Without the continuation, impacts will be felt right across the Hunter region.

I support the Warkworth extension. I have been working there for 5 years now and have experienced first hand the great lengths the mine goes to to protect the environment and our neighbours. The company supports the local and greater community with donations to charities and sporting clubs.

I am happy living in the hunter and would like to continue my career at Warkworth, however i fear that without this extension i will be looking for new employment in the near future and may have to move myself and my family.

This needs to go ahead for the livelihood of many, the environmental concerns are less than many other major projects around the state and many if these are passed for less practical reasons than keeping people employed and ensure longevity if the industry and of companies in the area

I 100% support the mine in their current operations and future expansion.
I feel it is for the greater good of the surrounding community, Newcastle and NSW as a whole.
I feel the lact of support in the community and the some government sectors shows a poor understanding of what the industry provides for the local families and businesses.
I understand the concerns for the environment, but i also understand that most upper hunter mines have been operating successfully and with environmental issues in mind throughout this area long before the naysayers hit the community.

We seen the impact of a bypass on the community of Branxton. Now imagine the impact of mine closures on surrounding communities.

Mining is a major employer of hunter valley families, we need this to support our community

My father worked in the mines for the majority of his life. He no longer works in mining, but i fully support the industry and those who work in it.
I think Newcastle and NSW as a whole needs mining and the closure of mines will have a huge effect on everyone directly or indirectly

As a former contractor of this site I have seen first hand the 1000s of people and many businesses that are supported by this mine it was a great place to work with some great people who if they lose their jobs they will not have the opportunities available to them that this mine has offered, furthermore the local job market for experienced miners is already over flooded and these mtw employees may not be able to gain employment elsewhere for quite some time

I have worked at mount thorley warkworth for the past ten years and I would lke to continue my career there. If we don't get this extension my job will be in jeopardy and my young family will suffer if I lose my job so we need this extension to secure me and my family's future.

For the future of mining and the supporting industries throughout the Hunter Valley, this approval needs to be approved ASAP

Save 1300 jobs .