Warkworth Coal Mine Continuation

As a supplier of communication services to MTW; for the health of my business it is imperative that the extension is granted.

This application, whilst touted as different, proposes to mine an area that has previously been denied by two courts. I believe that to submit such an application is arrogant in the extreme, an abuse of process, a contempt of the Court system and shows a disdain for the residents of Bulga and the fragile ecology of the Warkworth Sands Woodland. It is breathtaking in its indication of the self-importance that Rio Tinto feels for itself and the hubris which the company exhibits in re submitting the application.

The NSW Land and Environment Court examined the proposal to mine this area in very great detail and rejected it as without merit. In its examination the Court allowed very great leniency to Rio Tinto in daily adducing more and more evidence in support of its application, even though all matters to be raised should have been submitted to all parties in the `discovery ` period before the case.

Subsequently the Company cried "foul" and they, and the Government of NSW lodged an appeal with the NSW Supreme Court claiming a lack of fairness and a number of other procedural errors. In a unanimous decision, the three most senior judges in the Supreme Court found against them and dismissed the appeal.

The EIS submitted in support of the application is a massive 14 volumes. This is written in response to a document called "the Secretary's Requirements" (previously known as DGR requirements). This document, issued by the NSW Dept. of Planning, was published on 22 May 2014. The 14 volumes of the EIS, purporting to answer the Secretary's Requirements were published on or before 13 June 2014. It beggars belief that such a document could have been prepared in this time, properly addressing the matters in the Secretary's Requirements. And, in fact the case is, the document does not properly address these requirements.

I demand thta you to reject this application.

Mt Thorley Warkworth contributes jobs and revenue to the local economy and therefore expanding it would further add to the contribution. The region depends on it to prosper or many families will be affected.

I am a light vehicle mechanic at MTW and my position is a full time permanent role on site. If the mine were to close this would mean the end of my employment as I would not be able to be re positioned within the ResCo due to an already stressed environment. My future is directly tied to the continuation of the Mount Thorely Warkworth mine and i plead for you to do anything possible to assist the many workers who depend on this vital resource.
Yours sincerely Jason Baker.

I work in the environmental sector at MTW and am proud of the work we do and the difference we make. I support the Mount Thorley Warkworth extension process.

If MTW extension proposal is denied the inevitable closure of the mine would have a huge impact on thousands of local families, and their future in the local community.
The follow on impact would effect local businesses and schools the mine and its employees currently support.
It would directly effect my family and place a further financial and emotional strain on my young family, if my husband was to lose his job.

If the mine extension is rejected it will effect the livelihood of my my family and lots of others two a lot of money goes into community from employees and rio tinto

I want this expansion to go ahead to save jobs

as a person who has grown up in the hunter the impact the mining industry has is substantial allowing mines to expand keeps jobs in the area

These desisions affect not only the mine workers they affect families, businesses, whole communities towns and cities the affects role down the line and wipe out much more than the persons dirrectly employed by the mine i wonder how many job losses this could create 100,s 1000,s even tens of thousands. Who could it be The volenteer fire fighter, the cricket coach, me, YOU the list goes on

This is a submission against both the Warkworth (SSD 6464) and Mt Thorley (SSD 6465) Continuation Projects.

The NSW Land and Environment Court ruled in April 2013 that expanding the Warkworth coal mine would do the NSW public more harm than good. Judge Preston found that the information used by Rio Tinto and NSW Planning in support of the project was wrong, and he overturned the approval.

When Rio Tinto and the NSW Government appealed that decision to the NSW Supreme Court (Court of Appeal), they lost. Two superior NSW courts have now ruled that Rio's plan to expand the Warkworth coal mine fails on merit.

The Bulga people and their many supporters justly assumed that this would be the end of the project. Instead, Rio Tinto have simply resubmitted their mining application. It has been split in two, and the name updated, but these two projects (SSD 6464 and SSD 6465) are effectively the same project that has been rejected by two NSW courts (MP 09_0202).

That the Planning Department has even accepted Rio Tinto's application is a failure of procedural fairness, and makes a farce of the very process you are now asking us, the public, to participate in. We are being asked to make submissions on a project that has already been through this very same assessment process and failed - only to be resubmitted. We are being asked to submit to a process overseen by a Department that is clearly working closely with the proponent to get the project approved, and which got the decision wrong the first time around. There can be no faith in this process.

The Department must respect the decisions of the NSW Land and Environment Court, and the NSW Supreme Court (Court of Appeal), and reject these applications.

If this expansion is denied, my company with be greatly affected and my position may not survive.

My job, that of my family and friends and the worry that there will be no community if there are no jobs for people to stay and work in.

Having children and worked here for 7 years MTO is a part of my life, we work hard to build a sustainable future not only for myself but my fellow workmates.
We look after our neighbour's So we can continue sustainable mining now and into the future.

I support mount thorley warkworth there a lot of people families and business that depend on the mine. I'm in full support of the mine and the good things it brings to our community

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I would like to state my support for the continuation of this project. Many jobs in this area would be put at risk without it.

This will have a direct impact on my ability to look after my wife and 5 children, even though I live in another state.
It is people like myself that are never counted in the true numbers of people affected in these types of situation as we are little service providers reliant on the mining industry. As a significant taxpayer it is time I am listened to more than the small insignificant groups that are ruining the future of our grand children

To whom it may concern,

I am writing in support of the MTW mine extension proposal. This in my opinion is a must for the hunter valley to be approved. The mining industry is an integral part of the hunter valley and developments such as this one is very important to keep the hunter alive.
The Hunter has already been affected by the mining down turn and lots of jobs have been lost. The extension proposal has a direct affect on 1300 peoples jobs obviously affecting their families. If they were to lose their jobs i'm sure they would find it very hard to find another job locally. Which means they would have to possibly having to movie out the area to keep supporting their families.
People moving out of the area and reduced outside contracting work from the mine has a huge affect on the local area. Local business's and economy will suffer even to the point of dropping property values in the area.
The mine carries out a lot of donations and community work as well that, they will miss out on. There is a huge amount of work the mine do to reduce the impact of the mine to their surrounding neighbors, that no-one really knows about. Huge amount of both noise and dust monitoring with sensors all around the pit. Strategically shutting the pit down under some environmental conditions to limit the affect of the neighbors.
The mine also contributes a large amount to the economy not just locally, but at a state and national level.

Come one people, Save this Mine! Save THESE JOBS and Save the Economy!

Thanks for considering my submission.

Consider the people and how their families will become affected. What future will they hold? What if it was you?