PLEASE support our mine! Help us secure our children's future

As a service provider to the NSW mining industry operating outside of the Hunter Valley region, we support the Warkworth application because of the continuing business opportunities Warkworth will bring to the companies and their employees similar to ourselves in the Hunter Valley.

In a downturned market, the pressure placed on service providers as a result of an unexpected mine closure due to an application rejection can be that extreme that their only option is to foreclose, liquidate and lose all equity that has been built up. Small companies don't often recover from this type of pressure. For companies that strive to stay afloat, they may push into other NSW mining regions that are already experiencing financial strain due to the drop in coal or ore prices and they may attempt to win business by reducing their margins to zero, foregoing their running cost provisions and striving to just make wages and financial repayments. The end result is a flow on effect where even more service providers are displaced and the net number of mining service providers in NSW under financial duress increases.

Warkworth represents an important part of the overall NSW mining economy and I believe we should be supporting Rio Tinto's application at a time when commodity prices are not at their highest and where we could see any number of projects put on the back-burner or shelved until prices increase.

I grew up in NSW, and know a large amount of people that this expansion would support. Working for an Earth moving hire company, which I am base in Perth this may also me personal as we have machine on site.

1300 jobs depend on Mount Thorley Warkworth (MTW) which has been part of the Singleton community for more than 30 years. Coming from a mining town myself, 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: with over $188 million spent with local businesses in the Upper Hunter. Without the approval to continue to mine at MTW, impacts will be in no doubt felt right across the Hunter region.

This application has a major impact on my family. I am relying on my future to work at this operation and do not know what I will do , as far as living locally as I have done for 14 years and for work, if the extension is not granted. Singleton is also already feeling the pinch with the industry in its downturn and will enormously damage the whole Hunter Valley economics , related or not mine related. The government needs to support the companies that still have the finances to want to invest to make up the shortfall for those who are pulling out before the industry collapses completely.

Rio Tinto's commitment not just to the environment but the people and communities in it, is a credit to them. Cancelling this project will greatly impact on the wider community further than just the Hunter Valley area and the 1300 people's jobs involved.

Current impacts in coal mining are already greatly effecting employment opportunities with a large number of projects being scaled back and people being made redundant, the continuation of this project will ensure the future of Coal mining and the >1300 people and business associated with it, "Their lives, the employees future depend on it"

1300 jobs depend on Mount Thorley Warkworth which has been part of the Singleton community for more than 30 years. The impact would be felt by so many families who have been working in the region for generations if MTW is not approved to continue mining. The effect would also be felt by so many local businesses in the Hunter. The opportunities are already reduced for people in the region, and having 1300 more people looking for work would make it nearly impossible for these people to find other jobs in the region. Please seriously consider the application that has been put forward.

Support the expansion. More jobs better economy.

I chose to work in this mine because it had a long future and my family was here. I have been here since 1986 and was born in the area. My family (Father, brother, brother in law, cousins) have worked for this mine and sister mines for the last 35 years. If this mine closes it will be catastrophic for the town, schools, clubs, businesses, shops, support company's and the list goes on. This is a great place to work and allot of friendships formed. The amount of time and money Rio Tinto has put into this project has been above what has been asked and I have personally seen this effort and to hear the negative press and comments from the minority group of false facts makes me angry. I hope common sense wins the day and Singleton and surrounding area's remain strong and healthy.

I would like to support the continuation of Mining at Warkworth Mt Thorley Mine, as the economic benefits to the Future of our area depends of the mine extenstion to go ahead.
Our community and the businesses depend of this development to enable our area of growth and employment. If 1300 odd families lose their income and business shut down the community will be in serious financal hardship, with many people left without employment. Already we are seeing and feeling the effects of high unemployment and job losses, Please save our opportunities of continuation of the mine. Thank You