Supporting the local community

It is important for this project to progress to ensure that the three hundred plus people who work for Dendrobium Mine and all the community functions and jobs that the mine supports are maintained into the future. If this extension project is not approved it will result in the closure of Dendrobium Mine, Dendrobium Washery, Appin Mine, (due to the coal blending requirements), Appin Washery, both site logistical chains and also put the BlueScope operations at serious risk, if not closure. This would result in thousands of families being without their primary income and would impact the whole Illawarra area. The mine has a self regulated, conseravative approach to impacts to the environment, and behaves in a responsible manner in relation to the community and environment as has been portayed since 2002. Total extraction mining methods are not practised below the Avon and Cordeaux Dams and an extremely rigerous monitoring system is in place to mitigate any long term impacts to the Sydney Catchment area. It is important that when making these decisions a pragmatic approach is employed to consider all the data and evidence from a scientific point of view, rather than basing them solely on an emotional basis. Dendrobium Mine is a part of South32 which is a large, listed company with heightened social responsibility and as such will ensure that the environmental and social impacts are managed responsibly. South32 will also enforce strict governance controls on Dendrobium Mine. Dendrobium Mine has been a responsible business partner to the Illawarra region since 2002 and will continue to apply the same strategy into the future. Every guideline, directive or recommendation issued to the mine from the Regulator has been managed responsibly and this will remain the case into the future. Dendrobium Mine is a trustworthy, morally responsible and well respected contributor to the local Illawarra and NSW's economy.

This project ensures ongoing supply of coal to the steel making industry which is essencial in supporting the wider community with current and future living expectations. The coal and steel making industry in this area was and still is the back bone of this community. Wollongong was built on this industry and simply would not exist with out it.
Steel is an essencial building material used all over the world for items such as cars, buses and trains, industry, housing and infrastructure, and is relied upon heavily by all societies.

This project ensures the Illawarra Regions economy remains healthy, this will secure longterm employment for the area.

This project will provide ongoing employment and investment in the Illawarra region. This project is vital to the ongoing support of multiple businesses in the greater district.

I fully support the project , mining is and has been a huge part of the Illawarra region for a very long time. It has employed a large portion of the region directly and indirectly and hopefully continues to do so. The mine is already well established and with this proposed extension it may give some certainty in these economic times .

Coal is one of Australia’s and NSW’s most important and valuable exports.

Coking coal from coal mines in the southern coalfield, such as Dendrobium Colliery, has ideal qualities for steel production and it has fewer impurities, such as sulphur, than coal from other countries.

The continued employment of four hundred direct employees in the coal mine is at stake at Dendrobium Colliery.

The federal government’s tables of multiplier effects shows that more than three times as many indirect jobs are created for every person employed in a coal mine.

The Dendrobium mine extension project will provide an excellent opportunity for jobs locally in the Illawarra region. Not only will it provide a steady supply of jobs for the mine itself but also for the many hudreds of local suppliers that help support the mines operations.

Mining has been a known entity in the Illawarra since the 1800's and the backbone with which the illawarra was built including its support for the steelworks and local industry.

I feel the expansion of the Dendrobium Mine is important to the economy of the Ilawarra. The mine employs directly a lot of people, but indirectly many, many more. I feel if the mine is held accountable to high environmental standards they can mine the metallurgical coal with minimal environmental impact.

The proposed mining extension is in the protected “Special Areas” of the water catchment upon which 5 million people rely for drinking water. No level of damage is acceptable to the Special Areas, yet South 32's own prediction is that its 305 meter wide long wall panels may result in subsidence of 2m to 2.45m. In addition the mining and associated subsidence has already caused cracking of the land on the surface – including rivers, creeks, smaller watercourses and swamps that feed our drinking water reservoirs – and subsequent water loss to the catchment. The precautionary principle should apply as there is a clear risk of serious or irreversible harm to Sydney's water catchment from this proposal.

I dispute South 32 public statements that if this proposal is not approved, it will spell the end for the Port Kembla Steelworks. (A statement that Bluescope has failed to support.) There are still 11 years of mining at Dendrobium under current approvals (for area 3A and 3B) and South 32 operates other coal mines in the region. South 32 is only selling one third of Dendrobium’s coal to BHP for use in Port Kembla Steelworks. It is exporting the other two thirds. I.e. there is plenty of metallurgical coal for Port Kembla Steelworks into the future without this expansion. There is no valid economic argument here.

I ask that the NSW Government reject this proposal.