National vow to approve Blayney gold mine if the Coalition comes to power next year

Politicians have visited the NSW town at the centre of a major federal government scandal accusing the Albanese government of refusing to listen to locals.

Nationals leader David Littleproud and Coalition Indigenous Affairs spokeswoman Jacinta Nampijinpa Price have visited the NSW town at the centre of a major federal government scandal accusing the Albanese government of refusing to listen to locals.

The pair along with the National federal candidate for Calare Sam Farraway visited the town of Blayney after Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek used controversial Aboriginal heritage to block a proposed gold mine.

Ms Plibersek overruled her own department’s cultural heritage assessor who found the area for a tailings dam to go with the mine did not impact any culturally significant sites.

Instead the Minister sided with a smaller Indigenous group, and not the official Orange Land Council, who opposed the dam location on cultural grounds.

National Party leader David Littleproud. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Coalition Indigenous Affairs spokeswoman Jacinta Nampijinpa Price. Picture: Gera Kazakov

Mr Littlleproud has vowed to approve the mine if the Coalition comes to power at the next federal election.

“When you have a company that has undertaken the proper processes, the proper consultation process ... even Minister Plibersek’s own department approved this,” Mr Littlrproud said.

“We will approve this mine as soon as we are elected. There should be surety, there should be certainty to the resources sector that if they do the right thing … governments will follow through.

“This has ticked all the boxes, it’s time to get out of the way.”

The entrance to McPhillamys Gold Project. Picture: Rohan Kelly

Mr Littleproud also took a swipe at Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for failing to act on pleas from developer Regis over the mine.

“This is a clear opportunity for the Prime MInister to lead … to understand the failings of Minister Plibersek,” he said.

Ms Nampijinpa Price said stalling the project would get in the way of Indigenous economic development.

“The Indigenous community is beside themselves,” she said.

“(Ms Plibersek) needs to provide answers to the Orange Land Council who are the legal entities that represent this area.”