Coal for Christmas: LNP MPs urge Premier not to listen to ‘green grinches’ on New Acland mine

A contentious coalmine should be approved by the State Government for Christmas, giving certainty to a small Darling Downs town.

The New Acland mine stage 3 should be approved by the State Government for Christmas to give certainty to 450 Queensland families, according to letter to the Premier signed by almost 20 Coalition MPs.

It comes with a warning that after 14 years of legal battles further delay could mean the Darling Downs town of Oakey, near Toowoomba, “may never recover”.

Earlier this month the Land Court handed down a finding in favour of the mine’s approval, with conditions around dust and noise, which is set to go back before the state’s co-ordinator-general.

A worker at the New Acland Coal Mine stage 2 before work ceased in November this year. Picture: Russell Shakespeare

The state government is waiting for the New Hope Group, behind the New Acland mine, to submit the new documents required by the court to co-ordinator-general.

It follows 14 years of delays which have gone all the way to the High Court, which have previously sparked calls for the State Government to call in the project to give it certainty.

Queensland LNP Senator Matt Canavan, along with 10 federal Liberal National MPs and eight state ones, has written a letter to the Premier asking for the immediate granting of outstanding approvals and leases.

“With the stroke of a pen the Queensland Government could create 450 jobs at the New Acland Coal Mine and save the town of Oakey,” the letter stated.

“Oakey families have spent the last 14 Christmases uncertain of their futures.

“Government decisions should not be held captive to such a protracted judicial process especially when so many livelihoods rely on its outcome.”

Groom MP Garth Hamilton said he was asking the state government not to “let the green grinches steal Christmas from the people of Oakey”.

State Resources Minister Scott Stewart said the Palaszczuk Government had always indicated it would allow the legal process to finish before making any decision.

“As a government, we will now thoroughly consider the recommendation from the Land Court of Queensland,” he said.

Under the court ruling New Hope Group, behind the New Acland mine, must apply to the Co-ordinator-General to amend the environmental authority, which is expected to take place by early February.

It would then go back before the Department of Environment and Science to finalise the environmental authority.

Other signatories to the letter included Deb Frecklington, Philip Thompson, Michelle Landry, all LNP senators, Pat Weir and Trevor Watts.

Originally published as Coal for Christmas: LNP MPs urge Premier not to listen to ‘green grinches’ on New Acland mine