Embattled New Acland coal mine finally close to green light on 15-year expansion bid

After more than a decade of red tape and scrutiny, a contentious mine expansion has reached its last hurdle – a formal green light from the Queensland Government to finally move forward.

A coal mine expansion at the centre of an extraordinary 15-year quest for approval has finally cleared its last hurdle – with the Queensland Government now under pressure to formally give it the green light.

The contentious New Acland mine expansion near Oakey on the Darling Downs has been signed off by the Co-ordinator-General, in what has been hailed as a landmark development by New Hope Group.

The mine’s owner said after a decade and a half of legal challenges and uncertainty, including being fought all the way to the High Court, the project had “ticked all the boxes”.

But it is relying on the state government to now give the project its final approvals, at a time when voters have deserted Labor and turned to the Greens in inner-city seats at the recent federal election.

Andy Scouller and Dave O’Dwyer pictured at the New Acland Mine. Picture: Josh Woning

The mine has effectively been shuttered since November with hundreds of workers made redundant in recent years.

The Sunday Mail spoke with current and past workers about the long-running saga, including a former employee who wants to get back to work on the mine once Stage 3 is approved.

The Co-ordinator-General handed down their Change Report last week, following December’s Land Court ruling that the mine be granted approval with conditions.

New Hope Group chief executive Rob Bishop told The Sunday Mail that the move meant the company could focus on its plans to reopen the mine and recruit hundreds of workers.

“This has been probably the most scrutinised, assessed project in the history of the sector, so I think from our perspective, we’ve ticked all the boxes,” he said.

“On the basis we have timely issue of the remainder of the approvals, I see no reason why we can’t be mining not too long away. Probably early calendar year (2023), and then ramp up over the course of next year.”

Work had effectively grinded to a halt since November. Picture: Josh Woning

The site is currently in care and maintenance after mining had to be halted in November, with hundreds of positions lost in recent years.

But the company says close to 600 jobs are expected at the peak of the mine’s construction – should the expansion get the go ahead – with a permanent workforce of about 400 full time roles during the life of the project.

Mr Bishop said the company would encourage past workers to apply for jobs in the expansion.

“New Acland has had a very loyal workforce,” he said.

“Unfortunately, a lot of that workforce had to be let go. But, we’ve kept up our relationships with prior employees – and certainly a big majority of them that are keen to come back and stay locally with their families …”

The expansion is expected to create hundreds of jobs. Picture: Josh Woning

Resources Minister Scott Stewart wouldn’t say on Saturday if the government would give the project its final approval, or say how long it would take before a decision could be made.

But he insisted all resources projects had to stack up “environmentally, socially and financially.”

“We’ve always said we will let the legal process finish before any decision was made about New Acland,” he said.

“The Co-ordinator-General has released a Change Report on the New Acland Coal Mine Stage 3 project as directed by the Land Court.

“The report has been provided to the Department of Environment and Science to consider as part of the Environmental Authority process.

“The Department of Environment and Science must include the Co-ordinator-General’s stated conditions in an amended Environmental Authority for the project, before a mining lease can be granted.”

Resources Minister Scott Stewart. Picture: Shae Beplate

Mr Bishop said he saw no reason why the final approvals from the state couldn’t be issued as soon as possible.

“We’ve been to the Land Court a number of times and ticked the boxes a number of times on the government’s prescribed process,” he said.

“I think the government need to have faith in their own process and need to act upon that.

“It’s time and I think this recent approval from the Co-ordinator-General is basically the green light the company needs and the local community needs to move forward.”

The mine has already been subject to more than a decade of legal challenges, including all the way to the High Court.

Andy Scouller, who has been working at the mine for 18 years, said the last few years had been hard as workers lost their jobs.

He said he was relieved about the prospects of the mine expansion getting across the final hurdle, and also excited about getting on with the job.

“People here just want to get in and do our job and contribute to the economy,” he said.

“I’ve got a lot of people who we had to unfortunately put off – they keep in contact, and they’re keen to come back and work here or work in the supporting industries.”

Andy Scouller has worked at the site for the past 18 years. Picture: Josh Woning

Mr Scouller said his six children, who are aged between 10 and 26, had picked up on the uncertainty on the mine expansion.

“We don’t make it an issue at home,” he said.

“They (the kids) pick up on the vibes. They ask questions like ‘are you still going to have a job next year dad’ or ‘what are we going to do when you lose your job’. It affects them.”

Mine general manager, Dave O’Dwyer, has been working at the mine since 2016 after making the move from Central Queensland, and said the uncertainty of the expansion had taken a toll on his family.

“We moved down here with hopes of my wife getting into work which we couldn’t get for her in Central Queensland where we lived,” he said.

“She’s been able to do that (get a job). So we really want to stay here. Our kids are in school.

“We want stability, and an approval here will give us 20 years of stability – for me, for Andy (Scouller), for the entire workforce.”

‘LOST GOOD WORKERS’

Former New Acland worker Don Ballon will be applying to get a job back at the mine if the expansion gets the go ahead.

The 52-year-old, who lives a five-minute drive from the site, had worked at New Acland for 18 years when he was made redundant in 2021 as mining was halted.

“Even though we knew it was probably going to happen, it still wasn’t a good feeling,” Mr Ballon said.

“We lost a lot of good workers.”

Donny Ballon, a former New Acland mine worker. Picture: Josh Woning

Mr Ballon said a few former workers had left the local area, while others had turned to fly-in fly-out or drive-in drive-out work – which meant they now missed out on community activities.

“And I’ve seen that through a lot of the committees that I’m on and the things that I’m associated with where they’re missing for periods at a time because they’re away (with) work,” he said.

Tom Gaslevich, 40, also worked at the mine until October last year, and is now the licensee at the Pioneer Arms Hotel at nearby Goombungee.

While he doesn’t plan to return to the mine, he says he wants the expansion to get the green light.

“When the mine was open, quite a few of the boys used to come through here (the hotel) on their last shift – or even when it was change of shift,” he said.

“It (the mine expansion) definitely would increase trade here.”

BUSINESS BOOST

Vicki Reeves, who owns the local bakery at Oakey, says she would be “over the moon” if the New Acland mine expansion gets the green light.

She says while her business has remained busy, the morning trade has quietened in recent times.

Vicki Reeves, owner of Great Country Pies, in Oakey. Picture: Josh Woning

“That is when we probably got the majority of our mine workers come through on their way to work on that morning shift,” Ms Reeves said.

“It was always very constant. We have noticed (more recently) it is very inconsistent of a morning.”

Ms Reeves backs the mine expansion, and believes it will boost job opportunities for the community.

David Cooper, who owns a nearby construction and earth moving business, says he has definitely noticed a shift since the mine operations have slowed.

Dave Cooper from Coops Qld said the approval would be positive for his local business. (Image/Josh Woning)

“We had around about 15 to 18 guys every day up at the mine site during the hay day and currently we are lucky to have two – sometimes none,” he said.

“What they used to offer was day in, day out (work) every day of the year.”

He says an approval of Stage 3 would allow him to plan for his business into the long term, and hire more workers.

“Essentially, (the uncertainty) has prevented me from being positive about where the business is going,” Mr Cooper said.

Originally published as Embattled New Acland coal mine finally close to green light on 15-year expansion bid