New Acland expansion proposal returns to the land court

The Oakey Coal Action Alliance has had its day in court over and over again. Its leadership hopes the latest round of hearings will be the final nail in the coffin for the New Acland coal mine expansion.

The fate of the New Acland coal mine is set to be decided in the coming weeks with its latest Land Court hearing starting today.

The court will assess the New Hope Group’s proposed stage three expansion, looking first at its impacts on noise, air quality and past performance.

Impacts on groundwater, which is a key concern for neighbouring farmers, will be assessed through the separate associated water licence if a mine expansion is approved.

Members of the Land Court spent yesterday touring the New Acland site ahead of the witness hearings at the Toowoomba Court House today.

The first witness called will be Glenn Beutel – the last Acland resident and he will be followed by Oakey Coal Action Alliance president Aileen Harrison.

The New Hope group has reduced its staff numbers to a fraction of what they were during the mine’s heyday.

That remaining skeleton crew faces an uncertain future should the Land Court reject the expansion.

OCAA secretary Paul King said Oakey had suffered economic hardship during the life of the mine, and Acland had been demolished.

“Eighty farming families and hundreds of Acland residents have been driven away by the mining company – we can’t let the devastation continue,” he said.

“There is a bright future for Acland and the region – when this mine is closed for good.

Oakey Coal Action Alliance secretary Paul King and president Aileen Harrison are fighting to block the Stage 3 expansion of the New Acland Coal Mine. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Mr King said the OCAA was motivated to protect the region’s prime farming land and groundwater.

“Climate extremes are getting worse and our farmers need water more than ever. Sacrificing arable land to coal mining is an outrageous idea,” he said.

“Our rally is to support the farmers who have struggled against the mine.

“We will never surrender.”

Today’s hearing is the latest in a long line of legal challenges that have sought to block the expansion.

Proposals to expand the mine were first rejected by the Newman Government in 2012 and the revised application was rejected by the Palaszczuk Government in 2018 following a recommendation by the Land Court.

What followed was a series of appeals and cross appeals.

Today’s hearing will seek to wipe that legal history clean and assess the expansion with fresh eyes.

Mr King is hopeful that the court will back his cause.

“The mine has been rejected so many times because it is a bad idea,” he said.

“It made no sense ten years ago and it makes even less sense now.”

After two days of hearings in Toowoomba the court will return to Brisbane to hear testimony from a range of expert witnesses.

It is expected to sit for at least two weeks.

In a bid to boost support for its cause, the OCAA will host a rally in Queens Park from 8.30am today.