www.bam.org.au
You may remember:
1. Frank Sartor's 2007 promise to permanently ban new open-cut mines in the Lake Macquarie area.
2. Frank Sartor's claim that he changed the State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) to enable that promise.
3. Centennial's attempt to circumvent this promise with its Olstan Project.
4. The State Government's refusal to rule on the validity of Centennial?s proposal.
5. The State Government ignoring our two letters to them transmitting the motions moved at BAM's last two meetings.
6. The State Government's recent introduction of a new change to the SEPP, which in our view made it easier to circumvent Sartor's promise.
You may remember:
1. Frank Sartor's 2007 promise to permanently ban new open-cut mines in the Lake Macquarie area.
2. Frank Sartor's claim that he changed the State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) to enable that promise.
3. Centennial's attempt to circumvent this promise with its Olstan Project.
4. The State Government's refusal to rule on the validity of Centennial?s proposal.
5. The State Government ignoring our two letters to them transmitting the motions moved at BAM's last two meetings.
6. The State Government's recent introduction of a new change to the SEPP, which in our view made it easier to circumvent Sartor's promise.
From the above it is clear that the SEPP is no use in giving the protection Sartor promised. It can be changed at the Planning Minister's whim.
To give us better protection, our local State member, Greg Piper has prepared a Private Members Bill which, if passed will put the open-cut ban into Law as an Act and not just planning policy. This means that if passed, it cannot be changed at the whim of a minister. It will require another piece of legislation, and its attendant parliamentary debate to change.
The essence of the bill is on better definitions of underground and surface coal mining where surface coal mining means the operation of a coal mine that is not an underground mine and underground mine means a coal mine in which persons are employed beneath the earth's surface when the mine is being worked and in which the working environment is completely enclosed by the geologic medium.
The Bill reiterates the prohibition of surface coal mining in Lake Macquarie City except for the existing Westside open cut mine.
To get the Bill passed we need to lobby politicians to vote for the Bill.
Contact Paul Moors paul@bam.org.au for more information on how you can help the Bill being passed. Or put pen to paper and send Greg Piper a letter of support to 92 Victory Parade,TORONTO NSW 2283 or Email: lakemacquarie@parliament.nsw.gov.au
A copy to the surrounding State MPs would also be effective, coal dust doesn't recognise boundaries.
Contact Paul Moors paul@bam.org.au for more information on how you can help the Bill being passed. Or put pen to paper and send Greg Piper a letter of support to 92 Victory Parade,TORONTO NSW 2283 or Email: lakemacquarie@parliament.nsw.gov.au
A copy to the surrounding State MPs would also be effective, coal dust doesn't recognise boundaries.
Mr Kerry Hickey- cessnock@parliament.nsw.gov.au
Ms Jodi Mckay- newcastle@parliament.nsw.gov.au
Mr Matthew Morris- charlestown@parliament.nsw.gov.au
Ms Sonia Hornery-wallsend@parliament.nsw.gov.au
Mr Robert Coombs-swansea@parliament.nsw.gov.au
Mr David Harris-wyong@parliament.nsw.gov.au
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