26 October, 2022
Finally!
After fifteen long years of uncertainty for local businesses, workers and New Hope Group, the Queensland Government has approved New Acland Stage 3.
On Thursday, 20 October, Queensland Minister for Water, Glenn Butcher, granted New Acland Stage 3 an Associated Water Licence (AWL).
Speaking at the mine the next day, New Acland Mine General Manager said everything is now in order to have the mine operating again.
“It’s really great news for the local community, for jobs in the area and the local businesses and suppliers,” Mr O’Dwyer said.
“We know there are people out there that want the jobs, we know there are suppliers that want the work supplying to us so we’re just really excited to get back to work now.”
He said in the immediate aftermath of the announcement, there had already been a spike in expressions of interest submitted.
“The jobs will start flowing very, very soon.”
“Within months we’ll be looking at starting to move material,” he said.
Member for Condamine Pat Weir said of the 450 people who lost their jobs when the mine shut, a lot of them still live locally.
“They would love to come back here because this is a drive-in, drive-out mine.
They all sleep in their own beds at night,” Mr Weir said.
Mr Weir expressed strong distaste with the 15-year process to get here.
“It has been the most disappointing process from beginning to end,” he said.
“If you want a template of how not to do an approval, I think Acland Stage 3 is it.”
Mr Weir said the costly, highly-drawn out process to come to a final decision has been damaging to all sides of the issue.
“It has cost investors’ confidence throughout the state and it has also given false hope to the objectors.
“There has been no winners,” he said.
CEO of New Hope Group, Rob Bishop New Acland Stage 3 is the most reviewed and scrutinised resources project in Queensland’s history.
“The Queensland Govern-ment critically assessed the project and found it stacks up environmentally, socially and financially,” he said.
As the re-opening of the mine begins, workers and suppliers looking to become involved can visit the New Hope Group website.
Approval not end of the line for opponents
Although the announcement brought jubilation for New Hope and many businesses, not all were pleased.
Over the journey, the expansion has faced tough opposition from groups representing local farmers and environmentalists.
Oakey Coal Action Alliance (OCAA) secretary Paul King has vowed his organisation will “interrogate” the lawfulness of the AWL.
“There is a lot riding on the grant of this water licence - farm water bores are at risk from drawdown or pollution from this mine expansion and we’ll be pursuing every avenue to protect them,” Mr King said.
“This is what the fight has been about all along - the need to protect water relied on by farmers.”
The AWL granted by the Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water included 35 conditions.
“The decision was based on a comprehensive review of the application and supporting information, against the requirements of the Water Act 2000,” a statement from the Department said.
“The department considered matters such as public submissions, potential impacts to existing water users and the management of impacts on underground water before granting the associated water licence with strict conditions.
“An updated ground-water model was used to assess potential impacts.”
Among the conditions imposed are requirements to:
Offset the take of underground water that is impacted by the mining activities, by surrendering equivalent water entitlements
Manage the impacts on aquifers and groundwater users
Implement an under-ground water monitoring program to track any impacts that may occur
Publish the volume of underground water taken
Periodically review and update the numerical underground water model to incorporate the latest data
The AWL can be viewed in full by visiting here.
New Acland Mine General Manager Dave O’Dwyer said he believed all the conditions can be met “100 per cent”.
Mr King said the last time the mine’s impact on groundwater was tested in a court of law, it was the farmers that won the day.
“A law change meant that it went back to the drawing board, and now is a crucial chance to test it again,” Mr King said.
“Extracting coal from beneath the ground drains water relied on by farmers in the surrounding district, and we believe that fact needs to be heard and considered by a court.
“We are continuing this fight to protect the ten million litres of milk produced by the dairies who rely on that groundwater.”
OCAA has launched a crowd fundraiser online that is raising money to mount a last-ditch legal case against the Queensland Government’s decision in the Land Court.
OCAA has 28 days to scrutinise the conditions, seek legal advice and lodge
a challenge.
It is aiming to raise $50,000 to support its legal team with expert reports and to pay for costs and briefs.
A Kings Counsel has agreed to represent the group pro bono.
President Aileen Harrison shared her life story, which was radically altered after New Acland Mine was built.
Her family built a property near Acland 25 years ago, where they had a purpose built home, craft shop and raised Alpacas.
“The blasting, dust, noise and lights were intolerable,” Mrs Harrison said.
“Our health and that of our animals declined and we could no longer live there.
“No one but the mine would buy us out, but we had to go, and we had to accept what they offered.
“My husband Ken and I now live in a demountable donga, and all of our precious possessions are in a shipping container.”
Mrs Harrison hopes if the AWL is successfully challenged, the mine will be closed permanently.
As of Tuesday morning this week, $6,500 has already been raised of the $50,000 sought from over 120 donors.
Plenty of support for mine’s re-opening
Familiar names from around Oakey including Oakey Chamber of Commerce President Andrew Langton and Coops Queensland owner Dave Cooper and have welcomed the clearing of the last hurdle for New Acland Mine’s Stage 3.
Mr Langton, who is the owner of Oakey Electrical, said he was very excited about the announcement.
“It’s been in limbo for such a long time,” Mr Langton said.
“It’s been very hard for local businesses and that type of thing to know what was going on and things like that.”
Mr Langton said Oakey should see quite a bit of money coming into the town’s businesses.
“It’s one of those things we’ve been missing,” he said.
“We’ve lost a lot of people that were local that moved away because they had lost their jobs, so to actually be able to get those people back and some new people into town would be really, really good.”
He said re-opening of the mine will see businesses more confident to invest in growth.
Dave Cooper said New Acland Mine Stage 3 means stability and allows for his business to be able to plan well into the future.
“We can start to purchase new vehicles.. buy another property,” Mr Cooper said.
He said the announcement has been a long-time coming.
“We’ve had a lot of sucker punches,” he said.
‘We’ve gone down this road before where you’ve got the thumbs up but it’s turned around.
“Hopefully this is it - we’re all here to make this work for the community and get something we can all be proud of.
“These are good, honest people that give back a lot to the community so it would be great to see it keep going now.”
Mr Cooper explained that at the mine, Coops is responsible for areas such as building maintenance, earthmoving and labour hire, and the mine has been crucial to the expansion of his business.
“I showed up with a tool and trailer and a ute and we’ve had up to 40 staff.
“This company (New Hope Group) has supported my business and it’s been a privilege and a pleasure to actually give them something back - to show support, to help out.”
Support also came from local farmer Peter Kuhl, whose property is across
the road to the north of the mine, as well as Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise CEO Ali Davenport and Member for Groom Garth Hamilton.
Mr Kuhl said his family has owned the property since before the mine was started and they have not had a problem with water, and in fact plan on buying more property soon.
Mr Hamilton said the project has his full support and he looks forward to seeing it deliver 600 jobs and a revitalised local economy.
Further afield, Queens-land Resources Council chief executive Ian Macfarlane said the approval was a long time coming, but a triumph of process over politics.
