Climate groups protested Whitehaven Coal outside NSW parliament on April 9, the same day as the Land and Environment Court was preparing to sentence the corporation for water pollution, blasting violations and challenges to environmental protection licenses.
The protest was organised by Move Beyond Coal. Speakers included representatives from Lock the Gate, Move Beyond Coal and the Sydney Knitting Nannas and Friends.
Eury Aroney, from the Knitting Nannas, said there is still no requirement for corporations to conduct a health impact study as part of their Environment Impact Statement.
“People who live near the Whitehaven mine report experiencing 24-hour noise, dust, blasting, combustion and increased traffic. They watch in dismay as their town’s population and services dwindle,” Aroney said.
“Whitehaven’s incompetent blasting practices and its impacts on the people of Narrabri and Boggabri are part of a larger story — the failure of the NSW planning system to protect the human rights of citizens to a clean, safe environment.
“This is significant, as many of the communities impacted by extractive industries, such as coal mining in the Hunter Valley, consistently report air quality conditions that fail to meet national standards and report associated negative health statistics and other health concerns, including mental health.”
She said a recent report by the Social Impacts Alliance showed that the Maules Creek community was affected by mining that started in 2012. More than 80 family farms were bought up by Whitehaven Coal, which led to families moving away and student numbers at the primary school dropping so low that the school closed.
“It’s time that companies like Whitehaven pay the price for rupturing communities and destroying livelihoods,” Aroney said. “It’s time for the Environment Protection Authority to exercise its powers in the public interest and revoke Whitehaven’s licence.”
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