Labor Critical of Government's Liddell Taskforce

BY LILLY HAINES

The Morrison Government has announced a taskforce to study the expected closure of the Liddell Power Station near Muswellbrook.

The taskforce is reportedly leaving all options on the table including extending the life of or replacing the ageing coal plant at the expense of the taxpayer, and is looking into the effects the closure will have on our energy system.

The announcement comes after AGL revealed it would extend the life of Liddell an extra four months with closure now planned for April 2023.

Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Resources, and Federal Member for Hunter, Joel Fitzgibbon has said the move is too little too late from the Morrison Government.

"We've known for at least six years that Liddell would not last beyond her 50th birthday and yet they have left it until now to try to work out what we are going to do in response," he said.

Mr Fitzgibbon said the Hunter needs to attract new investment into new generation and storage facilities to counter the closure of the coal fired power plant.

"The government has announced a four month extension, which we welcome, but we needed an energy policy six years ago to drive investment and accelerate new facilities in the Upper Hunter".

"If the formation of a committee is the best thing the Morrison Government can do after six years we are all in trouble," Mr Fitzgibbon said.

Liddell Power Station near Muswellbrook. Image: ABC News. 

Legal Challenge to NSW Pollution Licences

BY ALICE PEART

The NSW Nature Conservation Council are mounting a legal challenge against the state government over their recent renewal of pollution licences for three coal-fired power stations, two of which are located in Hunter at Vale Point and Eraring.

Pollution licences were initially issued across the state in the 1970s and '80s when the stations were built, with renewals required every five years by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).

The NSW Nature Conservation Council however is claiming the licences do not meet the legal standards by failing to review best practice in pollution reduction.

Technologies such as Flue-gas are already in use across the US, Europe and Asia and can reduce pollution up to 99 per cent.

The Conservation Council said the stakes are high with 279 deaths attributable to air pollution each year from the stations in NSW alone.

They've said 160,000 tonnes of toxic air pollution is produced by the stations every year, including heavy metals (lead, arsenic and mercury), sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and PM fine particles.

PM fine particles on their own are well documented to cause lung cancer, respiratory illness, heart attack and stroke according to the World Health Organisation.

The environmental advocacy group say they are awaiting a response to their court summons from the EPA.

Coal Pile Fire Kooragang Island

BY IAN CROUCH

Firefighters are working to contain a coal fire at Kooragang Island.

Crews were called to the coal corridor off Cormorant Road just before 10.30pm on Monday to find a pile of waste coal alight.

Newcastle Fire Command says the fire is deep seated and will take several hours to extinguish.

There is no immediate threat to property.

6 fire trucks and an RFS bulk water carrier were initially called to the scene, with crews being rotated through the night.

Heavy machinery will be brought in on Tuesday morning to break up the pile