NSW Labor's 3-point Plan for Coal Mine Workers

BY JARROD MELMETH

NSW Labor has announced a 3-point plan for coal mine workers, including those in the Hunter in an effort to improve job security and working conditions.

The plan includes a cap for contracted, labour-hire and casual coal mining of 20 percent which means at least 80 percent of workers on land subject to approval must be directly employed by the approval holder or any other entity that operates the mine.

A new licensing scheme for labour-hire companies would also be introduced which would require those operating in the mining industry to comply with laws regarding workplace safety, pay, and conditions - including providing the same pay and conditions as those enjoyed by directly employed workers.

Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations, Industry, and Resources Adam Searle said the plan will halt the creeping insecurity and the erosion of pay and conditions for workers in NSW.

"A Daley Labor Government wants well paid, secure and locally-based mining jobs in the coal mining industry. We know that many disputes arise because big mining companies want to casualise and contract out their work. This is bad for workers and the resulting disputes have disrupted the NSW coal supply.

"There has been too much contracting out of jobs in the industry, undermining the economic security of local workers. That has to stop, and Labor has a positive plan to work with companies and workers to ensure, decently paid jobs and a resilient industry," Mr Searle said.

Mr Searle went on to call on the National Party to sign on to the plan, accusing the party of desperate empty promises when it came to protecting workers.

Incumbent Upper Hunter Nationals MP Michael Johnsen said mandating how businesses run their business is ridiculous.

"It is a 3-point plan which is effectively going to shut the coal industry down even quicker than Labor want to do it by 2030.

The best thing Labor can do is, actually at a federal level, to support the Nationals legislation which is on the table and has already had its second read. All it is waiting on is a debate and a vote. That is what Labor need to support if they want to support workers in the mining industry," Mr Johnsen said.

Under the Nationals new legislation, all employees in the national system will have access to a minimum standard of right to request casual conversion which cannot be traded away, irrespective of whether their terms and conditions of employment are set by a modern award, enterprise agreement or any other targets.

CFMEU Northern Mining and NSW Energy District President Peter Jordan is applauding Labors plan describing it as "a practical initiative to address job insecurity in the industry and the Hunter region." Mr Jordan said.

No More Open-Cut Mining Plans for Drayton South in the Upper Hunter

BY JESSICA ROUSE

An amendment to a state mining and planning policy means no open-cut mining will be allowed on Drayton South.

The NSW Government announced the change today, which they say brings certainty to both the industry and the community in the Upper Hunter.

Minister for Planning and Housing Anthony Roberts announced the amendment which will "protect the valuable and world-renowned horse studs in the area".

The State Government has approved underground mining for the site though, which looks to be getting undertaken by Malabar Coal.

The company expects to finalise their purchase of the project for exploration on the site in the coming months and say they've already surrendered part of the previous license that had extended south of the Golden Highway encroaching on horse studs.

But Georgina Woods from Lock the Gate Alliance believes it falls far short of what's needed in the area.

"It's good to see this formalised but really we are disappointed with the narrowness of the decision. It's actually condemning the farming and horse breeding industries of the Hunter Valley to have to continue to fight for their survival against the government who seems to have ears only for the coal industry."

Image theaustralian.com.au

"No Coal Joel" slams Government for 'Liddell Hoax'

BY MICHAEL COOK

After pushing for the life of AGL's Liddell power station to be extended by 10 years, the Turnbull Government now seems to have turned its back on the proposition.

The potential extension of the Muswellbrook  power station to 2032 was earmarked to cost around $900 million but is now off the table.

In a major energy speech on Monday by Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg, there was no mention of the power station's extension, all but confirming it is no longer on the agenda for the government.

In the speech, Frydenberg looked instead to AGL's cleaner energy investment plan as the right way forward in energy policy.

Liddell Power Station
Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/image/8877002-3x2-700x467.jpg

Federal Member for Hunter, Joel Fitzgibbon, who Frydenberg referred to as "No Coal Joel" in a recent Parliament House spat, is disappointed in the way the Prime Minister has gone about this issue.

"What Malcolm Turnbull did was raise false hope, he wanted people to believe he can extend Liddell to get him through the next election campaign.

"He's been caught out, thank goodness I think he's now getting out of the way and letting us work with AGL to create the jobs of the future," Fitzgibbon said.

The move away from the extension may signal a shift in electricity regeneration in the area as well as nationwide. 

Bylong coal mine project could devastate Hunter environment

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Plans for the new Bylong Coal Project between Denman and Mudgee have been dealt yet another blow with the Planning Assessment Commission (PCA) slamming the project.

The PAC report on the KEPCO coal mine project slammed it for gaps in evidence and high levels of uncertainty, particularly about the potential cumulative impacts on the Bylong Valley and the community. The report also flagged numerous issues with water access, protection of surrounding agriculture and incomplete information.

There are particular concerns for the Hunter Valley from the Lock the Gate Alliance who say the scathing review revealed the Bylong coal project would directly open cut rich farmland in the Hunter and severely impact Tarwyn Park.

NSW Greens energy and resources spokesperson Jeremy Buckingham says the mine will destroy ecologically and environmentally important areas throughout the Hunter and the state.

"The area must be protected for its agriculture and tourism value plus its environmental values in an age of climate change the greens do not believe we should be opening up new coal mines in NSW."

If approved the mine will extract a total of 124 million tonnes, roughly 6.5 million each year, from both open cut operations and underground. Jeremy Buckingham is urging the government to reconsider the mine and realise just how much it will wreck the Bylong Valley, its community and the surrounds.

"The Bylong Valley must be protected, it's important, ecological,, agricultural, and our tourism assets will be destroyed by this stupid coal mine. We have major climate change and we do not need to be opening coal mines, the Greens are calling on the government to cancel their exploration licence  and give the people, the Bylong Valley and NSW certainty that that region will be protected from destructive coal mining."

Protest ends peacefully

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Police say their presence at coal stockpiles in Newcastle early this morning was warranted after Greenpeace and other protestors chose the huge stockpile to send a message to the Commonwealth Bank.

Protestors took aim at the bank, unfurling a banner which read "COMM BANKS COAL KILLS" after discovering the bank loaned $310 million to the port in 2014.

It's everyone's democratic right to protest, and police agree, but only while it stays within the rules of the law which wasn't the case in Newcastle this morning.

"Certainly lawful protests and peaceful protest is a democratic right and we certainly support that - it only becomes an issue when there is unlawful conduct such as going to someone else's place, or you know attacking vehicles or any other sort of criminal conduct," said Chief Inspector Trevor Shields.

Chief Inspector Trevor Shields says the arrests police made were warranted since they had trespassed on land.

Drayton South mine promises to only mine underground

BY IAN CROUCH and JESSICA ROUSE

The newsest buyer for the Drayton South Coal Mine in the Upper Hunter is promising to only mine underground.

Thoroughbred horse studs are cautiously welcoming the plan after years of dispute over the mines' expansion.

Horse breeders have long argued the impact of former owner, Anglo American's original plan would've seen coal mining only 500 metres from their doorsteps, causing major dust and noise problems for their horses.

Malabar Coal is promising to only mine underground and has agreed to have its mining license varied.

Energy Crisis forum for Newcastle today

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Resolving Australia's energy crisis, could start close to home in Newcastle, with a forum today to discuss the future of gas energy production in the region.

The forum will be held at Fort Scratchley hosted by the Newcastle branch of the Australian Institute of Energy.

Weston Energy CEO Garbis Simonian and Hunter MP Joel Fitzgibbon will also participate, championing the idea of gas playing a major role in the Hunter's economy into the future, as the coal industry fades out.

Image theaustralian.com.au

"Our coal fired generators are reaching the end of their commercial life and we need to plan for what the period after that looks like. We need a transition to renewable's and I think gas is the answer and we need to have a debate about getting more gas out of the ground," said Joel Fitzgibbon.

The forum will be just the start of stimulating debate about the Hunter's own energy crisis, with many more discussions planned for the future.

"Well I hope to have rolling discussions about these issues over the course of the next six months. We need to have these conversations because if we don't find some answers then our lights are going to be turning off, we won't have heating for our homes and our manufacturing plants will be closing down. That's a real crisis," said Joel Fitzgibbon.

Other guest speakers today include Jim Snow, Executive Director of Oakley Greenwood and Adjunct Professor UQ, as well as Alister Alford, formerly Acting general Manager of Marketing for Delta Electricity.

Hints to a clean coal fired power station

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The Federal government's flip flopping between carbon emission policies since 2007 is being blamed for Tomago Aluminium's reluctance to invest in the region.

Tomago Aluminium is already an industry heavyweight, employing 1150 workers and contributing a huge $800 million to the Hunter's economy.

However, it seems the Federal government could give them a helping hand to be even better, hinting at the possibility of subsidising a new ultra-clean coal-fired power station.

A clean coal setup would increase Tomago's competitiveness in the region, but its viability is being questioned by industry heavyweights, AGL and Energy Australia.

The Newcastle Herald reports Chief Executive Matt Howell says Tomago made a submission to the national energy market security review which showed the uncertainty caused by changes to policy since the Rudd government have impacted businesses that are "highly dependent on outcomes in the electricity market".

Newcastle could be gas leader: MP

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Federal Member for the Hunter Joel Fitzgibbon says four years of policy confusion has put Australia on the brink of an energy crisis; but Newcastle could turn this future around.

The principal trade of the Port of Newcastle is coal and it is the world's largest coal export port.

Joel Fitzgibbon says Newcastle is the perfect place to deliver affordable and reliable energy to the manufacturing sector with land, transmission lines and a workforce already abundant in the area.

"Well sadly our coal generators are coming to the end of their commercial lives and we are well placed to replace them with gas based generators. Our future is in renewable and storage technology, but they are some way off yet and we need a transition fuel to get us to a heavier reliance on renewables and there's no better place to do this than the Hunter region," he said.

The precarious energy crisis needs to be resolved sooner rather than later, and Joel Fitzgibbon thinks the government should provide the policy guidance needed to bring gas to the market, and to Newcastle.

"It's a plan for jobs, a plan for economic growth and a plan for a cleaner future. Let's get on with it."

Government failing Hunter on energy: MP

BY GARY-JON LYSAGHT

The federal government have no idea what the Hunter's energy providers are facing, and lack the plans to move providers into the future, Hunter MP Joel Fitzgibbon said.

During Thursday's parliamentary Question Time, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told the House of Representatives that Labor had a plan to close coal-fired electricity generators across the Hunter.

However, Mr Fitzgibbon said "nothing could be further from the truth".

"The Hunter's major coal-fired power generators are reaching the end of their commercial lives, we'd known this for a long time," he said.

Mr Fitzgibbon shouting "rubbish" at Mr Turnbull in Question Time on Thursday

He has accused the federal government, especially Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, of not having a plan to transition the region away from coal-fired generators.

"It's extraordinary how Barnaby Joyce represents the upper parts of the Hunter, but doesn't seem to understand that our power generators are coming to the end of their useful life," he said.

"We need a transition plan to retain jobs and to retain our reputation as the powerhouse of New South Wales, but, sadly, he and Malcolm Turnbull have no plan."

Mr Fitzgibbon's defence came after Question Time on Thursday, where Mr Turnbull, responding to a question about negative gearing from Opposition Leader Bill Shorten made the claim that Labor wanted to close down coal-fired power stations.

"The Member for Hunter represents an electorate - the jobs in which are based on energy, on affordable energy," Mr Turnbull said.

Mr Turnbull in Question Time on Thursday

"He is a member of a party that wants to shut it all down."

Mr Fitzgibbon can be clearly heard yelling "rubbish" multiple times after Mr Turnbull made the claim, prompting him to be formally warned by House Speaker Tony Smith.

The Prime Minister's meandering tangent from negative gearing to coal-fired power generators in the Hunter Valley made Mr Smith also accept Mr Shorten's point of order on relevance.

Instead of return to negative gearing, the Prime Minister continued addressing power concerns in the Hunter, turning the attention to Paterson MP Meryl Swanson.

Ms Swanson's inaudible interjections were heard in the House.

Carrington's new loaders

By Georgia-Lee Campbell

Two new coal ship-loaders arrived in the Port of Newcastle.

The coal ship loaders are to be installed at the Carrington coal terminal over the coming months, with the three existing loaders to be taken away.

The coal loader's were built in Shanghai and shipped from China.

Despite anti-coal activist's continuing to push to have the Carrington loader shut down due to its proximity to housing, the implementation of the new ship loaders shows Port Waratah Coal Service's (PWC's) intentions to keep the terminal operating.

PWCs is licensed to export 145 million tonnes of coal a year -120 million tonnes from Kooragang and 25 million tonnes from Carrington.

Picture sourced: pwcs.com.au