Liverpool Plains Youth (LPY) has hit out at the NSW Government for allowing Shenhua Watermark to commence pre-construction works.
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The group of young farmers has joined National Farmers’ Federation president Fiona Simson in condemning the move to modify development consent for the Liverpool Plains project.
The changes allow Shenhua to commence pre-construction works before it has submitted studies on the mine’s impacts to vegetation and groundwater.
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LPY member Sarah Sulman said it was “disgusting”.
“[Former environment minister] Greg Hunt set out the regulations of what [Shenhua] had to do before they could start and they’re bypassing some of that,” Ms Sulman said.
“If their water management is not up to scratch, [the proposed mine] should be scrapped.
“With this drought, you can see the importance of water … we know they’re going to damage the water.”
None of this is a surprise. They’re going to go ahead. I just wish they did it by the book.
- Sarah Sulman, Liverpool Plains Youth
Ms Sulman said LPY “isn’t against mining” but expected “due process” to be followed.
“It’s finally showing the general public some of the crap we have to deal with every week,” she said.
“We already knew this would happen ... none of this is a surprise. They’re going to go ahead. I just wish they did it by the book.”
Ms Sulman said the plains’ fight against the proposed mine was another stress on top of the ongoing drought.
“It’s very hard. No one has the time to do anything about it,” she said.
“We’re fighting for our farms and we’re fighting for the district as a whole.”
Despite LPY’s disappointment with the NSW Government’s move, Ms Sulman said they won’t give up.
“We will fight to the end of it,” she said.
