GUNNEDAH Shire Council has solidified its support of Whitehaven Coal's Vickery extension project at an extraordinary council meeting on Wednesday.
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The councillors resolved to be represented by the council's general manager Eric Groth at two public NSW Independent Planning Commission (IPC) meetings next week.
The decision comes after the council submitted expressions of support for the project public exhibition periods in October 2018 and October 2019.
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Cr Owen Hasler assumed the chair after Cr Jamie Chaffey, Cr Rob Hooke, Cr Murray O'Keefe and Cr Gae Swain declared an interest in the motion.
"It seems to me there are three things that should be highlighted as well as what the general manager plans to say [at the hearing] ," Cr Hasler said.
"One is the emphasis on the water issues, particularly given the affects of the drought over the past few years and people's concerns, both within our community and more importantly of the people in the affected area.
"Secondly, the importance of the heritage status of the whole so-called Kurrumbede complex and I say the whole complex because there has been some contradiction in some cases when they talk about just the homestead building itself.
"The third thing I think we need to emphasise as well as what we have already done, is acknowledge the potential affects on nearby crops that aren't in the extraction zone."
Mr Groth agreed to Cr Hasler's suggestions and resolved to put the council's case forward at the hearings.
Cr Ann Luke said she was in full support of the council's position.
"As the mover of this motion, I'm happy with the general manager representing our position," Cr Luke said.
"I'm happy with the decision and especially with the emphasis on those three points."
The IPC hearings will be conducted online on July 2 and 3.
Billy Jupp
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
