Defend our land, wildlife and water from mining and coal seam gas

I am deeply concerned about the impacts of rapidly expanding mining and coal seam gas development on our wildlife, water, farmland and local communities.

I strongly support the protection of sensitive natural areas and strategic agricultural land, and call on you to honour your election commitment to place these areas off limits to mining and gas development.

The draft land use plans for the Upper Hunter and New England North West do not, in my view, reflect the balance between mining, agriculture and conservation promised in your election policy.

The draft plans fail to deliver certainty for mine-affected communities, and do not provide meaningful protection for wildlife and natural areas.

I am deeply concerned about the lack of clear legal protection for areas of high conservation value. 

Carefully mapping the most important natural areas in the state, only to allow them to be destroyed by mining, is totally unacceptable. These places are too precious to destroy and impossible to replace.

I urge you to withdraw this draft policy and replace it with a policy that:

• clearly identifies sensitive areas that are off limits to mining and gas development, including important wildlife habitat, strategic farmland, drinking water catchments and urban areas;

• protects public lands, including state conservation areas and state forests, from open cut mining and coal seam gas development;

• applies to exploration activities, recognising their very real impacts on land, water and wildlife; and

• properly manages cumulative impacts of mining and gas development on the environment, water and public health.

It is essential that you exercise leadership on this important issue, for the benefit of our unique natural environment and communities threatened by unprecedented mining and gas expansion.

Yours sincerely,