6th August 2024
Wollondilly is a beautiful area, the catchment for Sydney, top of the Bulli escarpment, home to valleys and rolling hills. These hills and valleys have a long history of mining and primarily Coal mining which now survives in the North and Centre in two underground Coal mines.
These mines employ people, while the miners there do take care, by nature they cause damage to property above the ground. It is well known that subsidence can be felt up to 500 metres from the face of the mine wall. Above the mines in my electorate are the existing villages and homes, not all but some, can get damaged from mining underground.
I have no issue with the management of either mine in Wollondilly directly. They employ many of my community. But in principle the system we had before this bill was unfair and one sided. The mines were appointed to be judge, juror and executioner of any claim. These claims range from small cracking which can be patched to movements that render homes damaged beyond repair. Having the mine do the pre-assessment, including choosing assessors, allowing no dispute of findings, assessing the claims and then finalising the claim themselves does not pass any pub test. Even if there is nothing untoward, there is no faith in my community that this is fair.
The new bill does much to restore this faith and integrity to the system. We will now have independent oversight as well as independent decisions for claims and I thank the Government for listening to the community.
My community sought amendments to strengthen this act in a number of cases, I will be moving these as a group block. reinforcing the independence and limitation of the mine in the final decision. I understand the Government will not support these full and that this decision is a uniquely Wollondilly one. Some of these changes would have seen the Bill reinforcing the new system that puts integrity and resident’s fair interest at the heart of the decision. It sought to protect the potential of development applications that are submitted, undermined then needing to be changed. While the Government may not support these amendments today, my commitment is that I will always speak for my community and if this new system doesn't work, then Minister, we’ll be needing to talk. Wollondilly for too long has missed out and I won’t be silent if this needs fixing.
To that end I should thank the support team I have had to guide me through this Bill and guide the Government with their submissions and meetings. Firstly Steve Baker for his extensive advice after his years of representing my residents in claims as their solicitor. He is second to none in knowing the intricacies of the previous act and the implications on resident’s lives.
Also to Sam Davis from Douglas Park and Nicole Pearce from Bargo. Both have been voices in their respective communities for the two mines that undermine their towns. Sam along with Steve gave written submissions that formed the basis of the new act. While this doesn't affect them directly at all, your time and effort can be seen in the Bill.
Both Sam and Nicole have represented their communities on mining committees and came to meet with Minister Chanthivong. On that note I also thank you and your team for their engagement with my office. I also thank a number of people in the past who have spoken out about this issue. RiversSOS as a group no longer exists, but Caroline Graham and Julie Sheppard I remember as Mayor in 2007 going down to the Nepean river and seeing the gas flames lit on the surface, rising from the cracks of the riverbed down to the mine. That group 20 years ago influenced so many people and in many ways, this victory is yours to share too.
Finally, to the residents of Wollondilly that have raised this issue with myself and former members of Wollondilly, thank you for speaking up. Thank you for not giving up. I have heard your voices and finally the Government has listened. Congratulations, and while we have a way to go with legislative reform in this area, with this passage, you won!