DEFIANT Gunnedah business owners have moved to quell the anti-mining hysteria sweeping the region, urging protesters to put “science ahead of emotion”.
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The likely approval of a $1.2 billion Shenhua open-cut coal mine at Breeza has polarised the Gun-nedah community and deepened tensions between the mining and agriculture sectors in the town.
Business owners claim that a silent majority in the community supported the jobs and prosperity increased mining would bring.
Gunnedah Chamber of Commerce president Ann Luke said the economic benefits had to be considered alongside social and environmental concerns.
She pointed to a business survey last year that found about three-quarters of respondents thought increased mining would increase profits to business.
“Many of those business owners have been through the times when the town had negative population growth and shops were closing,” Mrs Luke said.
“The town was in rapid decline and all we wanted was mining to come back.
“Now, we’ve got a town in a growth phase; schools are growing and lots of new people are coming in.”
She said it was critical the community put faith in regulators to ensure mining did not encroach on agriculture.
“We don’t want farming land lost, we don’t want fly in-fly out workers and we don’t want coal dust on our clothes,” she said.
“But that’s what regulations are for.”
The Planning Assessment Commission last month found the proposed 268 million-tonne Shenhua mine would not intrude on to the region’s fertile black soils.
Mackellar Motel owner Jim Farquhar said mining and agriculture had happily co-existed in the region for more than a century.
“It’s been mutually beneficial for both industries,” Mr Farquhar said.
“When Rio Tinto closed its last mine here in 1998, it became a virtual ghost town.
“Kids of farmers couldn’t find jobs, let alone anyone else.
“We have to put our faith in science over emotion and the science keeps coming back absolutely clear.
“Of course there’s going to be a bit of pain in the gain, but we just have to manage it and make it work.”
Managing director of the Stripes Group in Gunnedah, Jamie Chaffey, said more balance was needed in the mining debate.
“The fact is our regional economy does benefit from extractive industries, there are a lot of people employed in the mines and in support roles for the mines, and there is a balance to be found,” he said.
“It’s important to recognise strong employment and economic opportunities will also flow to the Gunnedah region for years to come from Shenhua Watermark, if we can properly connect with them.
“Where people stay in town and spend in town, the benefits flow on to all businesses.
“Increased local employment opportunities keeps current families in town and attract new families and spending into the local economy.
"Increased population and home ownership in the region will add to the ratepayer base and contribute to improved infrastructure.”