The water trigger legislation needs to be kept to keep some commonwealth government oversight of mining projects, in particular, any mining project on the Liverpool Plains, which is the largest underground water supply in the Murray-Darling Basin.

Such an independent test can rule in or out factors of the impacts of mining and its effects on water.

I’m a conservative and I do agree that the states should have some say in mining projects, but the commonwealth should be able to have the final authority, where necessary, on sensitive mining projects.

Also on the subject of mining, I strongly believe that there areappropriate places to mine and a Shorten Labor government would return us to a mining tax which would stifle growth and investment in rural areas, and  we can’t have that either. 

The Howard Coalition government had strong visions and made good use of the mining and resources boom to help grow the national economy.

I personally believe a balanced approach to mining projects is the answer. 

Keep the water trigger legislation and support investment in useful mining projects in the right places.

Shane Moran 

North Tamworth