Division Description Changes — Business — Coalmining — 10th Nov 2015

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Change Division
senate vote 2015-11-10#1

Edited by mackay staff

on 2015-11-26 15:35:35

Title

  • Business — Coalmining
  • Business - Coalmining - Oppose Shenhua Watermark coal mine

Description

  • <p class="speaker">Lee Rhiannon</p>
  • <p>I move:</p>
  • <p class="speaker">Stephen Parry</p>
  • The majority voted against a [motion](http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;db=CHAMBER;id=chamber%2Fhansards%2F56bab1ba-df39-47db-b4be-430bfbaaa524%2F0096;query=Id%3A%22chamber%2Fhansards%2F56bab1ba-df39-47db-b4be-430bfbaaa524%2F0000%22) introduced by Greens Senator [Lee Rhiannon](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/senate/nsw/lee_rhiannon).
  • The motion opposed the government approvals of the [Shenhua Watermark coal mine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shenhua_Watermark_coal_mine) in the [Liverpool Plains](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverpool_Plains).
  • ### Motion text
  • > *That the Senate—*
  • > *(a) notes that:*
  • >> *(i) [Shenhua](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shenhua_Group) Australia Holdings is seeking to develop a 35 square kilometre coal mine on the [Liverpool Plains](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverpool_Plains) in north west New South Wales,*
  • >> *(ii) the Liverpool Plains is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the nation, with productivity 40 per cent above the national average,*
  • >> *(iii) the proposed mine threatens the most significant underground water resources in the [Murray -Darling Basin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murray%E2%80%93Darling_basin), and farmers are dependent on access to these water resources for their survival,*
  • >> *(iv) if the mine proceeds it would:*
  • >>> *(A) comprise three open-cut pits, plus associated infrastructure, to mine up to 10 million tonnes of coal per year for 30 years and rail infrastructure to take the coal to the Port of [Newcastle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newcastle,_New_South_Wales) for export, and*
  • >>> *(B) destroy significant areas of local Indigenous heritage, including grinding grooves that were used by Gomeroi warriors to sharpen spears,*
  • >> *(v) the proposal to [relocate Indigenous artefacts](http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-05/gomeroi-angered-at-pac-decision-on-shenhua/6072870) does not acknowledge connections to land and country,*
  • >> *(vi) as the price of coal is in structural decline it is irresponsible to risk valuable farming land for a coal mine when [renewable energy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_energy) is commercially viable, and*
  • >> *(vii) more than 750 people attended the [Harvest Festival](http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-09/call-for-pm-to-intervene-on-shenhua-mine/6923724) to support the call for no mining on the Liverpool Plains; and*
  • > *(b) calls on:*
  • >> *(i) the Prime Minister, [Mr Turnbull](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/representatives/wentworth/malcolm_turnbull), to reverse the Federal Government's approval of the [Shenhua Watermark coal mine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shenhua_Watermark_coal_mine); and*
  • >> *(ii) the New South Wales Government not to grant a mining licence for the Shenhua Watermark coal mine.*
  • <p>The question is that notice of motion 918, moved by Senator Rhiannon, be agreed to.</p>