NSW’s multi-billion dollar thoroughbred industry – the world’s second largest – will be protected following a State Government decision to prohibit coal mining at the Bickham site in the NSW Upper Hunter.
The NSW thoroughbred industry injects approximately $2.4 billion into the State economy each year.
Premier Kristina Keneally and Minister for Planning, Tony Kelly, today announced the Bickham Coal Project – a proposal for an open cut mine to extract coal for the next 25 years – will not proceed.
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It just goes to show, horses’ health is more important than peoples’ health. The real reason is MONEY and to protect the horse stud industry is very important. Don’t get me wrong, this a good political move by Kristina Keneally. It is a shame the NSW Government will not move to protect good agricultural land with a stroke of a pen. Gloucester has fine beef cattle which fetch good prices, a good dairy industry, great little ’boutique’ wineries, an abundance of rainfall, wonderful river flats for potential food growing, a thriving tourist industry and to balance this all off, two coal mines. Gloucester may not make billions of dollars, but it is doing well, only if the balance is not tipped to just coal production. Many small industries and businesses make up the wonderful fabric of Gloucester. If only Kristina Keneally would consider, with the stroke of a pen, revoking the three current exploration licences surrounding the township and adjacent to other mining leases, the community of Gloucester would be so relieved and would be able to get on their their lives.
21 poisonous chemicals 9 of which are carcinojenic from coal extraction only.Destruction of whole ecosystems polluting of the water grid a toxic atmosphere toxic food and destruction of human health that is the other side of the coal facts.Note that this information is available on the governments own websites.Birth defects lung damage kydney dis ease and also the devastating efects of low frequency noise and vibrations for people who have dirty coal in their communitys.The reason that no mine tests for this is because it is on OH&S Workcover and also the environmental pollution authoritys websites about the dangers of the overexposure of these obnoxous noise conditions that people have been exposed to by these obnoxious coal companys dis regard for human life in their greedy quest for money.This story tells me that the horse racing industry had a win because of the government greed that is rife at the moment.Now lets see coal stop the destruction of our food and water supply.COMMON SENSE NOT common wealth…