Essay by Eric Worrall
The mine produces large volumes of bituminous thermal black coal – the kind of coal being phased out in Aussie power stations.
The green light for the largest coalmine in NSW history is shocking proof that our governance systems are betraying Australians
Georgina Woods
Thu 1 Oct 2026 13.00 AESTThere is no greater treachery than this failure to face up to the climate crisis. How can we now fend off despair?
The Independent Planning Commission’s published reasons for approving the largest coalmine in New South Wales history in the context of mounting death, disaster and despair brought on by global heating reads like a hostage statement.
In its decision, the commission accepts that the extension of the Hunter Valley Operations’ mine for a further 19 years – resulting 809m tonnes of greenhouse gas pollution – will materially worsen global warming. …
Despite all of this, the commission has still found that all of this is “outweighed” by the revenues coal mining makes, its centrality to the Hunter’s regional economy and the livelihoods of 1,500 people.
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The commission heard direct, heart-rending testimony from people who are already grappling with the damage and loss brought by the climate crisis, from grandparents in anguish about the lives awaiting the little children they love, from scientists patiently outlining devastating evidence about the mine’s climate change impacts. All of this, they have decided, is less weighty than the economic contribution a rich mining company claims it will make.
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Australia is facing a crisis of confidence in its democratic institutions. It is a crisis brought on by the betrayal of the people by those institutions – and there is no greater betrayal than this failure to face up to the climate emergency and protect the community from its worst consequences.
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/oct/01/nsw-coalmine-approval-hunter-valley-climate-crisis-lock-the-gate
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See, if the decision goes against a green, its a failure and crisis of democracy. Never mind all the jobs and revenue that mine would produce, their fake climate crisis is far more important than what the greedy short termist peasants want. Maybe there should be a good old communist revolution, so the self appointed representatives of the people can properly reform society and rescue the people from their wrong think.
The main buyers of Hunter Valley coal are power stations in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. The coal goes to power their economy, to power their industries and jobs, their AI revolution, while our Aussie economy continues to be punished by our climate obsessed federal government.
I’ve never been so glad greens are losing their grip on our society, that the green movement is on the way out. Their collapse can’t come fast enough.
