By Jay Leary To the great surprise of all within the industry, the Queensland government has announced significant changes to the royalty regime for coal. The changes end what has otherwise been a stable period of royalty policy nationally. The royalty changes proposed are well out of step with other jurisdictions and display a deep … Read more

On 24 June 2020 the NSW Government released its ‘Strategic Statement on Coal Exploration and Mining in NSW’ (the Statement), which outlines the Government’s policy position on future coal mining and exploration in New South Wales and aims to provide increased certainty to industry and community stakeholders. The new policy position recognises the ‘finite lifespan’ … Read more

Proponents seeking consent for new projects, or modifications of existing projects, with ‘material’ greenhouse gas emissions across all industries in NSW should carefully assess climate change impacts, particularly if the proposal is not ‘carbon neutral’. What has happened? On 8 February 2019, the NSW Land and Environment Court (Court) refused development consent for a new … Read more

The Queensland 2010/11 wet season was even wetter than 2008, with insurers raising the bar on making insurance claims for flooded pits by increasing the policy excess, re-defining an ‘event’ to mean any single 72 hour period of rainfall, and placing commodity price caps on the coal prices on which the profit margin is calculated. … Read more

The NSW Court of Appeal has recently delivered a judgment upholding a decision by the NSW Land and Environment Court to overturn the Part 3A approval granted for the Warkworth Extension Project. The judgment contains important lessons about objector merits appeals against mining projects and other major projects. It raises the question:‘What should you be … Read more

On 7 November 2013, the Queensland Premier, Campbell Newman, released the Galilee Basin Development Strategy (Strategy). The Strategy acknowledges the long-term economic benefits that opening up the Galilee Basin to mining would bring to Queensland and is designed to support and encourage business and industry to develop key infrastructure across the region. The Strategy details … Read more

The LNP Government’s first State budget has caused a stir in the Queensland coal industry after last week announcing an increase in mining royalties of up to 50 per cent per tonne, to commence 1 October this year. In an attempt to stabilise State debt levels, the government expects to raise $1.6 billion over four … Read more

As a person who spends a large amount of their time dealing with mining infrastructure, the rate of structural reform and progress in the area can be frustrating.  The Wiggins Island port project is however something to be celebrated. It should be celebrated for the hard work and persistence of all of those involved – … Read more