The opposition leader Barry O’Farrell’s plan for a National Park near Sydney is unlikely to happen as it will affect a number of mining permits. O’Farrell has been treating the proposed park in the Dharawal State Conservative Area as his environmental platform for the elections. However previously unpublicized BHP Billiton mining licenses in the Dharawal State Conservation Area region have made the plan a legal nightmare.
New evidence has surfaced that shows that the mining giant BHP Billiton holds coal mining leases which covers almost all of the Dharawal State Conservation Area as per the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water. The company also holds an exploration lease to the north of the region.
It is not the only mining and exploration company with permits in the area. Longreach Oil is another company which holds an exploration lease for hot rocks energy in the region. Apex Energy is a coal seam gas explorer and it also holds an exploration license for petroleum in the region. Another mining firm called AGL also has a petroleum exploration license but it said that it was not in the conservation zones.
If the opposition comes to power and wants to fulfil this plan it will have to get special legislation passed to change the category of the Dharawal State Conservation Area to extinguish the existing mining leases and approved projects. Compensation between the industry and the government may also become an issue.
State Primary Industries Minister Steve Whan said that the compensation will cost the tax payers dear. He added that for the Opposition not to have understood the extent of these leases just shows the incompetence that's inherent in the Opposition.
In response the Opposition spokesman Duncan Gay has rejected the criticism by saying that they certainly did understand the extent of those leases and most of them don't effect their national park. And where they do they will have sensible negotiations and that park will be going ahead as promised.