New Acland drops new data
The Queensland Land Court is re-opening the case involving the expansion of the New Acland mine.
New Acland Coal (NAC) submitted an Independent Expert Scientific Committee report after the window for evidence in the case closed.
The Oakey Coal Action Alliance took the plans to court due to environmental concerns about the expansion of the existing coal mine.
Member of the Land Court Paul Smith is re-opening the hearings, after objections about New Acland Coal's late evidence.
“It is inevitable that the reopening of these hearings will cause delay to this court in providing its recommendations. That, however, is something which falls squarely at the feet of NAC,” he said.
Mr Smith said the report could alter some of the recommendations that the court may have made.
“If NAC is truly concerned about matters of urgency, as it has stated to this court on numerous occasions, then it is incumbent upon it to put the objectors in the best position that it could to allow them to respond as quickly and as fully as they could at the earliest possible opportunity,” he said.
The coal mine expansion has been approved by the Commonwealth last month, but has not gained approval from the Queensland Government.