Inquiry sought for longwall mining

" State Liberal candidate for Wollondilly, Sharryn Hilton and Wadi Wadi Aboriginal elder Allan Carriage inspect damage to a rock shelf in the Woronora Plateau.

By Paul Fahy

THE impact of longwall coal mining along the Woronora Plateau will be the subject of a commission of inquiry (COI) if the Coalition wins government in NSW next March.

Shadow Minister for the Environment, Michael Richardson made the promise earlier this month after an inspection of a section of the Nepean River.

The announcement was music to the ears of local Aboriginal and environmental activists, who have long argued that mining is damaging historic Aboriginal sites and waterways west of the Illawarra escarpment.

"There's thousands of caves up there with our art and I've seen bad cracks appear right down the middle of them," Wadi Wadi Aboriginal elder Allan Carriage said.

"To me, it's an ecological disaster and it's frightening to think that this sort of thing can go on under people's noses."

Mr Richardson said a COI would consider the entire Woronora Plateau, which stretches between Helensburgh and the Southern Highlands and includes the Cataract, Georges, Hawksbury-Nepean and Bargo rivers and their tributaries.

"As well as examining the possibility of cracking and the capacity of the mining industry to rehabilitate any impacts, it should take into account the social and economic impacts of coal mining which underpins Bluescope Steel - in the region," he said.

Camden, Campbelltown and Wollondilly councils have all called on the state Labor government to conduct a commission of inquiry in the past. NSW Minister for Natural Resources, Ian Macdonald has denied those requests.

State Liberal candidate for Camden, Chris Patterson said it was arrogant for the government to ignore the calls of the local councils.

"The government has had 12 years to look into the effects of longwall mining and has done nothing," Mr Patterson said.