Tomalpin queries

Newcastle Herald 20 Feb 04

STATE Opposition parties want an inquiry into the Tomalpin project at Kurri Kurri, saying the Government was determined to push ahead despite objections. A two-year freedom of information inquiry by the Kurri community group Friends of Tumblebee has found that the state's most powerful public servant pressured the National Parks and Wildlife Service to back the plan.

Opposition leader John Brogden and Greens MLC Ian Cohen both want inquiries into aspects of Tomalpin. Report, Page 3 Inquiry call on Tomalpin

Inquiry Call on Tomalpin

IAN KIRKWOOD Date: 20/02/2004 Newcastle Herald

STATE Opposition parties want an inquiry into the Kurri Kurri Tomalpin project after it was revealed that a powerful public servant pressured the National Parks and Wildlife Service to back the plan.

Opposition Leader John Brogden and Greens MLC Ian Cohen want inquiries into aspects of Tomalpin also known as the Hunter Economic Zone (HEZ) after a two-year freedom of information inquiry by Kurri community group Friends of Tumblebee.

Spokesman James Ryan said yesterday that the documents showed the Government was determined to push Tomalpin regardless of objections.

The letter that most interested Mr Brogden and Mr Cohen was written by Premier's Department director-general Col Gellatly to former national parks head Brian Gilligan in November 2002. In it, Mr Gellatly says: ``I am surprised by HEZ's claim that NPWS [National Parks and Wildlife Service] has raised a number of objections to the lodgement of the development application for the infrastructure for the zone. ``While some of the issues may be manageable, HEZ is concerned about the potential level of inconsistency.

If there is inconsistency with past processes, then I too would be concerned." It continues: ``I urge you to review your department's position to ensure that there can be no credible claim that a large-scale industrial park in close proximity to a large modern deep water port is put at risk. ``I would appreciate your assistance in ensuring this development proceeds."

Mr Brogden said the public needed to know that the approvals process was not ``affected by undue influences". ``The language used in the Gellatly letter is a matter of grave concern and there clearly needs to be an inquiry into the relationship between Carr Government agencies and the Premier's office in the approvals process," he said. ``We would support some sort of investigation into the writing of that letter."

Greens MLC Ian Cohen said the letter was possibly the tip of an iceberg and a full inquiry was needed to examine the approvals process. ``Tomalpin is the largest tract of bushland left on the floor of the Hunter Valley," he said. ``If Bob Carr really wants to help the Hunter he should promote industry on degraded open-cut mine land. ``Bloomfield colliery has been recognised as being suitable for industrial land. Why not create an employment zone there?"

When HEZ was approved by the Government in March 2002, then planning minister Andrew Refshauge called it ``a win-win" for industry and environment. But Mr Ryan said the idea that thousands of hectares had been set aside by HEZ for environmental uses was wrong. ``We have tried to point out that the environmental land was already in public hands. It is Crown land, most of it national park or state forest. ``The industrial section is former Coal and Allied land bought by developer Duncan Hardie, who will be able to develop virtually all of it. ``Saying you are setting aside three-quarters of the site for environmental reasons is like me saying I am building a factory in at Kotara but protecting Blackbutt reserve. It's not mine to hand over."

HEZ spokeswoman Gillian Summers confirmed that the environmental land in HEZ was Crown land when Mr Hardie's companies bought the former Coal and Allied land. She justified the reference to the entire site as HEZ because it had paid for some environmental studies on public land.