HVO 2009 Annual Environmental Management Report - Final

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Coal & Allied – Hunter Valley Operations Environmental Complaint Forms record the date, time, nature of the complaint and the site that is believed to have caused the complaint. The complainant’s name and location are also recorded. The complaint database is used to determine areas where operational changes may be required in the future. 4.2 COMMUNITY LIAISON 4.2.1 External Relations Coal & Allied’s approach to community relations is focused on building enduring relationships based on mutual respect, active partnership and long term commitment. In practice this means: Having robust relationships with our communities of interest – this requires understanding the issues and needs of different stakeholders as well as active engagement. Effectively contributing to communities – this requires understanding the socio economic environment and community's vision for the future and providing contributions that are sustainable and build long term community capacity. The Rio Tinto Communities Standard sets out a framework for implementing the communities policy. This includes the HVO Community Relations Plan, which is reviewed regularly and updated annually. The HVO community relations strategy is currently being implemented across four key task areas of communication, consultation, community development and strategic relationships with stakeholders. The following is a summary of some activities included within Coal & Allied sites Community Relations Plans: Face to face visits with near neighbours; Community Consultative Committees; Coal & Allied Community Newsletters in Singleton and Muswellbrook; Internal newsletters on the activities across Rio Tinto Coal Australia; Stakeholder meetings for the transfer of information on site issues; Curriculum-based school links programmes with schools nearest to Coal & Allied operations; Liaison meetings and briefings to local business, Shire Council representatives and government agencies; An open door policy for neighbours wishing to know more about the operations; Web sites (such as www.coalandallied.com.au) available for information on Coal & Allied and Rio Tinto Coal Australia; and Coal & Allied’s Community Development Fund and Aboriginal Development Consultation Committee. 4.2.2 Community Consultation There are a variety of formal and informal consultation processes available to ensure the community is as up to date and fully informed on Coal & Allied’s mining and business activities as possible. These include, but are not limited to, the following: Community Consultative Committees; Engagement strategic focus groups to ensure all potential issues are identified early in a project; Face to face visits with the operations near neighbours; Regular updates to regional, state and federal agencies accountable for the regulatory governance of the operations; The Coal & Allied web site (www.coalandallied.com.au); and Regular newsletters both internal and external. AEMR 2009 163
Coal & Allied – Hunter Valley Operations 4.2.3 Community Consultative Committees Each Coal & Allied operation has a Community Consultative Committee (CCC) which monitors compliance with conditions of consent and provides a forum for important community discussion. Community representatives act as the point of contact to provide feedback between the mines and the community. Each consultative committee is comprised of members of the community, representatives from Coal & Allied, Singleton and Muswellbrook Shire Councils, DII, DoP, and the DECCW. Coal & Allied believes these committees are an important way to communicate with the community. Community representatives are asked to relay information from these meetings to their community and, in turn, the community can raise issues they would like addressed through their representatives. Presentations to the CCC during 2009 included: Current Approval Works; External Relations updates; Real time monitoring; Cheshunt Dump design and dust controls; Department of Industry and Investment (formally DPI-DMR) Site Inspection results; and Environmental Monitoring Updates. 4.2.4 Aboriginal Relationships The Aboriginal Development Consultative Committee (ADCC) has achieved several milestones throughout the course of 2009. It is the first year in which all available funds ($549,000) have been committed. 2009 has also been a year when the largest number of eligible proposals was submitted and of these, 17 were approved. This is an indication of the growing reputation of the fund and the quality of the applications submitted. Through these proposals Coal & Allied have achieved a good distribution of funds across all LGAs (Local Government Areas) in the Upper Hunter Valley and funded projects have closely aligned to ADCC and community priorities in each LGA. The ADCC was proactive in seeking strategic partnerships with foundations and organisations outside NSW to develop capacity building programmes across the region. A very broad range of projects and programmes have been funded in the past year, encompassing education, early intervention, health, business development and community development. Key projects for 2009 have included: A partnership between the ADCC and the University of Newcastle through sponsorship of the National Indigenous Families and Community Strengths Conference. The ADCC supported a number of indigenous health and community workers from the Upper Hunter Valley to attend the conference and offset costs of the three day event. The conference attracted more than 300 delegates and a range of national and international speakers who presented leading practice case studies and research findings from health, economic and community development initiatives here and overseas. Ka-Wul Homework Centre at Singleton High School has continued to attract strong support from the ADCC in 2009. It is cementing an important place within Singleton High School, with the parents and extended families of Aboriginal students and with the wider Singleton education precinct. The Ka-Wul dance group performed at a number of community and National Aboriginal Islander Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) Week events throughout the year, in and beyond the Upper Hunter region. Ka-Wul coordinated NAIDOC Week in Singleton and actively involved all schools in the LGA in more than 17 unique events and activities during the week of NAIDOC and beyond. Strategic partnerships were developed with two national organisations – Graham (Polly) Farmer Foundation (PFF) and Dare to Lead for Business (DTL4B). PFF will implement an after school tuition programme in Muswellbrook for Aboriginal students who aspire to achieve in Year 12 and go on to university, to undertake other study or Apprenticeships. The programme is operating in 13 centres in other states of Australia and is delivering high success rates for the students in these programmes. DTL4B will work with the Ka-Wul Centre and other staff at Singleton High School to deliver the School to AEMR 2009 164
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HVO 2009 Annual Environmental Management Report - Final

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