Herald 20220809

Mayor calls on State to decide on Acland
TIME TO END UNCERTAINTY
Mayor Cr Paul Antonio - New Hope's operations boost State's economic performance
Toowoomba Region Mayor Paul Antonio has
sent letters to the Queensland Premier Annastacia
Palaszczuk and Minister for Resources Scott
Stewart calling on the Queensland Government
to make a decision on the future of New Hope
Group’s New Acland mine, north of Oakey.
Cr Antonio said the council was watching the
ongoing approvals process for a mining lease and
associated water licences with great interest.
“While Council has no role in the approval for
an expansion of mining at the New Acland site, it
is time to end the uncertainty over its future,” Cr
Antonio said.
“The Queensland Government has the authority
to declare New Acland Stage 3 a prescribed
project in line with all relevant approvals.
“It is Council’s hope that a decision can be
announced soon.
This will end more than a decade of court battles
and delays in approvals that have had a negative
effect on the mine’s long-term operations, with
several hundred redundancies at the mine in
November 2021, not to mention Oakey town and
its surrounding communities.
“If the mine expansion is approved, Council
firmly expects that New Hope will quickly revive
operations at the site with many more jobs created
as a result.
“This will provide a major lift in confidence
and business activity in Oakey and the wider
community across many supporting industries.
“We know New Hope’s operations will
boost our gross regional product and the state’s
economic performance.
“New Hope has previously stated they will not
use fly-in, fly-out workers, with a preference for
workers living in our community, along with a
strong commitment to using local suppliers and
contractors.
“Council has great faith in the future of Oakey
and is confident that any imminent approval of
mining operations will underpin an even brighter
future for the wider Oakey community,” Cr
Antonio said
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Opposition questions plans for
Highfields link road
NO ONE FROM HIGHFIELDS WILL TRAVEL
THROUGH CHARLTON TO GET
TO THE CBD
Member for Toowoomba
North Trevor Watts is disappointed
after finding out the
State Government’s plans for
another road from Highfields
would not connect directly to
Toowoomba.
At last week’s Transport and
Resources committee hearing,
Mr Watts questioned Department
of Transport and Main
Roads director general Neil
Scales, expressing his concerns
that the New England Highway
getting clogged.
Mr Scales said the Queensland
Government had allocated
$2.422 million to investigate
ways to address growing traffic
problems from the New England
Highway.
“It will provide an alternative
route for the New England Highway
around Toowoomba City
and connect into the Toowoomba
Bypass at the Ipswich link at
Charlton,” he said.
“Corridor planning will maximise
the economic opportunities
for the community and industry
while providing a transport
network that facilitates heavy
vehicle movements and support
community integration by better
connecting new growth areas to
the city and employment activity.”
During the last State Election
in 2020, the LNP made an electoral
commitment to deliver a $3
million business case that would
look at connecting Old Goombungee
Road in Highfields to
Boundary Road in Toowoomba.
“While I welcome the financial
commitment planning for
a second road to Highfields, it
is disappointing to hear the Palaszczuk
Government is looking
to direct traffic through Charlton
and not Boundary Street,” Mr
Watts said.
“No busy parent or worker in
the Highfields community is going
to travel through Charlton to
get to the CBD." - Sean White
New England Highway-Opposite Tmba Christian College
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Mr WATTS
No direct connection
Mr Scales - Connect to
bypass
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HIGH COUNTRY HERALD - AUGUST 9, 2022 - 3