Dear members of the inquiry board,
There’s no denying that our region has been experiencing one hell of an economic battle in recent times. Between youth
unemployment, the decline of house prices, and drought, it’s been a tough slog. For that reason, we want to make a
strong statement in support of the Prospectus Mining Project (PMP).
All of us at the Gulp River Chamber of Commerce group are long standing residents of the region, with strong family ties,
businesses, and a history of volunteering in the local community. We know the big concerns facing the people in our
towns when it comes to mining.
In economic matters, the proposed Prospectus mine in the Gulp River basin would likely bring 16,000 jobs to the region.
PMP and the Mineral Council of Australia (MCA) suggest that similar projects in Northern Queensland have injected
around $22.5 million per year into the local economy, with around $7 million going directly in local wages. Imagine what
the Gulp River communities could do with this money. Imagine how these jobs and the growth of services in our towns
could change the lives and futures of our young people. Without jobs, and without an economic boost, we know that our
communities will simply fade away as our young people leave and the drought kills our farms. PMP would give our young
people a reason to stay, and a chance for our communities to thrive.
We know that people worry about the environmental impact of big mines, but from consulting with PMP, we also know
that we have less to worry about here than some green lobbyists from the big cities would have us all believe. The
proposed site of the PMP mine is fairly remote from the major towns of the Gulp River region, and so the direct physical
impact on our towns would be limited to the increase in Fly-In-Fly-Out accommodation for workers, and related services.
The mine itself would have almost no impact on our towns.
Other concerns raised have been the contribution to global warming from selling Gulp River coal to India and China.
However, as we know from the PMP and MCA research, our coal is far cleaner than that found in other parts of the world.
The main reason that PMP want to invest in our region is because Gulp River coal burns more efficiently and with less
carbon emissions than almost any other coal on the international market. Our valuable resource is part of PMPs vision for
a clean coal future, and by displacing dirtier fuel on the international market, we can actually contribute to a better
climate, not a worse one.
Finally, we want to emphasise that support for mining and the Australian coal industry is growing amongst the public. The
MCA have commissioned research from an independent group which shows that regardless of political persuasion, the
Australian public, just like the Gulp River Chamber of Commerce, can see the value that a well-supported mining industry
brings to our country. We beg of the inquiry board not to listen to powerful green lobbyists and their supporters in the
media. The ordinary people of Australia want this. The hard-working, battling local communities of Gulp River who are
doing it tough want this. Listen to the people and give the Prospectus Mining Project the green light.
Sincerely,
Ray Purchase – Chair of the Gulp River Chamber of Commerce
Statement of Support in Support of The
Prospectus Mining Project
Gulp River
Chamber of
Commerce
69 Plough Plaza
Gulp River, NSW 2020
Tel. 389-290-3982
Fax 389-892-9001
r.purchase@grcc.com.au
www.GRCC.com.au
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