[Greens-Media] Newcastle’s Third Coal Terminal rips off environment and workers

[Lee Rhiannon]

MEDIA RELEASE
3 May 2010

Newcastle’s Third Coal Terminal rips off environment and workers

Commenting on today’s opening of Newcastle’s Third Coal Terminal,
Greens MP and Hunter spokesperson Lee Rhiannon said the project is bad
news for the local economy and the environment as it will lock the
region into a coal dependency and is ripping off workers’ pay and
conditions.

“The NSW government should be working with the people of the Hunter on
a transition plan involving restructuring of industry and retraining
programs for workers in clean energy delivery and manufacturing,” Ms
Rhiannon said.

“This coal terminal will drive the opening up of coal mining in the
Upper Hunter, Gloucester and Liverpool Plains. The resulting increase
in coal exports is a set back for dealing with climate change.

“We need governments with a vision for the future. This project is
designed to serve the interests of the coal companies not local
communities.

“While the Greens opposed the construction of the Third Coal Terminal,
now it is built we strongly back the workers’ demands for fair wages
and conditions and the right to bargain collectively.

“Members of the Newcastle Coal Infrastructure Group (NCIG) that
operates the terminal include BHP Billiton, Centennial Coal, Peabody
Energy, Felix Resources and Whitehaven Coal.

“These companies are behind the non-union conditions imposed on Coal
Terminal workers.

“This project, which was the NSW government’s show case for new coal
infrastructure, is now an embarrassment for local Labor MPs and the
many Labor ministers who have boasted about the project’s benefits.

“When former minister Joe Tripodi and Hunter Minister Jodi McKay made
a joint media statement on 15 October 2010 they talked up what they
called ‘a significant economic boost for the region’.

“This is now another broken Labor promise to the people of the Hunter.
The economic benefit is going to some of the world’s wealthiest coal
companies.

“Base rates of pay at the NCIG Coal Terminal compared with the Port
Waratah Terminal are about 17 per cent lower. Workers at the new
terminal are not able to have disputes arbitrated by Fair Work
Australia,” Ms Rhiannon said.

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