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In a huge win for the people of Burnett, mining company Northern Energy has for the first time publicly confirmed it will not be taking coal through the Bundaberg Port.
Member for Burnett Rob Messenger was pleased to read in the front page of today’s Fraser Coast Chronicle that the company planned to mine coal at Aldershot before the end of the year, and that the coal would be brought to Gladstone for shipment to Asia, not Bundaberg.
“Finally the company has come out publicly declaring where it will ship the coal from, and Bundaberg Port was not mentioned,” Mr Messenger said.
“It is time now to celebrate and congratulate the residents of Burnett Heads for their strong, tenacious fight against the coal loading proposal…They have been vindicated.
“Burnett Heads residents always knew that the Bundaberg Port and Burnett coast deserved a better future than a dirty coal loading facility, and their wish has been granted with the latest exciting announcement by Gladstone Port Authority of a new mini village at the Port.
“This has come about because of people power and commonsense.
“This new opening up of the Bundaberg Port would never have had a chance if the silly coal loading proposal was allowed to go ahead….what developer in their right mind would have invested serious money in building a mini village beside a coal loading facility?!
“It’s good to see that the Bundaberg Mayor, by her ecstatic public comments supporting this kind of development, has backflipped and changed her mind about supporting a coal loading proposal…I know it was a huge blow to the Burnett Heads community’s morale when Mayor Pyefinch publicly came out in support of the coal loading proposal,” he said.
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