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What's making news today? University of Newcastle's 200,000th alum is set to graduate in city hall 59 years after her granddad, Lake Macquarie council has demanded support for the Eraring Power Station closure to prevent economic 'death by a thousand cuts', The Ponga saga: is this borderline disrespectful to Knights fans? and Broken trust might be Rising Tide's biggest hurdle in its push for its 2025 protestival.
The blog is free to access for all Newcastle Herald readers, but some article links may only be accessible exclusively to our subscribers. If you have any feedback about the blog please email news@newcastleherald.com.au. You can also send in news tips, diary dates and anything you think the news team needs to know. Photos and videos can also be emailed through.
Or you can join all of the conversations in the comment section below, just scroll down to start discussing today's news.
Newcastle Herald brings you live updates from breaking news incidents, weather, traffic and travel from across Newcastle, the Hunter Region and beyond. Stay up-to-date with what's going on as the day progresses.
What's making news today? University of Newcastle's 200,000th alum is set to graduate in city hall 59 years after her granddad, Lake Macquarie council has demanded support for the Eraring Power Station closure to prevent economic 'death by a thousand cuts', The Ponga saga: is this borderline disrespectful to Knights fans? and Broken trust might be Rising Tide's biggest hurdle in its push for its 2025 protestival.
The blog is free to access for all Newcastle Herald readers, but some article links may only be accessible exclusively to our subscribers. If you have any feedback about the blog please email news@newcastleherald.com.au. You can also send in news tips, diary dates and anything you think the news team needs to know. Photos and videos can also be emailed through.
Or you can join all of the conversations in the comment section below, just scroll down to start discussing today's news.
Newcastle Herald brings you live updates from breaking news incidents, weather, traffic and travel from across Newcastle, the Hunter Region and beyond. Stay up-to-date with what's going on as the day progresses.
What's making news today? University of Newcastle's 200,000th alum is set to graduate in city hall 59 years after her granddad, Lake Macquarie council has demanded support for the Eraring Power Station closure to prevent economic 'death by a thousand cuts', The Ponga saga: is this borderline disrespectful to Knights fans? and Broken trust might be Rising Tide's biggest hurdle in its push for its 2025 protestival.
The blog is free to access for all Newcastle Herald readers, but some article links may only be accessible exclusively to our subscribers. If you have any feedback about the blog please email news@newcastleherald.com.au. You can also send in news tips, diary dates and anything you think the news team needs to know. Photos and videos can also be emailed through.
Or you can join all of the conversations in the comment section below, just scroll down to start discussing today's news.
Newcastle Herald brings you live updates from breaking news incidents, weather, traffic and travel from across Newcastle, the Hunter Region and beyond. Stay up-to-date with what's going on as the day progresses.
What's making news today? University of Newcastle's 200,000th alum is set to graduate in city hall 59 years after her granddad, Lake Macquarie council has demanded support for the Eraring Power Station closure to prevent economic 'death by a thousand cuts', The Ponga saga: is this borderline disrespectful to Knights fans? and Broken trust might be Rising Tide's biggest hurdle in its push for its 2025 protestival.
The blog is free to access for all Newcastle Herald readers, but some article links may only be accessible exclusively to our subscribers. If you have any feedback about the blog please email news@newcastleherald.com.au. You can also send in news tips, diary dates and anything you think the news team needs to know. Photos and videos can also be emailed through.
Or you can join all of the conversations in the comment section below, just scroll down to start discussing today's news.
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The Advertiser
3 days ago
- The Advertiser
Is your superannuation balance higher than your postcode average?
Four Hunter postcodes have a median superannuation of more than $100,000, and a surprising area has topped the list, according to recent Australian Tax Office data. The 2282 postcode topped the Hunter list with a median of $117,397, which encompasses Eleebana, Lakelands, and Warners Bay. The superannuation data is for the 2022-23 financial year, which the ATO recently released as part of its taxation statistics. The 2291 postcode of Merewether, Merewether Heights and The Junction was the second highest with $109,785, followed by 2305, which includes Kotara East, New Lambton, and New Lambton Heights, at $104,886. Wangi Wangi rounded out the top four at $103,837. Despite ranking at 23rd for median, the 2300 postcode for Newcastle, Newcastle East, Cooks Hill, Bar Beach, and The Hill topped the list for average superannuation at $317,597. University of Newcastle Associate Professor of finance Mia Pham said this was an example of income inequality. "The 2300 covers inner-city Newcastle, and we can see that this area has a diverse mix of professionals, and we also have students, renters, and retirees," she said. "So the fact that it ranks high in average superannuation, but low in median tells us there's a wide gap between the top and the bottom. "It could be that a few individuals have very large super balances. For example, older professionals or those people that have a high income and it can skew the average upward." The 2291 postcode was second-highest for average at $310,451, while Salamander Bay and Soldiers Point's postcode of 2317 was third highest at $248,851. Low-socioeconomic areas like Windale were on the other end of the scale. The 2306 postcode had a median superannuation of $17,467 and an average of $51,658. Associate Professor Pham said factors such as average income, employment and age played a role in an area's superannuation spread. "Many residents may work in casual or part-time roles, which don't always come with consistent super contribution," she said. "Areas with a younger population have less time to accumulate the super." The 2308 postcode, made up entirely of the University of Newcastle campus, had a median super of $1220 and an average of $12,160. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents also face systemic barriers to wealth building, Associate Professor Pham said. "Another thing is the culture and social factor, because some people, let's say, the migrant population, they may have a lower balance because they just recently joined the workforce," she said. The option to access superannuation during the pandemic was also more commonly used by people who were on lower incomes or in financial distress, creating a further divide, Associate Professor Pham said. She said the impact of withdrawing super early may be larger than people expect. "So let's say if a person withdraws about $20,000 at the age of 30, and if that money had stayed and earned a 7 per cent annual return, it could have rolled to over $150,000 by the age of 60, and by the age of 67, it's going to be more than $200,000," she said. "So you can see that's a huge shortfall and it's entirely due to missing out on decades of compounding. "I think early withdrawal was something people had to do, but it's going to be a really high price that they have to pay later in life and especially for those who already face the financial disadvantages." The Association of Super Funds Australia recommends couples need $690,000 to comfortably retire on, while single people need $595,000. That number assumes the person owns their home and receives some support from the age pension. Associate Professor Pham said it also varied depending on different factors. For example, people in regional areas may need less than those in capital cities. The estimate has increased from $500,000 for a single and about $580,000 for a couple 10 years ago. Associate Professor Pham believed there should be more financial literacy to educate people about superannuation and address economic inequality. "Many people do not understand how superannuation works," she said. "They may not understand about the tax benefit of voluntary contributions or the compounding power of the investment. "Sometimes they just consider super as set and forget. Studies show that many people don't know that the super fund they belong to performed very poorly, and they never change the fund." The federal government has recently introduced initiatives to help bridge the gap, such as a tax on high-value accounts and a superannuation guarantee on parental leave. Associate Professor Pham said those initiatives would make a difference, but that she would also like to see more regulation that encouraged employees to make voluntary contributions, particularly those on lower incomes. Four Hunter postcodes have a median superannuation of more than $100,000, and a surprising area has topped the list, according to recent Australian Tax Office data. The 2282 postcode topped the Hunter list with a median of $117,397, which encompasses Eleebana, Lakelands, and Warners Bay. The superannuation data is for the 2022-23 financial year, which the ATO recently released as part of its taxation statistics. The 2291 postcode of Merewether, Merewether Heights and The Junction was the second highest with $109,785, followed by 2305, which includes Kotara East, New Lambton, and New Lambton Heights, at $104,886. Wangi Wangi rounded out the top four at $103,837. Despite ranking at 23rd for median, the 2300 postcode for Newcastle, Newcastle East, Cooks Hill, Bar Beach, and The Hill topped the list for average superannuation at $317,597. University of Newcastle Associate Professor of finance Mia Pham said this was an example of income inequality. "The 2300 covers inner-city Newcastle, and we can see that this area has a diverse mix of professionals, and we also have students, renters, and retirees," she said. "So the fact that it ranks high in average superannuation, but low in median tells us there's a wide gap between the top and the bottom. "It could be that a few individuals have very large super balances. For example, older professionals or those people that have a high income and it can skew the average upward." The 2291 postcode was second-highest for average at $310,451, while Salamander Bay and Soldiers Point's postcode of 2317 was third highest at $248,851. Low-socioeconomic areas like Windale were on the other end of the scale. The 2306 postcode had a median superannuation of $17,467 and an average of $51,658. Associate Professor Pham said factors such as average income, employment and age played a role in an area's superannuation spread. "Many residents may work in casual or part-time roles, which don't always come with consistent super contribution," she said. "Areas with a younger population have less time to accumulate the super." The 2308 postcode, made up entirely of the University of Newcastle campus, had a median super of $1220 and an average of $12,160. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents also face systemic barriers to wealth building, Associate Professor Pham said. "Another thing is the culture and social factor, because some people, let's say, the migrant population, they may have a lower balance because they just recently joined the workforce," she said. The option to access superannuation during the pandemic was also more commonly used by people who were on lower incomes or in financial distress, creating a further divide, Associate Professor Pham said. She said the impact of withdrawing super early may be larger than people expect. "So let's say if a person withdraws about $20,000 at the age of 30, and if that money had stayed and earned a 7 per cent annual return, it could have rolled to over $150,000 by the age of 60, and by the age of 67, it's going to be more than $200,000," she said. "So you can see that's a huge shortfall and it's entirely due to missing out on decades of compounding. "I think early withdrawal was something people had to do, but it's going to be a really high price that they have to pay later in life and especially for those who already face the financial disadvantages." The Association of Super Funds Australia recommends couples need $690,000 to comfortably retire on, while single people need $595,000. That number assumes the person owns their home and receives some support from the age pension. Associate Professor Pham said it also varied depending on different factors. For example, people in regional areas may need less than those in capital cities. The estimate has increased from $500,000 for a single and about $580,000 for a couple 10 years ago. Associate Professor Pham believed there should be more financial literacy to educate people about superannuation and address economic inequality. "Many people do not understand how superannuation works," she said. "They may not understand about the tax benefit of voluntary contributions or the compounding power of the investment. "Sometimes they just consider super as set and forget. Studies show that many people don't know that the super fund they belong to performed very poorly, and they never change the fund." The federal government has recently introduced initiatives to help bridge the gap, such as a tax on high-value accounts and a superannuation guarantee on parental leave. Associate Professor Pham said those initiatives would make a difference, but that she would also like to see more regulation that encouraged employees to make voluntary contributions, particularly those on lower incomes. Four Hunter postcodes have a median superannuation of more than $100,000, and a surprising area has topped the list, according to recent Australian Tax Office data. The 2282 postcode topped the Hunter list with a median of $117,397, which encompasses Eleebana, Lakelands, and Warners Bay. The superannuation data is for the 2022-23 financial year, which the ATO recently released as part of its taxation statistics. The 2291 postcode of Merewether, Merewether Heights and The Junction was the second highest with $109,785, followed by 2305, which includes Kotara East, New Lambton, and New Lambton Heights, at $104,886. Wangi Wangi rounded out the top four at $103,837. Despite ranking at 23rd for median, the 2300 postcode for Newcastle, Newcastle East, Cooks Hill, Bar Beach, and The Hill topped the list for average superannuation at $317,597. University of Newcastle Associate Professor of finance Mia Pham said this was an example of income inequality. "The 2300 covers inner-city Newcastle, and we can see that this area has a diverse mix of professionals, and we also have students, renters, and retirees," she said. "So the fact that it ranks high in average superannuation, but low in median tells us there's a wide gap between the top and the bottom. "It could be that a few individuals have very large super balances. For example, older professionals or those people that have a high income and it can skew the average upward." The 2291 postcode was second-highest for average at $310,451, while Salamander Bay and Soldiers Point's postcode of 2317 was third highest at $248,851. Low-socioeconomic areas like Windale were on the other end of the scale. The 2306 postcode had a median superannuation of $17,467 and an average of $51,658. Associate Professor Pham said factors such as average income, employment and age played a role in an area's superannuation spread. "Many residents may work in casual or part-time roles, which don't always come with consistent super contribution," she said. "Areas with a younger population have less time to accumulate the super." The 2308 postcode, made up entirely of the University of Newcastle campus, had a median super of $1220 and an average of $12,160. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents also face systemic barriers to wealth building, Associate Professor Pham said. "Another thing is the culture and social factor, because some people, let's say, the migrant population, they may have a lower balance because they just recently joined the workforce," she said. The option to access superannuation during the pandemic was also more commonly used by people who were on lower incomes or in financial distress, creating a further divide, Associate Professor Pham said. She said the impact of withdrawing super early may be larger than people expect. "So let's say if a person withdraws about $20,000 at the age of 30, and if that money had stayed and earned a 7 per cent annual return, it could have rolled to over $150,000 by the age of 60, and by the age of 67, it's going to be more than $200,000," she said. "So you can see that's a huge shortfall and it's entirely due to missing out on decades of compounding. "I think early withdrawal was something people had to do, but it's going to be a really high price that they have to pay later in life and especially for those who already face the financial disadvantages." The Association of Super Funds Australia recommends couples need $690,000 to comfortably retire on, while single people need $595,000. That number assumes the person owns their home and receives some support from the age pension. Associate Professor Pham said it also varied depending on different factors. For example, people in regional areas may need less than those in capital cities. The estimate has increased from $500,000 for a single and about $580,000 for a couple 10 years ago. Associate Professor Pham believed there should be more financial literacy to educate people about superannuation and address economic inequality. "Many people do not understand how superannuation works," she said. "They may not understand about the tax benefit of voluntary contributions or the compounding power of the investment. "Sometimes they just consider super as set and forget. Studies show that many people don't know that the super fund they belong to performed very poorly, and they never change the fund." The federal government has recently introduced initiatives to help bridge the gap, such as a tax on high-value accounts and a superannuation guarantee on parental leave. Associate Professor Pham said those initiatives would make a difference, but that she would also like to see more regulation that encouraged employees to make voluntary contributions, particularly those on lower incomes. Four Hunter postcodes have a median superannuation of more than $100,000, and a surprising area has topped the list, according to recent Australian Tax Office data. The 2282 postcode topped the Hunter list with a median of $117,397, which encompasses Eleebana, Lakelands, and Warners Bay. The superannuation data is for the 2022-23 financial year, which the ATO recently released as part of its taxation statistics. The 2291 postcode of Merewether, Merewether Heights and The Junction was the second highest with $109,785, followed by 2305, which includes Kotara East, New Lambton, and New Lambton Heights, at $104,886. Wangi Wangi rounded out the top four at $103,837. Despite ranking at 23rd for median, the 2300 postcode for Newcastle, Newcastle East, Cooks Hill, Bar Beach, and The Hill topped the list for average superannuation at $317,597. University of Newcastle Associate Professor of finance Mia Pham said this was an example of income inequality. "The 2300 covers inner-city Newcastle, and we can see that this area has a diverse mix of professionals, and we also have students, renters, and retirees," she said. "So the fact that it ranks high in average superannuation, but low in median tells us there's a wide gap between the top and the bottom. "It could be that a few individuals have very large super balances. For example, older professionals or those people that have a high income and it can skew the average upward." The 2291 postcode was second-highest for average at $310,451, while Salamander Bay and Soldiers Point's postcode of 2317 was third highest at $248,851. Low-socioeconomic areas like Windale were on the other end of the scale. The 2306 postcode had a median superannuation of $17,467 and an average of $51,658. Associate Professor Pham said factors such as average income, employment and age played a role in an area's superannuation spread. "Many residents may work in casual or part-time roles, which don't always come with consistent super contribution," she said. "Areas with a younger population have less time to accumulate the super." The 2308 postcode, made up entirely of the University of Newcastle campus, had a median super of $1220 and an average of $12,160. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents also face systemic barriers to wealth building, Associate Professor Pham said. "Another thing is the culture and social factor, because some people, let's say, the migrant population, they may have a lower balance because they just recently joined the workforce," she said. The option to access superannuation during the pandemic was also more commonly used by people who were on lower incomes or in financial distress, creating a further divide, Associate Professor Pham said. She said the impact of withdrawing super early may be larger than people expect. "So let's say if a person withdraws about $20,000 at the age of 30, and if that money had stayed and earned a 7 per cent annual return, it could have rolled to over $150,000 by the age of 60, and by the age of 67, it's going to be more than $200,000," she said. "So you can see that's a huge shortfall and it's entirely due to missing out on decades of compounding. "I think early withdrawal was something people had to do, but it's going to be a really high price that they have to pay later in life and especially for those who already face the financial disadvantages." The Association of Super Funds Australia recommends couples need $690,000 to comfortably retire on, while single people need $595,000. That number assumes the person owns their home and receives some support from the age pension. Associate Professor Pham said it also varied depending on different factors. For example, people in regional areas may need less than those in capital cities. The estimate has increased from $500,000 for a single and about $580,000 for a couple 10 years ago. Associate Professor Pham believed there should be more financial literacy to educate people about superannuation and address economic inequality. "Many people do not understand how superannuation works," she said. "They may not understand about the tax benefit of voluntary contributions or the compounding power of the investment. "Sometimes they just consider super as set and forget. Studies show that many people don't know that the super fund they belong to performed very poorly, and they never change the fund." The federal government has recently introduced initiatives to help bridge the gap, such as a tax on high-value accounts and a superannuation guarantee on parental leave. Associate Professor Pham said those initiatives would make a difference, but that she would also like to see more regulation that encouraged employees to make voluntary contributions, particularly those on lower incomes.
The Advertiser
23-07-2025
- The Advertiser
Restarting Redbank Power Station: a public meeting to be held on the proposal
The community will be able to have its say at a public meeting, to be held next month in Singleton, on the restart of Redbank Power Station. Sitting idle for over a decade, Redbank Power Station's owners, Verdant Earth, hope to receive state planning approval to reopen the generator using biomass as a fuel source. Verdant Earth has proposed restarting operations at the Redbank, using woody biomass sourced from Invasive Native Species (INS) as a sustainable fuel source. Under the proposal the power generator would use up to 700,000 dry tonnes per year of biomass as fuel. The facility is located at Warkworth near Singleton. Initially commissioned in July 2001, Redbank was designed to produce electricity using coal tailings, a byproduct of coal processing. However, once the supply of coal tailings from the neighbouring Warkworth mine was no longer available, the power station ceased operations and has been under care and maintenance since October 2014. Enter Verdant Earth with their proposal to source INS, notably cypress pine, from western NSW to supply the energy source for the power station. The power station has a capacity of up to 151 MW of dispatchable energy and would operate 24 hours per day, seven days a week. The application being considered for approval is expected to create approximately 330 construction jobs and up to 60 operational jobs. During the current approval process, the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) commissioned ARUP to conduct an independent merit review of the project in February 2024. This merit review was completed in December 2024, and it focused on evaluating the seven critical project elements, including the availability of feedstock (woody biomass), processing capacity, compliance with the NSW Energy from Waste Policy, and emissions control. The merit review found moderate risks across several project elements, including the reliability of the woody biomass supply from the INS. It noted the unverified ability of suppliers to provide sufficient Invasive Native Species (INS) and discrepancies in high-yield estimates from landholders. Verdant Earth had suggested another source of biomass could come from Bana grass grown on degraded land. Still, the response from the review says this lacks independent validation and may fall short due to environmental and logistical constraints. DHPI has now completed its whole-of-government assessment and has now referred this application to the Independent Planning Commission for determination. The Commission is the consent authority because more than 50 unique public objections were received for the application. Commissioners Professor Neal Menzies AM (Chair), Ms Alex O'Mara, and Professor Elizabeth Taylor AO have been appointed by the Commission Chair to determine the application. Key issues identified in the Department's whole-of-government assessment of the development application include the types of waste proposed as fuel, greenhouse gas emissions, impacts on air quality, biodiversity and truck movements. The Commission has access to all previous written submissions made to the Department on this application; however, it is particularly helpful for the Commission Panel to also hear the community's views on the Department's Assessment Report, which can be found on the Commission's website. The public meeting on the proposed Restart of Redbank Power Station will be held at the Singleton Civic Centre on Monday, August 11, commencing at 10:00 am Anyone wishing to present at the public meeting must pre-register on the Commission's website using the Speaker Registration Form. The deadline for speaker registrations is 12:00PM on Friday, August 1. The Commission is also inviting the public to make written submissions which can be lodged via the 'Make a Submission' portal on the Commission's website. The Commission will also accept submissions made via post or email. Written submissions will be accepted until 5:00pm on Monday, August 18. The community will be able to have its say at a public meeting, to be held next month in Singleton, on the restart of Redbank Power Station. Sitting idle for over a decade, Redbank Power Station's owners, Verdant Earth, hope to receive state planning approval to reopen the generator using biomass as a fuel source. Verdant Earth has proposed restarting operations at the Redbank, using woody biomass sourced from Invasive Native Species (INS) as a sustainable fuel source. Under the proposal the power generator would use up to 700,000 dry tonnes per year of biomass as fuel. The facility is located at Warkworth near Singleton. Initially commissioned in July 2001, Redbank was designed to produce electricity using coal tailings, a byproduct of coal processing. However, once the supply of coal tailings from the neighbouring Warkworth mine was no longer available, the power station ceased operations and has been under care and maintenance since October 2014. Enter Verdant Earth with their proposal to source INS, notably cypress pine, from western NSW to supply the energy source for the power station. The power station has a capacity of up to 151 MW of dispatchable energy and would operate 24 hours per day, seven days a week. The application being considered for approval is expected to create approximately 330 construction jobs and up to 60 operational jobs. During the current approval process, the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) commissioned ARUP to conduct an independent merit review of the project in February 2024. This merit review was completed in December 2024, and it focused on evaluating the seven critical project elements, including the availability of feedstock (woody biomass), processing capacity, compliance with the NSW Energy from Waste Policy, and emissions control. The merit review found moderate risks across several project elements, including the reliability of the woody biomass supply from the INS. It noted the unverified ability of suppliers to provide sufficient Invasive Native Species (INS) and discrepancies in high-yield estimates from landholders. Verdant Earth had suggested another source of biomass could come from Bana grass grown on degraded land. Still, the response from the review says this lacks independent validation and may fall short due to environmental and logistical constraints. DHPI has now completed its whole-of-government assessment and has now referred this application to the Independent Planning Commission for determination. The Commission is the consent authority because more than 50 unique public objections were received for the application. Commissioners Professor Neal Menzies AM (Chair), Ms Alex O'Mara, and Professor Elizabeth Taylor AO have been appointed by the Commission Chair to determine the application. Key issues identified in the Department's whole-of-government assessment of the development application include the types of waste proposed as fuel, greenhouse gas emissions, impacts on air quality, biodiversity and truck movements. The Commission has access to all previous written submissions made to the Department on this application; however, it is particularly helpful for the Commission Panel to also hear the community's views on the Department's Assessment Report, which can be found on the Commission's website. The public meeting on the proposed Restart of Redbank Power Station will be held at the Singleton Civic Centre on Monday, August 11, commencing at 10:00 am Anyone wishing to present at the public meeting must pre-register on the Commission's website using the Speaker Registration Form. The deadline for speaker registrations is 12:00PM on Friday, August 1. The Commission is also inviting the public to make written submissions which can be lodged via the 'Make a Submission' portal on the Commission's website. The Commission will also accept submissions made via post or email. Written submissions will be accepted until 5:00pm on Monday, August 18. The community will be able to have its say at a public meeting, to be held next month in Singleton, on the restart of Redbank Power Station. Sitting idle for over a decade, Redbank Power Station's owners, Verdant Earth, hope to receive state planning approval to reopen the generator using biomass as a fuel source. Verdant Earth has proposed restarting operations at the Redbank, using woody biomass sourced from Invasive Native Species (INS) as a sustainable fuel source. Under the proposal the power generator would use up to 700,000 dry tonnes per year of biomass as fuel. The facility is located at Warkworth near Singleton. Initially commissioned in July 2001, Redbank was designed to produce electricity using coal tailings, a byproduct of coal processing. However, once the supply of coal tailings from the neighbouring Warkworth mine was no longer available, the power station ceased operations and has been under care and maintenance since October 2014. Enter Verdant Earth with their proposal to source INS, notably cypress pine, from western NSW to supply the energy source for the power station. The power station has a capacity of up to 151 MW of dispatchable energy and would operate 24 hours per day, seven days a week. The application being considered for approval is expected to create approximately 330 construction jobs and up to 60 operational jobs. During the current approval process, the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) commissioned ARUP to conduct an independent merit review of the project in February 2024. This merit review was completed in December 2024, and it focused on evaluating the seven critical project elements, including the availability of feedstock (woody biomass), processing capacity, compliance with the NSW Energy from Waste Policy, and emissions control. The merit review found moderate risks across several project elements, including the reliability of the woody biomass supply from the INS. It noted the unverified ability of suppliers to provide sufficient Invasive Native Species (INS) and discrepancies in high-yield estimates from landholders. Verdant Earth had suggested another source of biomass could come from Bana grass grown on degraded land. Still, the response from the review says this lacks independent validation and may fall short due to environmental and logistical constraints. DHPI has now completed its whole-of-government assessment and has now referred this application to the Independent Planning Commission for determination. The Commission is the consent authority because more than 50 unique public objections were received for the application. Commissioners Professor Neal Menzies AM (Chair), Ms Alex O'Mara, and Professor Elizabeth Taylor AO have been appointed by the Commission Chair to determine the application. Key issues identified in the Department's whole-of-government assessment of the development application include the types of waste proposed as fuel, greenhouse gas emissions, impacts on air quality, biodiversity and truck movements. The Commission has access to all previous written submissions made to the Department on this application; however, it is particularly helpful for the Commission Panel to also hear the community's views on the Department's Assessment Report, which can be found on the Commission's website. The public meeting on the proposed Restart of Redbank Power Station will be held at the Singleton Civic Centre on Monday, August 11, commencing at 10:00 am Anyone wishing to present at the public meeting must pre-register on the Commission's website using the Speaker Registration Form. The deadline for speaker registrations is 12:00PM on Friday, August 1. The Commission is also inviting the public to make written submissions which can be lodged via the 'Make a Submission' portal on the Commission's website. The Commission will also accept submissions made via post or email. Written submissions will be accepted until 5:00pm on Monday, August 18. The community will be able to have its say at a public meeting, to be held next month in Singleton, on the restart of Redbank Power Station. Sitting idle for over a decade, Redbank Power Station's owners, Verdant Earth, hope to receive state planning approval to reopen the generator using biomass as a fuel source. Verdant Earth has proposed restarting operations at the Redbank, using woody biomass sourced from Invasive Native Species (INS) as a sustainable fuel source. Under the proposal the power generator would use up to 700,000 dry tonnes per year of biomass as fuel. The facility is located at Warkworth near Singleton. Initially commissioned in July 2001, Redbank was designed to produce electricity using coal tailings, a byproduct of coal processing. However, once the supply of coal tailings from the neighbouring Warkworth mine was no longer available, the power station ceased operations and has been under care and maintenance since October 2014. Enter Verdant Earth with their proposal to source INS, notably cypress pine, from western NSW to supply the energy source for the power station. The power station has a capacity of up to 151 MW of dispatchable energy and would operate 24 hours per day, seven days a week. The application being considered for approval is expected to create approximately 330 construction jobs and up to 60 operational jobs. During the current approval process, the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) commissioned ARUP to conduct an independent merit review of the project in February 2024. This merit review was completed in December 2024, and it focused on evaluating the seven critical project elements, including the availability of feedstock (woody biomass), processing capacity, compliance with the NSW Energy from Waste Policy, and emissions control. The merit review found moderate risks across several project elements, including the reliability of the woody biomass supply from the INS. It noted the unverified ability of suppliers to provide sufficient Invasive Native Species (INS) and discrepancies in high-yield estimates from landholders. Verdant Earth had suggested another source of biomass could come from Bana grass grown on degraded land. Still, the response from the review says this lacks independent validation and may fall short due to environmental and logistical constraints. DHPI has now completed its whole-of-government assessment and has now referred this application to the Independent Planning Commission for determination. The Commission is the consent authority because more than 50 unique public objections were received for the application. Commissioners Professor Neal Menzies AM (Chair), Ms Alex O'Mara, and Professor Elizabeth Taylor AO have been appointed by the Commission Chair to determine the application. Key issues identified in the Department's whole-of-government assessment of the development application include the types of waste proposed as fuel, greenhouse gas emissions, impacts on air quality, biodiversity and truck movements. The Commission has access to all previous written submissions made to the Department on this application; however, it is particularly helpful for the Commission Panel to also hear the community's views on the Department's Assessment Report, which can be found on the Commission's website. The public meeting on the proposed Restart of Redbank Power Station will be held at the Singleton Civic Centre on Monday, August 11, commencing at 10:00 am Anyone wishing to present at the public meeting must pre-register on the Commission's website using the Speaker Registration Form. The deadline for speaker registrations is 12:00PM on Friday, August 1. The Commission is also inviting the public to make written submissions which can be lodged via the 'Make a Submission' portal on the Commission's website. The Commission will also accept submissions made via post or email. Written submissions will be accepted until 5:00pm on Monday, August 18.
The Advertiser
20-07-2025
- The Advertiser
Public meeting to discuss views on plan to burn wood waste Redbank power station
A public meeting will be held to hear views on a contentious plan to restart the Redbank power station near Singleton using biomass fuel. Verdant Earth has submitted a state significant development application to modify the plant, which closed in 2014, to burn wood waste instead of coal. The company proposes to use up to 700,000 dry tonnes a year of biomass, which includes noxious weeds, as fuel. The power station has a capacity of up to 151 MW of dispatchable energy and would operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If approved, the project would create about 330 construction jobs and up to 60 operational jobs. Verdant Earth chief executive Richard Poole previously told the Newcastle Herald that several "high net worth Australian families" had invested $80million in the company's biomass strategy. But environmental groups have slammed plans to reopen the Redbank power station. "It's extremely concerning that this polluting project is again rearing its head, and has progressed to the public exhibition stage," Nature Conservation Council of NSW chief executive Jacqui Mumford said previously. "Verdant Earth has been trying to claim that wood-fire power is "green" or "net zero" since they stopped burning coal at Redbank. "While branding themselves as renewable energy focused, Verdant Earth's PR campaign surrounding Redbank remains replete with talking points from the fossil fuel lobbyists." The Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure has completed a whole-of-government assessment and has referred this application to the Independent Planning Commission for determination. The commission is the consent authority because more than 50 unique public objections were received for the application. Verdant Earth has pointed out that the majority of objections were at least 100 kilometres away from the project, spread "along the eastern coast of NSW, up to the Queensland Border and around the Sydney area", while most submissions from the Hunter were in support. Commissioners Professor Neal Menzies AM (chair), Ms Alex O'Mara, and Professor Elizabeth Taylor AO have been appointed to determine the application. Key issues identified in the whole-of-government assessment of the development application include the types of waste proposed as fuel, greenhouse gas emissions, impacts on air quality, biodiversity and truck movements. The public meeting will be held at the Singleton Civic Centre, 12 Queen Street, Singleton on Monday, August 11, at 10am. Anyone wanting to present at the public meeting must register on the commission's website using the Speaker Registration Form. The deadline for speaker registrations is 12pm (noon) on Friday, August 1. The commission is also inviting the public to make written submissions, which can be lodged via the 'Make a Submission' portal on the commission's website. The commission will also accept submissions made via post or email. Written submissions will be accepted until 5pm, Monday, August 18. A public meeting will be held to hear views on a contentious plan to restart the Redbank power station near Singleton using biomass fuel. Verdant Earth has submitted a state significant development application to modify the plant, which closed in 2014, to burn wood waste instead of coal. The company proposes to use up to 700,000 dry tonnes a year of biomass, which includes noxious weeds, as fuel. The power station has a capacity of up to 151 MW of dispatchable energy and would operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If approved, the project would create about 330 construction jobs and up to 60 operational jobs. Verdant Earth chief executive Richard Poole previously told the Newcastle Herald that several "high net worth Australian families" had invested $80million in the company's biomass strategy. But environmental groups have slammed plans to reopen the Redbank power station. "It's extremely concerning that this polluting project is again rearing its head, and has progressed to the public exhibition stage," Nature Conservation Council of NSW chief executive Jacqui Mumford said previously. "Verdant Earth has been trying to claim that wood-fire power is "green" or "net zero" since they stopped burning coal at Redbank. "While branding themselves as renewable energy focused, Verdant Earth's PR campaign surrounding Redbank remains replete with talking points from the fossil fuel lobbyists." The Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure has completed a whole-of-government assessment and has referred this application to the Independent Planning Commission for determination. The commission is the consent authority because more than 50 unique public objections were received for the application. Verdant Earth has pointed out that the majority of objections were at least 100 kilometres away from the project, spread "along the eastern coast of NSW, up to the Queensland Border and around the Sydney area", while most submissions from the Hunter were in support. Commissioners Professor Neal Menzies AM (chair), Ms Alex O'Mara, and Professor Elizabeth Taylor AO have been appointed to determine the application. Key issues identified in the whole-of-government assessment of the development application include the types of waste proposed as fuel, greenhouse gas emissions, impacts on air quality, biodiversity and truck movements. The public meeting will be held at the Singleton Civic Centre, 12 Queen Street, Singleton on Monday, August 11, at 10am. Anyone wanting to present at the public meeting must register on the commission's website using the Speaker Registration Form. The deadline for speaker registrations is 12pm (noon) on Friday, August 1. The commission is also inviting the public to make written submissions, which can be lodged via the 'Make a Submission' portal on the commission's website. The commission will also accept submissions made via post or email. Written submissions will be accepted until 5pm, Monday, August 18. A public meeting will be held to hear views on a contentious plan to restart the Redbank power station near Singleton using biomass fuel. Verdant Earth has submitted a state significant development application to modify the plant, which closed in 2014, to burn wood waste instead of coal. The company proposes to use up to 700,000 dry tonnes a year of biomass, which includes noxious weeds, as fuel. The power station has a capacity of up to 151 MW of dispatchable energy and would operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If approved, the project would create about 330 construction jobs and up to 60 operational jobs. Verdant Earth chief executive Richard Poole previously told the Newcastle Herald that several "high net worth Australian families" had invested $80million in the company's biomass strategy. But environmental groups have slammed plans to reopen the Redbank power station. "It's extremely concerning that this polluting project is again rearing its head, and has progressed to the public exhibition stage," Nature Conservation Council of NSW chief executive Jacqui Mumford said previously. "Verdant Earth has been trying to claim that wood-fire power is "green" or "net zero" since they stopped burning coal at Redbank. "While branding themselves as renewable energy focused, Verdant Earth's PR campaign surrounding Redbank remains replete with talking points from the fossil fuel lobbyists." The Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure has completed a whole-of-government assessment and has referred this application to the Independent Planning Commission for determination. The commission is the consent authority because more than 50 unique public objections were received for the application. Verdant Earth has pointed out that the majority of objections were at least 100 kilometres away from the project, spread "along the eastern coast of NSW, up to the Queensland Border and around the Sydney area", while most submissions from the Hunter were in support. Commissioners Professor Neal Menzies AM (chair), Ms Alex O'Mara, and Professor Elizabeth Taylor AO have been appointed to determine the application. Key issues identified in the whole-of-government assessment of the development application include the types of waste proposed as fuel, greenhouse gas emissions, impacts on air quality, biodiversity and truck movements. The public meeting will be held at the Singleton Civic Centre, 12 Queen Street, Singleton on Monday, August 11, at 10am. Anyone wanting to present at the public meeting must register on the commission's website using the Speaker Registration Form. The deadline for speaker registrations is 12pm (noon) on Friday, August 1. The commission is also inviting the public to make written submissions, which can be lodged via the 'Make a Submission' portal on the commission's website. The commission will also accept submissions made via post or email. Written submissions will be accepted until 5pm, Monday, August 18. A public meeting will be held to hear views on a contentious plan to restart the Redbank power station near Singleton using biomass fuel. Verdant Earth has submitted a state significant development application to modify the plant, which closed in 2014, to burn wood waste instead of coal. The company proposes to use up to 700,000 dry tonnes a year of biomass, which includes noxious weeds, as fuel. The power station has a capacity of up to 151 MW of dispatchable energy and would operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If approved, the project would create about 330 construction jobs and up to 60 operational jobs. Verdant Earth chief executive Richard Poole previously told the Newcastle Herald that several "high net worth Australian families" had invested $80million in the company's biomass strategy. But environmental groups have slammed plans to reopen the Redbank power station. "It's extremely concerning that this polluting project is again rearing its head, and has progressed to the public exhibition stage," Nature Conservation Council of NSW chief executive Jacqui Mumford said previously. "Verdant Earth has been trying to claim that wood-fire power is "green" or "net zero" since they stopped burning coal at Redbank. "While branding themselves as renewable energy focused, Verdant Earth's PR campaign surrounding Redbank remains replete with talking points from the fossil fuel lobbyists." The Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure has completed a whole-of-government assessment and has referred this application to the Independent Planning Commission for determination. The commission is the consent authority because more than 50 unique public objections were received for the application. Verdant Earth has pointed out that the majority of objections were at least 100 kilometres away from the project, spread "along the eastern coast of NSW, up to the Queensland Border and around the Sydney area", while most submissions from the Hunter were in support. Commissioners Professor Neal Menzies AM (chair), Ms Alex O'Mara, and Professor Elizabeth Taylor AO have been appointed to determine the application. Key issues identified in the whole-of-government assessment of the development application include the types of waste proposed as fuel, greenhouse gas emissions, impacts on air quality, biodiversity and truck movements. The public meeting will be held at the Singleton Civic Centre, 12 Queen Street, Singleton on Monday, August 11, at 10am. Anyone wanting to present at the public meeting must register on the commission's website using the Speaker Registration Form. The deadline for speaker registrations is 12pm (noon) on Friday, August 1. The commission is also inviting the public to make written submissions, which can be lodged via the 'Make a Submission' portal on the commission's website. The commission will also accept submissions made via post or email. Written submissions will be accepted until 5pm, Monday, August 18.
