Latest news with #PhilKennedy
ABC News
27-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
NSW government approves KEPCO coal exploration licence extensions in Bylong Valley
The New South Wales Resources Department has granted extensions to two controversial coal exploration licences held by a South Korean energy company in the state's Bylong Valley. KEPCO, which has the South Korean government as its largest stakeholder, applied to renew the coal-specific licences in the valley in December 2024. Updates published to the NSW Resources Mining Titles Register show the two licences, which allow the company to explore for coal, now expire in early 2027. The extensions do not allow any mining to take place. KEPCO took over the coal deposit in Bylong in 2010 and spent $700 million on 13,000 hectares of land in the valley with plans to build an open cut and underground coal complex. Many landholders sold, and with the population dwindling local events ceased and services like the general store closed. The mine was rejected by the state's Independent Planning Commission in 2019 and subsequent appeals were knocked back by multiple courts. The High Court of Australia rejected the company's last-ditch appeal in February 2022, meaning it had exhausted its final legal avenue to develop the project. Bylong farmer Phil Kennedy said while it was confusing he was not surprised to hear the licences have been extended. "[The New South Wales Resources Department] don't want to give them the right to mine, yet they continue to give them a mining licence, so it's a bit confusing. A bit ambiguous," he said. "[KEPCO] have spend a lot of money [on land], they've put a lot at stake. "Maybe the government didn't want to rock too many boats and just rubberstamped it. The ABC's Stateline program visited Bylong earlier this year and heard from multiple landholders who said KEPCO has been silent on its plans for Bylong. Those landholders also called on the NSW government to be forthcoming with what it knows about KEPCO's plans for the region. Mr Kennedy, who is president of the Bylong Valley Protection Alliance, said locals were still yet to hear from KEPCO. He said rumours of a solar farm project being considered by the company seemingly fizzled since the end of last year. He said he was hopeful to meet with the government and discuss protecting Bylong from mining permanently and ensure its future as an agriculture region. "To bring [the land] back into private hands — to Australian farmers, mums and dads — would be great. "To put the valley off limits [to mining] once and for all would be good." The ABC attempted to contact KEPCO's Sydney office regarding the licence extensions but the company did not respond. The ABC has contacted NSW Resources Minister Courtney Houssos for comment.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sad photos of empty Aussie town after foreign investors buy 13,000 hectares
The old church is hardly used, the general store shuttered its doors and its petrol pumps are rusting. At least 13,000 hectares of what were mostly small family farms in Australia's Bylong Valley were bought up by South Korean energy giant Kepco after it purchased a coal mining lease in the area. But Kepco's plans to build a mine on its leasehold, west of Newcastle, were rejected by the NSW Independent Planning Commission in 2019 due to environmental concerns, and a request for the High Court to hear its appeal was dismissed two years later. With no clear avenue to proceed, the town sits in limbo and locals are mystified by what its plans are. Local farmer Phil Kennedy said the company's presence has 'ripped the spirit out of the Bylong Valley'. Speaking with Yahoo News, he said the general store needs repairs and its closure has affected residents who remained in the town. 'There's nowhere to buy your paper or bread," he said, adding the closest place to get petrol is 55km away. "That's a good half-hour to 45 minute drive,' he said. After it was bought out by Kepco, the general store closed in 2021. The company told Yahoo it is 'actively' seeking an operator, but with the valley now quiet, no one has been game to rent the shop even at a measly $13,200 per annum. Kennedy saw his region dramatically change after Kepco purchased the lease in 2010, and its subsequent farmland buyout depopulated the valley by almost half. Today, the land has been leased out to a large cattle company and that's brought some life back to the area, but he'd like to see it sold off again as smaller family farms. What Kepco plans to do now remains unclear. Locals had thought the company would leave the area but in a surprise move it was revealed this week, the lease was quietly renewed in December last year. The company, which is majority-owned by South Korea's government, declined to answer questions from Yahoo News about whether it had plans to sell the land. Asked if it still hoped to somehow build a mine it said, 'We are unable to provide any comments on the strategic matters you have raised.' ❌ Calls for Bunnings, Mitre 10, Coles and Woolworths to ditch 'toxic' product 🔎 Deep sea search for rare Aussie sharks and fish 😳 Popular national park too 'dangerous' to enter after 'botched' project Lock the Gate Alliance advocates for the rights of landholders when mining companies take out leases on their land. Spokesperson Nick Clyde said a leasehold never should have been granted over the region because of its importance as an agricultural food bowl. 'After Kepco's coal mine proposal was rejected emphatically by the Independent Planning Commission, the NSW Land and Environment Court, and then the High Court, their exploration licences should have been immediately extinguished,' he said. 'Instead, locals are still living with uncertainty.' Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
