The Supreme Court decision which requires the Environment Protection Authority to provide a statement of reasons for its decision to amend permit conditions on Shree Minerals’ Nelson Bay River mine demonstrates the folly of the Liberal government’s intention to ‘crack down on third party appeals’.
“This decision has demonstrated that for our planning system to work properly and lawfully, it is important that third parties retain their capacity to take legal action,” Greens’ Environment spokesperson Nick McKim MP said.
“Yet we have a Liberal government which wants to make it impossible for some groups to appeal planning decisions.”
“In this case, the permit amendments allowed for 20 times the amount of acid producing waste than was originally assessed, and we are only going to get a formal explanation from the EPA thanks to the Supreme Court order.”
“It might suit the Liberals’ agenda for dissent to be silenced, but it’s our environment and the Tasmanian people who will be the big losers.”
