Key facts
- The NSW government plans to introduce legislation to increase Mount Pleasant coal mine's annual output by 32% to 16.5 million tonnes.
- Premier Chris Minns cited the need to save 400 jobs before Christmas as the reason for the intervention.
- The High Court recently ruled invalid an expansion approval for the mine.
- Critics accuse the government of bypassing the law and prioritizing corporate interests.
- The legislation aims to address legal uncertainty following the High Court's judgment.
The New South Wales government intends to introduce special legislation to permit the Mount Pleasant coal mine in the Hunter Valley to increase its annual coal production by 32%, or 4 million tonnes, to 16.5 million tonnes per year until 2032. Premier Chris Minns stated this intervention is necessary to safeguard 400 jobs at the mine before Christmas, following a High Court ruling on October 7, 2026, that invalidated an expansion approval. The mine currently has approval to extract 12.5 million tonnes annually. Critics, including the NSW Greens and the Lock the Gate Alliance, have condemned the move as bypassing legal processes and prioritizing corporate interests over environmental concerns and public interest. The government claims the legislation will address legal uncertainty and include emissions restrictions similar to those in other recent approvals.