The multi-billion dollar Hunter Valley thoroughbred breeding industry is calling on the NSW government to come good on its election promise and protect their agricultural land from future mining projects.
The Hunter Thoroughbred Breeders Association (HTBDA) will on Tuesday join other industry groups, community leaders and concerned citizens in Sydney’s CBD for a rally organised by NSW Farmers.
In March, the NSW Government released its draft regional land use policy, which classified 400,000 hectares of the Upper Hunter as high-value agricultural land.
However, new major mining and exploration projects were not ruled out under the draft government guidelines, despite a pre-election pledge by the NSW Liberals and Nationals to do so.
HTBDA vice president Andrew Wiles said the government’s current plan offers the thoroughbred industry no investment certainty or protection from mining encroachment in the future.
“Clearly there’s a concern across the agricultural sector,” Mr Wiles said.
“They want to see the commitments made in the lead-up to the election honoured and delivered.”
The HTBDA said the decision to join the rally was not taken lightly and stressed it was not an anti-mining protest but a peaceful community action.
The Hunter Valley is the second largest thoroughbred breeding region in the world, employing thousands of people across the region.
More than half of the top Australian racehorses, as ranked by the International Federation of Horse Authorities in 2011, hail from the Hunter Valley.
The HTBDA has in the past successfully lobbied against mining projects in the region.
In May 2010, plans by Bickham Coal Company for an open cut mine in the Upper Hunter Valley were rejected on the recommendations of the independent Planning Assessment Commission (PAC).
The PAC concluded the potential water-related risks and adverse effects on industries and investments from the project were too great to allow it to proceed.
But Bickham Coal announced this year plans to explore underground mining at the same site, a move the HTBDA says has reignited community angst.
“There are quite a number of exploration licenses that are or could be a threat to our world-scale thoroughbred breeding industry,” Mr Wiles said.
“There are serious concerns about impacts on water and the impact that it will have on the future of the industry if these mines proceed.”
Other proposals include a NuCoal project at Doyles Creek and a proposed Anglo American open cut mine across the road from two of the Hunter Valley’s largest thoroughbred breeders, the HTBDA claims.
They are calling on breeders to show strength in numbers at the Martin Place rally on Wednesday, where they will be joined by the Country Women’s Association and Hunter Valley wine growers.
