For an hour a delegation from Gloucester Shire Council spoke with Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald in Sydney last Tuesday to highlight council’s concern with the exploration licences held by Gloucester Resources.

Mayor Julie Lyford, general manager Allan Young and councillors Geoff Slack, John Rosenbaum and Tony Tersteeg met with the minister. The meeting also attended by Minister for the Hunter Jodi McKay.

Cr Lyford said Minister Macdonald’s message was that the exploration licences would be renewed unless there were compelling reasons not to.

She said council presented a case to the minister outlining the economic benefits of other industries to the community including tourism, rural residential development, agriculture and the existing mining operation.

“It’s not an anti-mining stance, it’s about balance,” she said.

But Cr Lyford said the delegation came away from the meeting with the feeling that for the state it was an issue based on state economics, not about social, agricultural and economic issues for Gloucester.

In that light council has asked the minister for a strategic planning review in the shire that balance the demand for resources, along side envirionmental and social issues.

The delegation requested a meeting with Minsiter for Planning Kristina Keneally further push for the strategic review.

Cr Lyford said Minister Macdonald said that the development application stage for a coal mine was the point where the community and council could comment on the project and express their views.

“But we (Gloucester Shire Council) feel that’s too late,” Cr Lyford said.

Member for Upper Hunter George Souris was critical of the Minister in his handling of the meeting with the council delegation.

“I am a little horrified that…days before the delegation arrived (the Minister) had issued a press statement effectively discharging the point of the delegation.

“It’s beyond belief that a Minister would behave in that way, taking a public position before hearing the public position,” Mr Souris said.

Cr Lyford said Minister Macdonald gave an undertaking to meet with chairman of the Gloucester Resources Community Consultative Committee Terrence Healey and with Gloucester Resources managing director Brian Wingett to discuss the company’s future plans in Gloucester.

She said people power will be the only thing that will result in a change in government thinking about the exploration licences.

“We came away (from the meeting) knowing it will be a fight,” she said.