He said it was a public meeting and that it was important for people to know that if it was a hearing and a determination was made, that the public or the coal company would have no avenue for appeal.

This statement makes this planning assessment commission process even more unclear.

Does this mean that if the commission supports the Department of Planning’s recommendation for approval then the public can appeal the mine’s approval?

And does it mean that if the commission rejects the Department of Planning’s recommendation, the coal company concerned can appeal?

Luckily, approval won’t only be based on what 70 people say at a public meeting.

Given most are objectors to the development (the company gets a chance to speak today), it would be very difficult to make a truly balanced determination.

People are presenting facts, and solid facts backed by documentation, but there is also a tremendous amount of emotion because of the impact this development is recognised to potentially have on the surrounding areas and our community.

This puts everyone in a very difficult situation, a situation that was not necessary.

When there is an exploration licence granted over an area of land, there is an obligation on the company to explore for resources.

If resources are found, then the company is obliged to prepare a statement on how that resource could be mined.

A past state government determined that part of this Warkworth expansion area should never be mined.

People took that as fact and based their futures upon that decision. They assumed ‘can’t be mined’ meant ‘can’t be mined’.

No-one is going to be happy with the outcome, and the process isn’t particularly comforting either.

At the end of the day it is up to the commissioners to approve, or reject, this coal mine expansion based on what they hear in Singleton this week, plus other information. Going on what commissioners heard yesterday it makes you wonder how much weight they will place on the department’s recommendation.