The group’s spokesperson Dr John Drinan said the meeting with the minister was productive and she was supportive of their concerns, but the group remain committed to see more than just dust is tested.

The Upper Hunter Air Quality Monitoring Network is due to be operational by the end of the year, and Minister McKay suggested it was a step in the right direction.

“It is only one of 37 steps that need to be taken,” Dr Drinan said.

“Dust is only one of 37 pollutants that are listed on The National Pollution Inventory for the Singleton area.”

Dr Drinan said there was a huge body of scientific literature that suggests there is an upsurge in respiratory and cardiovascular conditions and cancers in areas where there is coal mining and power stations.

He said the government steadfastly refuses to acknowledge the role of power stations in the air quality equation.

The proposed dust monitoring will include measuring the more visible but least harmful dust particles PM 10s at 14 sites between Muswellbrook and Singleton and the smaller, more harmful PM 2.5s at three sites.

Dr Drinan said even though this was a small victory, his concern was that it would not measure what may be attached to the fine dust (PM2.5’s) that can make its way all the way to the bottom of the lungs.

“The government is not interested in doing any comparative health studies with other areas where there is no coal mining or power stations,” he said.

The Singleton Shire Healthy Environment Group is still wondering when the government will acknowledge that dust is not the only possible reason for the adverse health impacts they believe are experienced in towns like Singleton.

“People are suffering now and we think there is a very good chance it is a result of the air they are breathing,” he said.

“So we need to know everything we are breathing in, it is an urgent health issue.”

The group will be holding another public meeting in Singleton in the near future.