Maxwell Underground Mine (MOD 1) - Surface facilities

WesTrac support this proposal.

Denman Sandy Hollow Junior Rugby League Football Club supports the Maxwell Underground Project.
Malabar have been a major sponsor of the Denman Sandy Hollow Junior Rugby League club for the past 10 years, in this time they have helped us provide the cheapest registration to all our players and families and keeping them in all the clothing they need for training and game day. They also help provide equipment for training and playing.
Malabar have been a great help during the tough covid 19 period by providing each child with their on personal water bottle to ensure no spread of disease.
Malabar Coal and other companies from the local coal mining industry in general have played a big part in the growth of Denman Sandy Hollow Junior Rugby League Club in recent years. We receive great financial support from the local coal mines and their supporting industry’s.
Malabar Coal have already demonstrated how they are committed to supporting the local community, they have been our Major Sponsor for the past nine years and they have also supported many other community groups in the Denman District and their support to the community will increase much more if the Maxwell Underground Project is approved.
The Maxwell Project will create 350 new jobs for our region. Mining and mining related jobs provide a massive boost to the local economy which has a flow on affect to all local businesses.
Denman Sandy Hollow Junior Rugby League benefit from the large number of people with young families who come to work in mining and their supporting industries, especially those that live in or move to the Denman area, we already have many parents and volunteers who have children in our club who work in the mining industry.
We also have fantastic new fields and amenities at Denman that have been almost entirely funded from the mining industry.
Malabar has also promised to provide training for local people, so the skills to operate an underground mine can be developed within the local area. They have also said they want to prioritize hiring locals to ensure that the benefits of the project stay here in the community.
The Denman Sandy Hollow Junior rugby league club would not be able to operate without the wonderful support we receive from Malabar Coal.

Good afternoon Commissioners,
I would like to start by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which I stand on today, the Wonnarua people, and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging.
Yuwin-Dhu
Ngadhu banhi-gu gulbarra mayiny-galang ngan.gu ngurambang-ga nginha ngan.girr dhurinya gayi. Yindyamarra-dhu Mudyigaang- galang maradhal, nginha-bu giyira. Mandaang guwu wudhaharbinya-gu.
My name is Mark Bowditch and I am a proud Wiradjuri and Wonnarua man. I was Previously a Director of Dirragarra Contracting. Dirragarra Contracting is a local and indigenous owned company that carries out specialist labour works for various companies in and around the Hunter Valley.
The word ‘Dirragarra’ means to dig deep emotionally from the heart in Wiradjuri language. I believe this represents everyone single person that works for Dirragarra. At Dirragarra we strive to create a business that will boost and support the local indigenous population in the Muswellbrook area and surrounds.
I am now the Co-ordinator of a young Hunter Aboriginal trainee team in the valley and with Malabar we have the opportunity to teach on country, Malabar are supportive of our program, they understand that young first nations people need a hand up, not a hand out, with out their support this would not happen.
I’m here today to support the Maxwell Underground Project and talk about our relationship with Malabar and in particular how they are working with local First nations companies and giving back to country.
My personal experience with Malabar
I’ve been working with Malabar for the last three years and during this time I have seen first-hand their commitment to their people and safety, to the protection of the environment and first nations peoples culture and their ability to listen to and adapt to the views of the community.
Malabar are an open-minded company and they have shown this time and time again.
The work we have done for Malabar has provided our employees with a diverse range of skills from fencing, mine rehabilitation, land management and general labour hire. We wouldn’t exist or have the opportunities that we do, without the support of companies like Malabar.
The most important aspect for me is first nations people employment and supporting the local indigenous community. first nations people living in Muswellbrook Shire comprise 5.2% of the total population.
We have been able to provide young first nations people with employment opportunities because of the support from Malabar. Malabar allows us to bring them to site and teach them the importance of working side by side with a mining company.
Malabar give our trainees and employees access to country to teach our people about the native plants and bush tucker around the site, this is significant to our people as it also has some significant sites so we can teach how to identify artefact's and plant species, without their support this could not happen and we will lose this access.
Malabar have also given us the opportunity to be involved in community projects like building a yarning circle at a local school. It is great to be part of building something that gives back to country and promotes the first nations peoples culture. That’s why I like working side by side with Malabar.
I think it is great that Malabar have been working on rehabilitating the old Drayton mine site and improving the quality of rehabilitation. This shows their commitment to country and wanting the best outcome for the community. with Malabar rehabilitating this land they are protecting our environment by using the water from there voids and protecting the riparian zones around the creeks and rivers. this enables Malabar to survive with out pumping water from the river systems, this allows the aquatic habitat animals to survive in tough times, it also protects our riffle's and sand banks which reinforce the banks from eroding and helps keep the water clean. Malabar are also working with the community and first nations people with ways to minimise the impacts to the wildlife during the development of the project. The work Malabar are doing at Drayton will provide a better rehabilitation outcome for the area and deliver a far more visually appealing final landform.


Support for the Project and the Mine Entry Modification
I support the Maxwell Underground Project because I can see that it will have minimal impact on the environment. I believe the underground mining method ticks a lot of boxes from the environment and community perspective.
I also support the Maxwell Underground Project because it will generate approximately 250 jobs during construction and 350 jobs during operations. These operational jobs would deliver $55 million in wages each year into the local economy and provide opportunities and a pathway for indigenous employment.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I understand that the Department’s Assessment Report confirms that this project is approvable subject to the recommended conditions of consent. I absolutely support this position.
I believe the Maxwell Underground Project makes sense and it is what the community needs and wants.
Thank you for your time today.

I support the proposed modification to the Development Consent SSDD 9526 as I believe it will reduce impacts during construction stage, reduce environmental risks and financially benefit the local community and local indigenous community.

I support Maxwell infrastructures mine modifications. Theses proposed modifications will both minimize impact to existing established rehabilitated areas, alongside increasing efficiency in construction. Modifications furthermore benefit a long-term goal by creating a safer more functional workplace and space. The removal of the 90 degree bend, the utilisation of the existing hall roads to create less environmental impact.

All these motions in my eyes increase efficiency and lessen the environmental impact.

Over the past 3 years we have leased rehabilitated mine country . During the course of the lease Maxwell has always been very conscious and pro active when it comes to rehabilitated sites on mine. The rehab being used to its full potential not only in grazing but in resting paddocks to ensure it is a viable venture for both parties. They strive for new ways to generate increase in production and maximise rehab country with least environmental impact.

They are a passionate pro active group of people dedicated to ensuring a positive future for mining.

My name is Atsuko Radcliffe, running a small business Small Forest Pty Ltd on the property of Merton Vineyard in Denman.
The Merton Vineyard is owned and operated by Spur Hill Agricultural which is owned by Malabar.

I have a contract in between Spur Hill Agriculture since the end of 2013, buying fruits from the Merton Vineyard and renting out buildings for winemaking, sales as well as a residence.

I am not a mining specialist, but I’d like to explain things what I’ve been experiencing and working with Spur Hill Agricultural.

Since they took over this vineyard as well as purchased this area, they are fully committed to the area, also making sure existing businesses in this area to be thrive and to be co-exist.

They assessed whole property including grape varieties, equipment, and building. There were many changes and investment which improved this property as highly recognised vineyard. Also, I could not start my small business without their understanding and support.

About this property, they reviewed whole site what was left on the property.
For the vineyard, viticulture consultant and myself as a winemaker, making sure the vineyard to be better and fruit would be in demand, even we made big decision to change variety which is working very good now.

For the buildings and winery also reviewed and assessed with the engineer, making sure complying all requirement and safety measurement, there were more than few changes and invests.

Those many changes were for our safety, efficiency for work and productivity and very important to start of business and for the future.

They are aware of their responsibility and committed to businesses, communities, and people in this area.

I can see their minor changes are absolutely necessity for their project to be successful in many directions, which will benefit our community in the future.

It is also important to me that their project will not use water from the Hunter River for the mine. Malabar will often share their water licences from their agricultural properties with other local farmers and other industries which is important as we are still in drought. We can not live without water.

I have no hesitation to support their application.

Please see attached letter of support.

To whom it may concern,
I would personally like to offer my support of Malabar Coal’s proposed minor
modifications to Development Consent SSD 9526 for the Maxwell UG Project.
I believe the safety and environmental benefits of the proposed modifications to the Development Consent are
significant and will better utilise site infrastructure and facilities and lessen impact on existing rehabilitation works.
The reduced infrastructure and civil works will lessen any impacts during the construction stage and provide
significant savings to setup costs. This in turn will help ensure the ongoing viability of the project and have flow on
financial benefits to local businesses and the community as a whole.
The minor changes are within the approved Development Application area and represent significant benefits
including reduced environmental risks relating to water management on site, reducing the extent of conveyor/coal
handling infrastructure required, utilising existing sections of mine haul roads, and safer vehicle/machinery access
around the mining portal area.
I have found Malabar to be a generous supporter of local community support initiatives and indigenous community
programs including participating in the Second Chance for Change indigenous inmate employment and training
program and the Malabar Community Dinner

Please see attached submission