I noticed a story in the Age yesterday concerning an ANU study on GP's, their consultations have fallen 6.6% in 10 years. What should we do about their productivity?

At last someone is calling for the protection of the Australian environment from mining operations! In NSW eleven major river systems have been permanently damaged from mining, causing water loss, cracking of the river beds, and pollution. Remediation has either not been attempted, or is not very successful at best. Three major creeks have dried up completely. Can we afford to go on damaging our water resources in a time of increased drought? Yet the cash-strapped NSW Labor Government and the mining companies are falling over themselves to develop more mines in order to exploit rising demand and prices. The Labor cabinet will not step in to protect our rivers and the Liberals are no better. Only the Greens have taken a stand on the issue - more power to them. The rivers are mostly out of sight, out of mind, in the country - but plans to crack the upper Nepean and its tributaries are attracting more interest. People will care as they learn more about this devastation, but it may be too late.

In the Southern Coalfield most of the streams damaged by underground coal mining occur just outside the specially protected southern water supply catchment. Protection of tour water supply catchment is essential to survival of Sydney and Wollongong. In 2001 some damage due to underground coal mining was discovered on Native Dog Creek and Wongawilli Creek due to public access to the catchment obtained during a commission of inquiry into a new mine. More intensive coal mining has occurred since but the damage is unknown but potentially very serious.

Meanwhile, in the Western Coalfield coal miners have so far successfully opposed new conservation reserves in the Gardens of Stone Area which includes Newnes Plateau, despite the fact that underground coal mining would continue to be permitted. This proposal, offered as a compromise by conservationists, was viciously attacked by the coal industry on the basis that there would be an unacceptable burden of controls. Such an arrogant stance serves no good purpose and is the political equivalent of dog "pissing on a post" . Yes, the industry has political clout, but no talent or foresight when it comes using it.

The coal mining industry is where the logging industry was in the 1970s, wanting to continue business as usual but facing ever increasing community opposition. The industry believes it can use its significant economic power to overcome imperatives such as water conservation and global warming. If the coal industry wins such a fight, by whatever method, society will decline as it faces environmental forces beyond its capacity to control.

"Mining companies operate under a social licence. Governments allow them to operate provided they do so in ways that deliver a net benefit to the public."

Strange world you must live in where the government gives "permission" to everyone to go about their lives. I can only hope that the government one day bans your livelihood so you know what fascism feels like.

"afayette claims it was sabotage. But that's not the first time the company has cried foul. Previous spills at the mine were blamed on unidentified people"

No reasonable person would be at all surprised if one of your fellow travellers at Greenpeace or the WWF was responsible for all 3 spills. That's the kind of lunacy the anti-corporate left is famous for nowadays.

It's people like Shanta who bring down Howard's wrath on NGO's. Why not stick to helping the poor like you are supposed to, and leave business to those who've seen the world outside a university socialist club?

Yobbo,
Your name and your comments reveals much about your mentality. Not all enlightened citizens are uni.socialists and I suspect you know zilch about the technology, toxic emissions, regulations and operations of a heavy mining industry. I can assure you that the Australian regulations favour the mining industry. Perusing several reports of excessive emissions over mining communities where citizens amenities and air quality have been heavily contaminated, reveals that these uncontrolled, unregulated air pollution breaches happen mainly during late evening (odd that!)when the majority of the unsuspecting community is asleep and unaware of the dangerous chemicals pervading their homes,(when windows are left opened for "fresh air") which contaminates their pets, crops, water tanks and gardens. Further investigation tells me that there is no limit on most of these lethal emissions, therefore one is constantly assured by regulators that the offender "has not breached their licence". Governments of course favour the self-regulation -it's a good way of "recycling" their waste oil too as a fuel, with uncontrolled stack emissions, which have the potential to contain the most dangerous chemicals known to man. The threats and hoo ha from prominent mining personel regarding "green tape" is simply a concerted effort to exploit the masses - you being one of them, and to ensure the status quo. Limits on emissions would see fewer complaints against pollutant mining companies but then the profits would be fewer. No jobs, no food, no luxuries - oh dearie me! Never mind that will happen anyway when planet Earth finally succumbs to the immoral and unethical abuses from uncontrolled exploitation!