Business & Finance
NSW plans law to lift Mount Pleasant coal output 32%, critics say
The Guardian reports the NSW government will legislate to lift a coal mine's output 32%, which critics say bypasses a High Court ruling.
The short version
- The Guardian reports the NSW government will introduce legislation to lift MACH Energy's Mount Pleasant coal output by 4 million tonnes, to 16.5 million a year until 2032.[The Guardian]
- Premier Chris Minns says the bill is needed to save about 400 jobs at the site before Christmas.[The Guardian]
- The move follows a High Court ruling on 7 October 2026 that found an earlier expansion approval invalid.[The Guardian]
- Critics including NSW Greens spokesperson Sue Higginson say the bill bypasses the court ruling, while MACH Energy welcomed it.[The Guardian]
Key facts
- The NSW government says it will introduce legislation to allow MACH Energy to raise annual coal output at its Mount Pleasant mine by 4 million tonnes, to 16.5 million tonnes per year until 2032.[The Guardian]
- Premier Chris Minns claims the bill is necessary to save about 400 jobs at the site before Christmas.[The Guardian]
- A High Court majority found on 7 October 2026 that an approval for an expansion at the Muswellbrook mine was invalid, because the Independent Planning Commission failed to consider scope 3 emission conditions.[The Guardian]
- MACH Energy is currently permitted to mine up to 12.5 million tonnes per year under a separate modification approved in August.[The Guardian]
- MACH Energy welcomed the announcement, saying it would deliver operational certainty for the Mount Pleasant mine.[The Guardian]
What remains uncertain
- Critics dispute the government's jobs rationale and argue the bill undermines the court ruling and planning process; these claims are disputed, not established.[The Guardian]
- The bill has been announced but not yet introduced, so its final content and passage remain unresolved.[The Guardian]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.