Reply to letter of concern about our coal is as expected

Concerns about Victoria’s plans to exploit the state’s massive coal resources and its implications for climate change drew an expected response.

A note of concern to Victorian Premier, Mr Ted Baillieu, on March 30 this year (2012) was referred to the state’s Minister for Energy and Resources, Mr Michael O’Brien, and in that turn generated, again the expected response.

The Departmental Liaison Officer from the Minister’s office, Lee Evans, wrote:

Dear Mr McLean

 Coal Fire Power Stations

Victoria's Minister for
Energy and Resources,
Michael O'Brien.

Thank you for your correspondence of 30 march 2012 to the Hon. Ted Baillieu MLA, Premier of Victoria, regarding the above matter. You query has been referred to the Hon. Michael O’Brien MP in his capacity as Minister for Energy and Resources.

The Minister is currently receiving advice from the Department of Primary Industries on the issues raised in you correspondence. A reply will be sent once the advice is received and considered.

Yours sincerely.

It is intriguing that the decision to exploit our coal fields could be made without first considering all the implications, including what the Department of Primary Industries thought.

To be fair, what has been discussed so far, publically at least, appears to be a Federal Government initiative, but surely such sweeping decisions with huge environmental consequences are not made in isolation and unquestionably the State would have been implicated.

I await with interest Mr O'Brien's response.

Melbourne’s daily newspaper, The Age, reported on Latrobe Valley plan in a story headed: Pilbara Plan for Victoria.

- Robert McLean