Police have charged a second man over an alleged arson at a two-storey home on Ullapool Road in Mount Pleasant. The 43-year-old was arrested in Willetton on Saturday, October 24, and charged with criminal damage by fire. Police also laid drug and unlawful weapon possession charges after a search of the residence. He is the second person charged over the alleged blaze, after Matthew Manfredi-Tarpey was arrested hours after the fire on Wednesday. Red graffiti on the driveway read: pay your debt dog.
NSW Parliament has passed laws creating the Future Jobs and Investment Authority to support coal-producing regions, including the Hunter, Central West and North West. The work is backed by $29.7 million in ongoing funding and more than $170 million under a new fund. Local Divisions in each region will include workers, industry, councils and community representatives. The government has also secured 400 jobs at the Mount Pleasant coal mine, with MACH Energy agreeing to a Jobs Guarantee until 2032. New rules will require mine operators to give notice of closures and plan support for workers.
The NSW Labor government will introduce a law to let MACH Energy expand output at its Mount Pleasant coal mine in the Upper Hunter. The move responds to a High Court ruling that invalidated the expansion approval, finding the NSW Independent Planning Commission failed to consider regional pollution and downstream emissions. Premier Chris Minns says the law would guarantee 400 direct jobs until 2032. Environmental group DAMSHEG and Greens MLC Sue Higginson have criticised the move, while the Minerals Council welcomed it. Retired judge Anthony Whealy has called for an independent review.
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A multimillion-dollar home in Mount Pleasant, Perth, was engulfed in flames overnight. Police are investigating the blaze as a possible arson attack. The words pay your debt dog were graffitied on the driveway. Fire crews attended about 3.20am on Wednesday and took around an hour to put out the fire, which caused part of the roof to collapse. No one was injured. Later in the day, a 25-year-old man was arrested and charged with criminal damage by fire.
A multimillion-dollar house in Mount Pleasant, in Perth's south, has been destroyed by a fire that police describe as suspicious. The blaze broke out on Ullapool Road at about 3.10am on Wednesday. Nine firefighting crews stopped it spreading to nearby homes. Fire authorities said the top floor and about half the bottom floor were destroyed. Graffiti reading "Pay your debt dog" was sprayed on the driveway. Police say the cause is undetermined, and no one was injured. Anyone with information, CCTV or vision of the fire is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
NSW Premier Chris Minns has announced laws to let the Mount Pleasant coalmine in the Hunter Valley keep operating at expanded rates, despite a recent High Court ruling against its approval. Retired Supreme Court judge Anthony Whealy said the move obliterated the legal process and called for an independent review. The government says the laws will protect 400 jobs while court proceedings continue. Greens MP Cate Faehrmann accused the government of state capture. The planning department is also investigating the mine over alleged breaches of its coal production limits.
The High Court has overturned the expansion of the Mount Pleasant coal mine in New South Wales. The expansion had been approved in 2022, extending the mine's life.
The NSW government will introduce legislation allowing MACH Energy to raise annual coal output at its Mount Pleasant mine near Muswellbrook by 4 million tonnes, to 16.5 million tonnes, until 2032. Premier Chris Minns said the bill was needed to protect 400 jobs before Christmas. The move follows a high court ruling that the approval of an expansion at the mine was invalid. Environmental groups and a lawyer who acted in the case criticised the plan, saying it bypasses the planning process and the court's decision.
The NSW Government will introduce legislation to protect around 400 jobs at MACH Energy's Mount Pleasant coal mine near Muswellbrook. The move follows a High Court decision that created legal uncertainty for the mine's operations. MACH Energy has agreed to a job guarantee, committing to keep its current permanent workforce until 2032. The proposed law would allow annual production of up to 16.5 million tonnes until 2032 and require existing staffing levels to be maintained. Premier Chris Minns said the intervention protects regional workers and their families before Christmas.
Climate activists have condemned a New South Wales government move to protect jobs at the Mount Pleasant coal mine in the Hunter region, calling it dangerous political interference. The High Court had backed a challenge by community environmentalists, upholding a finding that planning bodies must weigh the climate effects of downstream emissions. Premier Chris Minns said the one-off intervention was needed to avoid production cuts and protect at least 400 jobs, adding that he had agonised over the choice. Lock the Gate and Greens MP Sue Higginson argued the legislation would allow significant unassessed climate pollution.
Troppo Markets has moved to Caneland Central in Mackay, where its first market lifted overall foot traffic by 20 per cent. The monthly market runs on the second Sunday of each month from 7.30am to 11.30am, with a gold coin entry donation. Several food outlets, including Laffo's, Muffin Break and Jamaica Blue, will open slightly earlier to serve market shoppers. Centre manager Mark Farquhar said management will monitor traffic, parking and pedestrian access during the first few markets. The centre's owner, Sentinel Property Group, says the event will help draw visitors and strengthen ties with the local community.
Councils across South Australia will share $5 million in funding for 16 cycling infrastructure projects. Grants of up to $200,000 come through the latest round of the State Bicycle Fund. Projects include new shared-use paths, safer crossings and a further three kilometres of the Amy Gillett Bikeway between Birdwood and Mount Pleasant. The works are scheduled for delivery this financial year. The announcement sits alongside larger projects, including the $15.4 billion Torrens to Darlington Project.
The High Court of Australia has ruled that NSW planning authorities must consider overseas emissions when approving coalmine expansions. The decision came after a community group from the Hunter Valley challenged the extension of the Mount Pleasant open-cut thermal coal mine. The court dismissed the mining company's appeal, marking the first time the High Court has considered a case on climate grounds. Environmental Justice Australia hopes this will influence future coal project developments.
Australia’s High Court has ruled that planning authorities must assess the full carbon footprint of fossil fuel projects, including emissions from burning coal overseas. The decision, in a case brought by a community group against MACH Energy’s Mount Pleasant coal mine in NSW, sets a new standard for coal and gas projects in the state and potentially across the country. The ruling means developers of future coal projects in NSW will be expected to propose ways to curb their scope 3 emissions, which could reshape the economic case for continued fossil fuel production in Australia.
The High Court of Australia ruled on October 7 that the New South Wales Independent Planning Commission must consider the climate impact of exporting fossil fuels. It upheld a NSW Court of Appeal decision that invalidated the expansion approval of MACH Energy’s open-cut thermal coal mine at Mount Pleasant. The High Court found the commission had not considered how pollution from the coal would affect the region. The ruling means the mine’s expansion approval to 2048 is invalid, though it can operate until 2032. Climate activists view the decision as a landmark judgement.
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The high court has overturned a coalmine expansion approval in the Hunter Valley, a decision that could impact other coal developments in New South Wales. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has expressed support for existing coal industries, contrasting with his statements at a climate conference in Fiji. The conference highlighted the severe climate threats facing Pacific nations like Tuvalu, which is experiencing rapid sea level rise and land erosion. Albanese called for more international investment in the Pacific Resilience Facility to help the region cope with climate change impacts.
Australia’s highest court has ruled that the approval of a coalmine expansion in NSW was invalid, setting a precedent for fossil fuel projects. The court found the state’s Independent Planning Commission failed to consider imposing conditions to minimise greenhouse gas emissions generated by the mine when the coal is sold and burnt overseas. NSW Greens MP Sue Higginson said the judgment could lead to legal challenges for other coalmine approvals, including the Hunter Valley Operations extension.
The High Court has blocked the expansion of the Mount Pleasant coal mine in NSW, ruling that project approvals must account for broad environmental impacts. The decision follows a years-long community campaign and is the first of its kind in Australia. Environmental campaigners have welcomed the ruling, calling it a victory for all Australians and urging the government to move away from fossil fuels. MACH Energy, which sought to extend the mine's life, has accepted the court's decision.
