NSW: Union welcomes new coal-loading terminal at Newcastle

AAP General News (Australia)
04-14-2007
NSW: Union welcomes new coal-loading terminal at Newcastle

The mining union has welcomed the approval of plans to build a new coal-loading terminal
at Newcastle .. but says it has come too late to save 79 sacked mine workers.

The Chinese government-owned Austar underground mine near Cessnock .. in the Hunter
Valley .. will axe 56 permanent jobs and another 23 contractor positions from late June.

The company says clogged port facilities at Newcastle have forced it to scale back
its coal export production.

The decision was explained to workers at a meeting yesterday .. the same day the New
South Wales government approved plans by a consortium of coalminers to build a new 922
million dollar terminal at the port.

A 78 dollar million expansion of the existing Kooragang terminal was also approved.

The new terminal will boost exports by one billion and generate up to five thousand
jobs .. but it will not be loading any coal until the second half of 2009.

AAP RTV kd/wz

KEYWORD: COAL (SYDNEY)

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