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Labor can, and should, go to the election promising no new thermal coal mines

A proudly stated, clearly defined 'No New Coal Mine' policy is absolutely within the grasp of Labor ahead of the next election.

A proudly stated, clearly defined 'No New Coal Mine' policy is absolutely within the grasp of Labor ahead of the next election. Photo: TND/AAP

It’s been less than three years since the Albanese government’s landmark Climate Change Act became law and launched a record 68 renewable energy projects.

But the government’s continual approvals of fossil fuel projects will likely lead many climate-conscious voters to look elsewhere at this year’s election. 

Despite this, a misjudged humble-brag from Environment Minister Tanya Pliberseck arguing that Labor had approved zero new coal mines could in fact offer a hint of a policy that could shift that equation.

In the last week before Christmas, Plibersek approved four new coal mine extensions. Cumulatively, this meant the government had approved seven coal mines in less than 90 days.

One of these mines now has the green light to clear a tract of koala habitat 500 times the size of the Gabba, while another plans to kick off a project that could become one of the biggest greenhouse gas emitting mines in Australia.

This was one of those disappointing Christmas presents that everyone expects, but is still upsetting to receive. Each of these projects had already made their way through an extensive state-based assessment process, overseen by Labor governments in NSW and Queensland.

No one was expecting their federal colleagues to offer much push-back. Especially as they had already refused to even consider the climate impacts of these mines as part of their final approvals.

However, in particularly bad form, Plibersek had the gall to gaslight anyone who was watching.

Minutes after approving the mines, her team posted an image to X bragging that the Albanese Government was about to finish the year having approved “zero new coal mines in 2024.”

Where else but Australia could a government gaslight its population about approving coal mines?

The approvals made international news and in their response to intense criticism a Labor spokesperson argued that these approvals are not “new mines” but “extensions of existing operations” that are “essential for producing steel for things such as homes, bridges and solar panels”.

They also doubled down stating that “Labor has approved zero new coal mines this year”.

Technically speaking they’re not wrong. But Labor is clearly choosing form over substance in this semantic exercise in public deception.

The four mines approved in December, including Boggabri, Caval Ridge, Lake Vermont Meadowbrook and Vulcan South, are all aiming to dig up “primarily” metallurgical coal that will be used to make steel. But they’ll certainly find and sell plenty of thermal coal to burn as energy as well.

While Vulcan South and Lake Vermont are genuinely planning to dig up massive new holes in the ground, they’re both technically categorised as extensions or expansions of existing mining sites.

This is a clear trend in the industry. As the regulatory spotlight has glared more brightly on new projects, there is a preference to expand mining existing sites, often years in advance of any licensing deadlines.

According to the NSW Net Zero Commission, there are 33 planning applications for existing coal operations in NSW alone, with 22 of these potentially impacting the state’s future emission targets.

In Queensland, there could be as many as 23 similarly planned coal mining applications.

Every one of these coal mining approvals should be a major headache for whoever wins the next federal election. But only about nine are likely to be what Plibersek would call a “new mine”.

Many of those proposals, such as the Dawson West, Moorlands, Walton and New Lenton coal mines, have either been withdrawn or are sitting idle in the planning system – long enough now that they may not make it through.

This could leave only a handful of sure-fire “new mines” that would test the government on their 2024 resolution.

First on that list is Whitehaven’s Winchester South coal mine.

This brand spanking new mine is proposing to dig up 17 million tonnes of “primarily” metallurgical coal each year until well past 2050. It was given the green light by Queensland in February last year, but has faced a fierce legal fight from conservationists since.

Then the federal government would have to consider mining proposals like BHP’s 11 million-tonne-a-year Saraji East coal mine, and Baralaba South – which local farmers have objected to for more than a decade.

Both of these proposals seek to keep mining right up to 2050, or beyond.

What is also true is that Labor sits on the precipice of a unique moment in Australia’s 200-year history of coal.

With only a handful of potential “new mines” with clear environmental and community concerns, its one-time social-media faux pas could become a relatively simple, yet historic climate policy for an embattled government ahead of a critical election.

A proudly stated, clearly defined ‘No New Coal Mine’ policy is absolutely within the grasp of reality for both Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen and Plibersek ahead of this election.

It could be a symbolic yet historical line in the sand for a Labor government to draw if it wants to seriously fight back against Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s denialism.

It would also lay the groundwork for a historic opportunity in 2026, when the world’s attention would be on Australia if it followed through on its bid to host the UN climate negotiations.

Already there have been moves by the UK, Canada and Colombian governments to block new thermal coal mines. But there remains no coherent international movement that could reinforce these early movers.

As one of the world’s biggest coal miners, Australia could not only join forces, but become the clear leader of a global push – not to end coal – but to end new coal.

It might sound like a pipe dream, or a technicality, but with the potential that Indonesia’s coal production may soon surpass demand – and China’s promise to peak coal consumption by 2026 – just around the corner, Australia’s domestic and international leadership on limiting new coal mines could in fact spur a critical global shift.

This would not be the end of coal by any means, and a future Labor party will still have dozens of coal mine extensions and expansions that could push the Safeguard mechanism and the public’s trust to its limits. But it’s the bare minimum the government could and should take to the election.

If successful, it could be the true beginning of the transition away from coal.

Then, 18 months later, this transition away from new coal mining could be Bowen’s legacy at COP31 –  if the government only came out and owned it.

Chris Wright is climate strategy adviser at global energy think tank, Ember and founder of Climate Tracker, a non-profit climate information network

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