Ms LEE RHIANNON: I direct my question to the Minister for Mineral Resources. Is the Minister aware that there have been 923 non-compliance incidents under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act over the past five years for eight licensed coalmining operations in the Lithgow region? Is the Minister aware that no prosecutions are recorded on the Environment Protection Authority licence register for any of those incidents of non-compliance, and that there are similar levels of Environment Protection Authority non-compliance in the mining regions near Mudgee and Muswellbrook? Will the Minister consider introducing a levy on mining companies to fund the creation of three new full-time Environment Protection Authority offices in Lithgow, Mudgee and Muswellbrook to undertake monitoring, investigation and prosecution of breaches of Environment Protection Authority licences by coalmining companies?

The Hon. IAN MACDONALD: One thing that must be remembered is that because there might be some instances, it does not necessarily mean—

Ms Lee Rhiannon: Some? There are 923, Minister!

The Hon. IAN MACDONALD: Well, they could be very minor problems. A lot of these issues could be addressed by rectification means other than prosecution. Prosecution is not the only way. I have not heard of any serious breaches of the environmental protection arrangements in the Lithgow area or, indeed, in the Hunter in recent times. Many of these are probably are resolved on site quite amicably between the authorities and the company. I will get the details and give the member a breakdown on the situation. I would think the reputation of New South Wales mining regarding the environment is up there with best practice—absolutely with best practice. Many mines I have visited have in place very high levels of environmental controls.

For instance, I visited Mount Arthur coalmine, which is an Xtrata mine near Muswellbrook. That mine has in place an incredibly strong environmental regime and also occupational health and safety protocols. It has a strong environmental department that not only monitors incidents on site and ensures compliance, but also is proactive in developing mining practices that ensure we will have a high level of environmental outcomes in the future with rehabilitation.

The member's question is one of those nitpicking types of questions at which she is very professional. It is in reply to a statement this morning by her Federal leader, Senator Brown, when he was caught on the hop about a question on closing down the mining industry. Senator Brown was asked, "Well, what are we going to do if we close down the mining industry? What are we going to do in the future about the tens of billions of dollars that are derived from mining, particularly coalmining, in Australia?" He absolutely was caught for words. Then he said, "Oh, well, there are 200,000 jobs in renewable energy and maybe we can be part of that." That is no strategy. The mining industry, particularly the coal sector, cannot just be closed down without having a viable strategy for the future. Unfortunately, the Greens always are hot on rhetoric and short on practical detail. The Greens again are showing prejudice against the mining sector in this State. I will be referring this question to the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union, which gives me good advice all the way through on mining, forestry and other issues.

Ms LEE RHIANNON: I ask a supplementary question. When the Minister visited Mount Arthur was he aware that on many occasions the company at that mine site has broken conditions and been involved in non-compliance incidents because of insufficient water trucks with the resulting dust rising over Muswellbrook. How does the Minister justify that this is best practice for environmental conditions?

The Hon. IAN MACDONALD: To my knowledge I have not had many complaints from the people of Muswellbrook. In fact, whenever I visit there and talk to the good people of the Labor Party branch, and others—in the past, John Jobling—I have received only positive comments about the mining industry, its impact on the town and the long-term future the children have in that area.