Farmers and health professionals from the Mudgee Rylstone region gathered outside the Supreme Court in Macquarie Street on Monday 22 July 2024 to attend the hearing of their appeal against Bowden’s lead, silver and zinc mine at Lue.
Three Sydney Nannas met with Jayne and Peter Bentivoglio, Bron Wannan and other members of the Mudgee Regional Health Alliance in the square outside the court. They told us about the 12 years of frustrating work that has brought them to a Supreme Court challenge.
Jayne, whose 
olive farm is close to the proposed mine, explained that action groups in the region are working together on two fronts at the moment: the supreme court challenge and a complaint to ASIC that the company has engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct in their advocacy for the mine.
The community campaign is largely driven by the severe threats of lead mining to community health, especially to children. Exposure to lead causes life-long effects on children’s cognitive function and intelligence. For adults the impacts are likely to include cognitive impairment, kidney and heart disease.
The other main impacts of a lead and silver mine in the region would include damage to water resources, closure of food-producing farms due to lead dust, and damage to tourism. The open cut mine would also threaten the local koala population.
If the Mudgee farmers win in the Supreme Court the result will be that the mining company will have to submit a new Environmental Impact Statement. The outcome of the appeal will not be known for about two months.
Nannas helped hand out leaflets to people crossing the square on their way to work, and we found a lot of people who knew what a great region Mudgee is, but not about the proposed lead mine.
Two things we can do today to help stop this mine:
– Email the federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek asking her not to approve the mine’s licence application. Contact form here.
– Read more about the campaign at the Mudgee Region Action Group
Further references:
– Bingman Catchment Landcare Group Incorporated v BOWDENS SILVER PTY LIMITED Land and Environment Court Judgment
– Appeal in Supreme Court – case: 2024/134222 Bingman v Bowdens