Geoff Helisma, Clarence Valley Independent

Tenterfield Shire Council (TSC) voted unanimously at its June meeting that it “does not support” Clarence Valley Council’s (CVC) decision “to oppose mining in the Clarence River catchment”.

The Tenterfield council was responding to CVC’s correspondence, which was sent to “adjoining councils that have responsibility for areas draining into the Clarence River catchment, requesting that they support council’s stand and … oppose mining in areas affecting the Clarence River catchment”.

The valley’s councillors decided to make that request at the April 27 CVC meeting, in addition to the original five-point resolution to oppose mining, carried in November 2020.

Tenterfield’s mayor, Peter Petty, did not attend the June TSC meeting, however, he said he “would have voted the same” as his fellow councillors, “no problems at all”.“The view of our council,” he said, “is that we were supportive and understanding of CVC’s request, [however], more than a third of our shire is Clarence River catchment, and that’s what’s concerned our council.

“In our local environment plan (LEP), we are supportive of extractive industries and of mining, because they have to go through all of the hoops to do with the environmental protection people.

“That’s basically where it’s at; the council weren’t of the view that they were supportive of CVC’s request.”

Meanwhile, Glenn Innes and Bellingen councils have pledged their support for CVC’s stance.

This article appeared in the Clarence Valley Independent, 4 August 2021.