NSW government accused of 'cynical' water licence scheme for mines under drinking catchment

The NSW government has been accused of a "cynical" attempt to retrospectively offer water licences to coal mines under Sydney and Illawarra drinking catchment.

On Thursday, March 2, a day before the caretaker period commenced for the election campaign, the government gazetted a new water allocation trade rule for the existing mines.

The changes for the Woronora and Metropolitan Special Areas of the Sydney drinking water catchment give direction "enabling those companies to account for their incidental surface water take".

A note from Water Minister Kevin Anderson explains the rationale for the change.

Read More: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-10/coal-mine-water-licence-under-sydney-drinking-catchment/102079598