General News
7 August, 2026
New Hope open to Acland extension
New Hope Group says it is open to extending its mining operation at Acland beyond 2035.
Currently, New Hope Group’s New Acland Stage 3 project is set to wind down in 2035, but Chief Executive Officer Rob Bishop says with plenty of coal in the area, the company was open to continuing its mining operations beyond that date.
“Our immediate focus is the continuation of the ramp up of our current approval,” he said.
“But certainly, you look at a company like ours and the contribution to the local community in the last two years of over $110 million to 600 local suppliers it makes sense for that to continue.
“If we’re in a position where we get support for an extension, it’s certainly something we’ll look at.
“There’s plenty of shallow coal here, high quality coal here.
“As a responsible operator, it certainly makes sense to consider that opportunity.”
Mr Bishop’s statement came after a visit by National Party leader Senator Matt Canavan and Federal Member for Groom Garth Hamilton last week who enthusiastically espoused the benefit of mining and drilling for the Australian economy.
“If the Prime Minister can now back opening a possible third oil refinery in Australia, he should also back our Queensland coal. His announcement this week effectively means Labor has scrapped its net zero plans,” Senator Canavan said.
“We need all of our energy horses running to get our economy firing again and to save and create jobs and prosperity here in Queensland.
“A future Coalition government will put an end to the business-destroying carbon tax and we will use all of our energy resources, not just Labor’s ideologically-approved ones.
“That’s why the Coalition will axe Labor’s carbon taxes, scrap net zero, extend fuel security support, lift fuel stocks to 60 days, unlock more Australian oil and gas, and fast-track nationally significant projects including the Taroom Trough.”
Member for Groom Garth Hamilton said he wanted to see New Acland Mine operating for as long as possible.
“As the Member for Groom, I have always supported our resources industry and the need for coal in our region,” Mr Hamilton said.
“I want good jobs and good pay for the people of Groom and the coal industry provides that.
“I’m here to protect coal jobs, not transition them.”
The news that New Hope Group was open to expansion beyond 2035 was met with anger by the Oakey Coal Action Alliance (OCAA), who warn that if left unchecked, mining activity will soon be within sight of the town.
“New Hope have always planned to extend the operation to whatever limits they can go to,” OCAA Secretary Paul King said.
“We always believe the only thing slowing them down is regulation.
“We are as opposed to mining good farmland as we ever were, and will oppose any extension.
“New Acland have always had long term plans to continue to mine in that district.
“Given the choice, they would dig up the whole town of Oakey like they did with Acland.”
OCAA President dairy farmer David Vonhoff says extending coal mining in Acland sends the wrong message on climate change at a time when global temperatures are rising.
“When we moved out to Brymaroo, you’d take milk to the pens, and there would heavy frosts on the ground, 30 or 40 of them every winter,” Mr Vonhoff said.
“This year, we’ve only had 3 frosts you can see.
“These comments bring back all of our concerns in the past and how we were dealt with.
“My biggest concern is - do any of these people think about the future of the climate?”
“The weather is changing.
“I’m 71, I’ve been feeding calves since about five years old and milking herds of dairy cows.
“I can see the difference.
“We only contribute about 1% of the emissions concerned, you add up all the one-percents and it adds up to 40%.
“You look at the weather now, the driest and hottest in Europe’s recorded history.
“Europe is getting Australian weather.”
The tension between the benefits of mining to the local economy (New Acland currently employs 350 people who all live in the Toowoomba region) and the Government’s commitment to reaching net zero emissions by 2050 played out in the debate over Stage 3’s approval and will do so again should any approval be sought for an extension.
Data from NASA shows that the global temperature has increased by 1.19ºC from the baseline average temperature between 1951 and 1980. The world’s current warming cycle is caused primarily by the ‘greenhouse’ effect, where gases trap the sun’s rays in our atmosphere.
Scientists have shown that this natural greenhouse effect is being accelerated by man-made gas emissions, from products like coal and gas, which are accumulating in the Earth’s atmosphere.
About 90% of this mass of excess heat from planetary warming over the past century has been absorbed by the ocean, causing ocean temperatures to rise.
In addition to storing heat drawn from the warming atmosphere, water also expands as it heats up which has resulted in rising sea levels. This effect, along with the melting of the polar ice caps have seen the global average sea level rise about 8–9 inches since 1880.
Currently, China is responsible for around 31 per cent of global emissions, but has set a target of net zero emissions by 2060, and is now the world’s largest producer of electric cars.
