VICTORIAN Premier, Daniel Andrews has not ruled out a possible review of the decision handed down by the previous Planning Minister in relation to the Big Hill Enhanced Development Project.
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Mr Andrews, who was at the Stawell Gold Mines site to make a significant funding announcement for the establishment of a particle physics laboratory in the underground mine, said his government would be open to revisiting the application for open cut mining of Big Hill, if that was the course of action being considered by the mine's parent company Crocodile Gold.
The Premier was asked at the gold mine site what his government's position was on open cut mining in Stawell, given that Crocodile Gold and Stawell Gold Mines had announced their intention to look into revisiting an application for the Big Hill project.
He said the matter was by no means a shut case.
"Again each and every application to change, a new mine, or to change the way a mine works, it obviously needs to go through a rigorous planning process," Mr Andrews said.
"In terms of Big Hill, there was a planning process and there was a decision made. The applicant is in a position to, if they choose to, try and address the various concerns that were raised.
"I'm not so much one for running commentaries on planning processes.
"Instead, we will make decisions in the best interests of the local area and we will work through and wait and see if there are things that the proponent wants to put forward to try and deal with some of those concerns. They will be looked at in good faith.
"Every planning applicant has that right. I don't believe that has occurred yet."
Mr Andrews said he definitely would not enter into a public debate on the open cut issue.
"What I won't do is run a planning process by running a public commentary on it," he said.
"Let's look at this carefully and if the proponent can deal with the significant concerns that were raised, then we will look at that carefully. I think that's what the community wants."
Mr Andrews made similar comments during a visit to Stawell just prior to the state election in November.
He said at the time that if elected, his government would consider any review put forward that might challenge the recommendation made by the now former Planning Minister, Matthew Guy in respect of the open cut proposal.
"If they (Crocodile Gold) were to seek a review, then that would be judged on its merits," he said.
"We're not afraid of making decisions. Infact we know we've got to get on and do that. But again we need to probably see a bit more of the information."
Stawell Gold Mines General Manager, Troy Cole said the open cut proposal was still very much in the spotlight.
However, he said the company, which was working through a multitude of issues in the hope of addressing concerns raised within the Environmental Effects Statement which the former Planning Minister had based his decision on, was still a long way off seeking a review.
''We are continuing to work on initiatives that will address all the concerns raised and that will contribute to a position of improved health," Mr Cole said.
Northern Grampians Shire Mayor, Cr Murray Emerson, said his council was determined to ensure that Stawell Gold Mines remained a vital part of the community for many years to come and that the open cut mining of Big Hill could be a significant factor in that.
Speaking both about the open cut proposal and the funding announcement for the particle physics laboratory at the underground mine site, Cr Emerson agreed with the Premier that the focus was all about securing jobs for Stawell.
He said Stawell Gold Mines once employed more than 340 personnel and this number was now down to around 140.
Cr Emerson said a project such as the particle physics laboratory would go a long way to boosting this employment number up again at the mine site.
He also said he hoped mining would continue to be an important industry for Stawell well into the future
"We're hopeful that in some way, the mining operation in Stawell will continue," Cr Emerson said.
"Whether it be open cut, or underground, we believe and hope that it will continue."
Cr Emerson said jobs were the key to any project that is being proposed at the Stawell Gold Mines site
"The Centre of Excellence for Particle Physics has a 10 year plan and they say to us within that 10 year plan, there will be well in excess of 200 jobs there," he said.
Cr Emerson said in relation to the jobs that will be created on site at Stawell Gold Mines, it was too early to speculate whether or not they would be 'replacement' jobs for those who are no longer working at the mine dur to it being in the transition phase.
"I really don't think we've looked that far ahead yet," he said
"We're hoping that the mining company does continue here in some way, whether it is the open cut or whether it's the underground mine, we're pretty confident that the mine will go on."
Cr Emerson said the mining operation and the particle physics laboratory research could definitely co-exist, providing a further boost to Stawell and its economy.
"From what we understand from the particle physics people at the Melbourne University, because the laboratory is a kilometre underground, the mining company are getting their resources from about 400 metres underground at the minute and it won't affect it in any way. Infact it will be beneficial if they're both here."