The security of some foods could be put at risk if a proposed NSW gold mine is given the green light, an independent planning panel has heard.
The NSW Independent Planning Commission is holding public hearings into the proposed open cut McPhillamys project, which would be built at Blayney, near Bathurst in the state's Central West.
Supporters of Regis Resources' proposal today said the project would create hundreds of jobs for more than a decade, injecting tens of millions of dollars into the local economy.
But more than half of those who spoke on day two of the hearings said they opposed the mine.
Among them were the Lockwood family, some of the country's biggest honey producers, who operate 12,000 beehives within two kilometres of the proposed site.
Sam Lockwood said the NSW Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) had acknowledged there was a potential risk to their bees, from toxic dust and water.
"If a contaminant was detected, there would have to be a national, if not global, recall of our honey," he said.
"Can you imagine the headlines of a food recall being traced back to a mine site?
"Is the DPE, Regis, and even the IPC, willing to take the risk on a global food recall?"
Mr Lockwood said Goldfields Honey Australia packed 1.3 million bottles of honey per year and exported internationally, as well as running tourism and education ventures.
But he feared it could not withstand the might of the mine.
"[A Regis representative] mentioned the mine had an 80 per cent chance of succeeding; I took from the meeting that we did not stand a chance," he said.
"I will take my 20 per cent chance. We will not be intimidated, we will not be silenced, we will fight for what is right."
More questions than answers
Robert Russ's cattle farm is one kilometre from the proposed mine site.
He said his children were not interested in taking over the family business if the mine went ahead, due to the potential environmental damage.
Mr Russ said even the mining company itself could not be certain as to what that damage could be.
"In the EIS [Environmental Impact statement] it is full of the following words: 'maybe', 'reasonably', 'possibly', 'probably'," he said.
"What does this mean? ... No-one's been able to answer that," Mr Russ told the panel.
He said the vast majority of those who had voiced support during the hearings would financially benefit from the mine's application or future development, or have already.
"I note everyone who has spoken for the mine has had a connection to Regis," he said.
"Everyone else in the local community out there don't get anything out of it."
However some speakers argued the proposal was an economic opportunity for the area.
The Central West is mineral rich and already hosts several coal and gold mines.
Robert Cox, from Bathurst-based Macquarie Geotechnical, said long-term mining projects allowed him to attract and retain young people.
"We're a big advocate for this project because it gives young people jobs in the Central West, they stay in the Central West, they don't need to go to Sydney and they don't need to do fly-in, fly-out jobs."
Split down the middle
Some residents against the proposal warned the local economic benefits were overstated because of an existing skills shortage, which they said could result in workers brought in to fill them and in turn drive up rental prices.
But others dissented, and said the region would miss out on a significant opportunity for economic growth and employment if the mine was not approved.
In an interview with the ABC, Regis Resources' managing director Jim Beyer said he did not think "any job" would be lost.
"We won't be taking jobs from other places, we'll be creating jobs," he said.
Mr Beyer said baseline studies had determined beekeeping businesses would not be affected by the mine.
Regis Resources has cited an independent survey it commissioned, which found 70 per cent of Blayney Shire Council residents supported the project.
"People come to tell you what they don't like, they don't come to tell you what they like," Mr Beyer said.
The hearings resume for a third and final day on Wednesday.
