Centennial Coal

Centennial Coal is a New South Wales (NSW)-based coal mining company. It supplies coal both to local power stations and for export from both Newcastle and Port Kembla to power stations and steel mills in Japan, Korea, India and Europe.

In December 2010, Thai coalminer Banpu Public Company took over Australian coalminer Centennial Coal for more than $2 billion.

Buying Support

Centennial Coal is currently seeking approval for a new mine at Anvil Hill in NSW. Private landowners who sell their land to company for the new mine have been offered an extra $A25,000 if they sign contract provisions that require them to support the mine. One contract clause states that "the landholder must not in any way make any objection or complaint to any authority regarding the grant of project approval." Another clause states that the landowner "must do all things and sign all documents reasonably required by Centennial to support the grant of project approval." [1]

Asked what a landowner could be required to support, the Managing Director of Centennial Coal, Bob Cameron, retreated, stating, "There probably will be none. What we are saying, though, is that you cannot actively oppose the project, having entered into a contract." [2]

Contact details

Centennial Coal Company Limited
Level 18, BT Tower,
1 Market Street
Sydney NSW 2000 Australia
Tel: (61-2) 9266 2700
Fax: (61-2) 9261 5533
Web: http://www.centennialcoal.com.au

External links

• Sarah Schofield, "Cash for No Comment", Stateline, ABC Television, May 26, 2006.
• Ross Kendall and Michael Walsh, "Centennial Coal's community consultation has a price", Ethical Investor, June 1, 2006.

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