Community gives positive feedback on Oaky Creek Coal’s Environmental Management

A total of 159 community members participated in the opportunity to have your say in the latest Local Voices Community ‘Pulse’ Survey in December and January. The surveys, which began in 2021, give those who live and work in Tieri a chance to share your views and experiences with Oaky Creek Coal, helping the company stay informed about what matters most to you as a community.

“Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their thoughts and provide feedback,” said Kate French, Environment & Community Advisor at Oaky Creek Coal. “And congratulations to the lucky winner, Alba Osorio, who received a brand-new YETI esky!”

With each completed ‘Pulse’ survey response, a $5 donation is made to a local community group. So far, more than $2,500 has been donated to groups like Capricorn Helicopter Rescue Service, Tieri Sharks Swimming Club, CTM Links and more.

A snapshot of your feedback

For most, feelings towards Oaky Creek Coal have remained steady, but for more than a third (35%) feelings towards Oaky Creek Coal have become more positive over the past year.

Some had positive feedback about the actions taken by Oaky Creek Coal, such as ‘They are doing their best’ and ‘Oaky does a great job with their communication’, while others raised concerns or made suggestions for improvement.

“There were some suggestions on a wide variety of topics, ranging from the provision of information by the town, to the reopening of a bowling club, suggestions for recreational activities, the wellbeing of the workforce, through to the issue of magpies,” said Kate.

More specifically, this latest Pulse survey explored the community’s thoughts on the environmental impacts of Oaky Creek Coal. Interestingly, perception of the company’s negative impact on the environment in the community saw an upward trend from the last survey. However, of those respondents who reported an environmental issue, the majority (87%) were satisfied or very satisfied with the company’s response to how the issue was dealt with.

Survey respondents were also generally happy with the company’s compliance with environmental laws and regulations and their openness to receiving reports from the community.

“It was great to see positive scores for Oaky Creek Coal’s efforts in rehabilitating previously mined land,” said Kate. “Awareness of the Progressive Rehabilitation and Closure Plan (PRCP) can still be improved and encouragingly most respondents (69%) indicated they are interested in receiving information about it, so we’ll be looking for more ways to share this information with you, including in Tieri News, on the Tieri website and at the Community Reference Group meetings.”

Looking ahead, as a community, you indicated you would like to see more information on topics like the future of the town after a mine closes, management of environmental incidents, interaction with local farms and landowners, and rehabilitation efforts for wildlife and the environment.

“It’s valuable for us to know the topics that you’re interested in so we can share relevant information with you through the various communication channels,” said Kate.

“The more people who participate in the survey, the more accurate the picture we have of the community’s sentiments, so a big thank you again to everyone who participated in this latest survey. Your feedback is really important as it helps inform our focus and direction and where we allocate investment and resourcing. We hope even more members of the community will consider taking part in the next survey – your voice can make a real difference in Tieri.”