The Regulator has started prosecutions against two of Wollongong Coal’s companies, alleging it persistently failed to pay almost $300,000 in rates and levies owed to the NSW Government.

This represents a spectacular own goal for the struggling coal miner, given the Resources Regulator is the very body which is presently investigating whether Wollongong Coal is a “fit and proper person” to hold a mining licence.

The debts have been paid, but the prosecution is proceeding.

The two companies involved are Wongawilli Coal (for the coal mine there) and Wollongong Coal (for the Russell Vale colliery, which has lain dormant since 2015).

Rents and levies totalling about $262,000 were not paid on time for the Wongawilli mining lease, and about $29,000 for Russell Vale.

Wollongong Coal has been warned repeatedly over its failure to pay bills to the government on time.

Early last month the Regulator threatened to suspend operations at the two mines if Wollongong Coal did not pay other fees it owed.

Both companies were convicted in November 2017 for similar offences. Wollongong Coal has lodged appeals against those convictions, which involving similar debts unpaid to the same government bodies.

Failure to pay rents and levies on time is an offence under the Mining Act, with fines up to $11,000 for a corporation and $5,500 for an individual.