Wollongong protesters urge Scully to stop 'car crash' policies on coal

A group of about 30 anti-coal protesters held signs and sang Christmas Carols outside the Member for Wollongong's base on lower Crown St, warning the pipeline of coal mine expansion would pour fuel on the climate crisis.

The protest came soon after the NSW Government passed its landmark climate change legislation, with a target of a 70 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2035.

An independent climate advisory board will also be established and this Net Zero Commission will be able to give advise on major projects including coal and gas.

The new law was welcomed by environmentalists but on Friday Nic Clyde from activist group Lock the Gate said the emissions goal was on a collision course with the pipeline of coal projects up for approval.

"On the one hand, the new law says climate's a big problem and we've got to do something about it," Mr Clyde told the Mercury.

"In fact, we've got to limit warming to 1.5 or certainly under two (degrees) - that's written in as the purpose of the bill.

"That means you have to cut, cut, cut your emissions.

"So there's a bit of a policy car crash, because you have that pulling the state in one direction, but then the Government has pretty steadfastly avoided - including Paul Scully - making any clear statement about what they're going to do about [coal]."

The new laws, passed on Thursday with cross-parliament support, require the state to cut emissions by 50 per cent by 2030 and 70 per cent by 2035 on the way to net zero by 2050.

With 15 coal mine expansions planned for NSW and in the planning process, the protesters donned Santa hats and sung carols while blasting former deputy premier John Barilaro's 2021 strategic statement on coal, which opened some new locations for coal mining.

Mr Clyde said scrapping this policy statement should be urgent business for the Labor Government but the best he had heard from ministers was that the government would look at reviewing it some time during this term in office.

"We're down there outside Scully's office as the local MP, but as also Minister for Planning," Mr Clyde said.

"He's the guy who is presiding over what at the moment is pretty much the largest proposed increase in coal mining in NSW since the Paris Agreement.

"That is what's on the books. We've been saying that for a long time.

"It's actually grown bigger since we started saying it because the Government hasn't actually determined anything yet.

"Is it business as usual and we just keep approving new coal expansions?"

Mr Scully said his staff appreciated the carols but the question was one for another minister.

"I understand the concerns of the advocates who gathered outside my office today," he said.

"My team appreciated the carols that were sung.

"This action comes in the same week that the Minns Labor Government passed laws that enshrine emissions reduction targets in NSW law for the first time ever.

"It also sets up a strong and independent Net Zero Commission to keep this government and future governments on track to Net Zero by 2050.

"Questions relating to the future of Strategic Statement Coal and Mining should be directed to the Minister for Natural Resources."