The Australia Institute made a submission on the Airly Mine Extension proposal in October 2014, highlighting our concerns with the economic assessment of the project conducted by Aigis Group. Our key points were:

• The economic assessment does not comply with relevant guidelines.
• Inappropriate consideration of wages as an economic benefit, overstating the value of the project
• Lack of transparency – even basic assumptions around coal prices are not disclosed.
• Financial viability – the mine’s parent company states “Airly is a high cost operation”
• Assessment of environmental costs has not been conducted competently and uses inappropriate sources. The author of one source, Dr Ian Curtis, has confirmed that his study is of “no relevance at all” to the Airly mine context.