NSW Premier's mining proposal falls flat

In what's likely to be its dying days in office, the Newbest in stone crushing plant South Wales Labor government today sought to appease community concerns over mining, announcing a series of measures aimed at controlling the industry's growth. Labor says it would ban the use of a number of chemicals used in the controversial fracking process to extract coal seam gas.

The announcement - made in the Hunter Valley - is being denounced as too little, too late by local winegrowers and farmers. The Minerals Council isn't happy either. It's warning of the dangers of, what is says, is a knee-jerk reaction from the Keneally government. Under the proposal, mining exploration would be banned in waterways adjoining national parks, other areas would be declared off limits to mining and the use of BTEX chemicals in the fracking process would be banned...