Rio Tinto says the NSW Government is yielding to the 'ill-informed minority' by proposing changes to mining approval rules, but 98% of submissions on the measures have taken the planning minister's side.
Environment ministers have agreed to strengthen controls on particle pollution, speed up work on a national clean air agreement and establish a national standard for the environmental management of chemicals.
The NSW Land and Environment Court has fined a grazier $320,025 for illegal landclearing, after discounting the penalty because of the 'negative publicity and hate mail' he received.