The New South Wales government has announced plans to introduce a bill that would permit MACH Energy to increase coal production at the Mount Pleasant mine in the Hunter Valley by 32%, reaching 16.5 million tonnes annually. This legislative action follows a High Court ruling earlier this month that declared the previous approval for the mine’s expansion invalid.

Premier Chris Minns defended the government's intervention, arguing that the legislation is essential to secure the employment of 400 workers at the site before the Christmas period. The government’s move effectively bypasses the judicial decision, allowing the mining operations to continue and expand despite the court's finding.

Geoffrey Watson SC, a barrister and anti-corruption campaigner, has publicly criticized the government's plan. Watson described the decision to overturn the effect of the High Court ruling as "disgraceful." The conflict centers on the tension between the state's economic priorities—specifically the preservation of regional jobs—and the adherence to judicial rulings regarding environmental and planning approvals. While the government emphasizes the immediate economic necessity of the mine's output, critics view the legislative override as a concerning precedent for the state's regulatory and legal processes.