The Xstrata Mangoola mine was fined $100,000 after 46 megalitres of sediment-laden water washed from the mine site into Wybong Creek in early February.

In an effort to make amends, the company has been forced to contribute the funds to the Hunter-Central Rivers Catchment Management Authority, which will be spent on improvements to the Maison Dieu travelling stock route near Singleton.

Cr Rush said the environmental harm caused by the pollution of the creek was a betrayal of the community’s trust.

“I want to send a clear message to Xstrata: the community will simply not tolerate any future similar offending,” he said.

The mayor also took aim at the Department of Environment Climate Change and Water (DECCW).

“What DECCW has categorised as a remediation undertaking is, in fact, not remedial at all,” he said.

“The area [that is] the subject of the $100,000 payment by Xstrata is more than 50 kilometres from the area of environmental harm.”

Cr Rush said handling of the matter lacked transparency and should have been prosecuted openly in a court.

“There will be a real suspicion in the community that the reason the matter was not prosecuted was because the offender was a multi-billion dollar company that makes royalty payments to the state,” Cr Rush said.

In a statement released last week, DECCW north-east director Gary Davey said the penalty against Xstrata was enforceable.

The Muswellbrook Chronicle contacted the department for a response to the comments made by Cr Rush, however no response was received by the time of going to press.