I was also told that we couldn't put the plant together because...

I was also told that we couldn't put the plant together because that meant flattening the site so came under the mining and clearing. Mining and clearing might be the 2 bits to go. From memory they were from the same department so might be on the one bit of paper so it could count as one or two depending on how you look at it.
I don't buy the argument about the department being a law unto themselves without having to give (or be under via legislation) timelines. In this day and age it is not good enough for any govt department. Hence I'd go via the ministers office and put pressure from above.
The lack of understanding of how the system works to get results is I'm afraid showing up in PLS as being explorers only and amateurs in mining.
We have to remember that a company like SFR went from discovery to mining and sales in 3 years in this state, so things can move along quickly when the correct approach is chosen. The question over this whole mining and permits fiasco is do we have the right people for the job, and I'm not just talking about NB.

Having a state govt cry poor via lack of mining royalties in one breath, but not try and get other forms of mining up and running ASAP just doesn't cut it with me.

Elias, what was your sources excuse for getting it wrong???