Media Relese 15.5.2013
Namoi community Network

Tomorrow the EPBC Water trigger will be voted upon by the Senate, the trigger and the bi-lateral amendments are fully supported by the Namoi Community Network. The security of water resources and water quality remain the prime concerns for the Namoi Community Network. “It became apparent as the Namoi Water Study concluded there will be significant detrimental impacts to the water resources of the Namoi Valley from extractive industries, unless protection is provided under Federal legislation.” Said Hugh Price Chairman of the NCN

Mr Price said “Water is a national environmentally significant issue and is required for the long term sustainability of this country, giving us capacity to use our prime agricultural soils for food production. Just as the Murray Darling Basin Plan is managed Federally so must the water trigger in the EPBC, actions taken by mine water interference will effect more than one state and should be managed accordingly”

John Hamparsum Breeza farmer and member of the Namoi Community Network has this issue at the front of his mind as the Watermark Coal mine Environmental Impact Statement has just closed for public comment. “The EPBC Water trigger and the amendment to the bi-laterals are imperative to ensure appropriate assessment and process is put in place to protect the water resources that provide food and fibre for our country. Where there is mining there will be impacts. It’s the degree of impacts that determine if it’s high or low risk. The Namoi Water study highlighted the cumulative impact of mining and CSG drawdown on groundwater resources close to the mine near our farm at Breeza is high risk at over of 5 meters drawdown impact, however the EIS for the Watermark mine indicates between 1-2 meters drawdown this means that the mine is under the Aquifer Interference trigger and won’t be fully assessed.

“To abdicate this responsibility to the States, does not guarantee a proper scientific appraisal will be completed before operational approval is granted, or even before exploration licences are given and financial incentives received.” Said Mr Hamparsum.

The Coalition are on record as recognising community concerns regarding the impact of coal seam gas and coal mining on water resources. The have stated they understand that water is a precious resource. They are also on record stating that mining companies should not have free reign and should only operate where there is a community licence to do so.

Media Release 17.4.2013

Communities across the North West of NSW have come together to protect their groundwater, farmlands, urban areas and the environment in which they live from Coal Seam Gas mining. A simple survey is being conducted “Do you want your land and road CSG Free?”

“With an overwhelming majority of 95.9% of community members rejecting CSG across local districts comprising 515,000 Ha on the Liverpool Plains, the results are pouring in. More results are expected soon.” said Phil Laird from the Lock the Gate Alliance.

“Road signs that state “CSG FREE, Protected by the Community” are being raised on our regions roads as house by house, road by road, community by community the people of the North West declares the region to be off limits to Santos and their drilling program for coal seam gas” he said.

“The ‘People Power’ within these communities is leading on the issue of Coal Seam Gas and they stand strongly; committed to their results” said Megan Khun from SOS Liverpool Plains.

“Since the launch of the CSG Free Initiative just prior to Christmas, we have had an amazing response from the residents of Mullaley, Bundella, Blackville, Pine Ridge, Warrah Creek and Spring Ridge” she said. “Wandobah and Caroona group will soon follow with communities keen to start.”

“The process is catching as people can see that a simple action can have powerful results. Surveys are being finalised at Mary’s Mt right next to Santos’s pilot well at Kaluha and a similar outcome is already evident”

“The success of the Gurley region locking up in PEL 470 and the rollout of community surveys across the Liverpool Plains, have led to meetings being held in Coonamble to survey the western areas” said Anne Kennedy from the Great Artesian Basin Protection Alliance.

“Our wonderful Local Council has put in place a moratorium against the development of CSG in the Shire and the community survey is a great way to support their position.” she said

“The question has to be asked ‘If Santos isn’t welcome, why are they still here?’ No means No.”

                                    MEDIA RELEASE 16 APRIL 2013

Last night, the Pine Ridge Community’s Coal Seam Gas/Coal Mining Survey results were celebrated by many at their local hall, with a resounding 97.2% of residents agreeing that they “want the roads and their land to be coal seam gas and coal mine free.”

This is one of five communities surveyed so far across the Liverpool Plains and the first community to be jointly surveyed for both Coal Seam Gas and Coal Mining. The Pine Ridge area contributes to the valuable food bowl of the Liverpool Plains and now their roads and land are declared CSG and Coal Mine Free by “The Will of the Community”.

“Pine Ridge surveyed 151 residents: 144 were in agreement , 4 were not sure; and 3 chose not to respond” said spokesperson Prue Lee, who went on to say “Not one “No” was recorded in whole Pine Ridge area to the question “Do you want your Land/Road GASFIELD and COAL MINE FREE”.

“This result reinforces the community concern and angst regarding the development of coal seam gas and mining in this region,” Prue Lee said.

“Liverpool Plains residents over the last 200 years have been developing and nurturing this valuable food bowl” said Lisa Hill. “It is vital that we protect this critical industry for our families and our future.” Lisa went on to say “Plundering this critical resource for a short term gain endangers Australia’s long term productive capability.”

Prue Lee also said “The Liverpool Plains is one of the richest agricultural resources in Australia. This community stands firm in their opposition to Coal Seam Gas and Coal Mining.”

Local community member Mally Carter questions “Why are the horse racing and wine industries considered “critical” and thus protected, when the “Liverpool Plains”, this magnificent and essential food bowl for all Australians is not protected? This simply defies logic!!”

While Deputy Mayor Col Stewart and Councillors Mary Roberts and Ken Cudmore were present, many serious questions obviously still remain unanswered by the Coal Seam Gas and Coal Mining Industry and by all levels of Government, and the community want answers to those questions before any further activity is allowed.

“We need to learn from the disastrous facts coming out of Queensland and not rush into anything that would compromise the health of our communities, our land, our water and our environment.” “The people clearly insist on this” Megan Kuhn said.

The CSG advertising in Australia is built on a lie. And that lie is “its about the jobs” or about the export induced “gas shortage”. It’s all about the profits as this Dart Energy Graph from Oct 23 2012 presented at the Gas Supply Contracts Conference shows.

The increase in gas prices is a direct result of the export of Gas leading to Export Parity Prices for gas as shown in this Dart  Energy slide and as is being reported by AAP

Such state sponsored price gouging is being promoted by state and federal resource ministers alike.

In the north west NSW Santos are relying heavily on a price rise in CSG from $4 to $8 or $9 a Gigajoule. Santos who say they will only operate in the Pilliga Forrest in NSW and on farms where landholders welcome CSG. But David Knox has indicated that the stage 1 development in the Pilliga involves the development of infrastructure before they expand further onto adjacent farmland.

All this gas will go to Gladstone for export through the GLNG plant leaving NSW and the east coast high and dry.

The Australian Industry Group have a completely different view. For every $1 of export income there will be $21 lost to the Australian Economy according to the report in the Newcastle Herald 17.10.2013.

For Australian farmers the price of fertiliser will sky rocket as the major input to the fertiliser production process is Gas. The Australian quotes Incitec Pivots Chief Executive James Fazzino  as saying it “as a crazy outcome” to “unnecessarily expose Australians to Asian energy inflation

Unsurprisingly Santos does not want to see a reservation system for domestic consumers as this would keep a lid on domestic prices and cause capital under-utilisation.

Meanwhile BHP have plenty of Gas according to Head of Gas Operations Mike Yeager;

“But it’s more important to let the citizens of Victoria and NSW and to some degree even Queensland (know) there’s plenty of gas to supply those provinces indefinitely and we’re available to be part of that,” Mr Yeager said.

“We have gas for sale and we’ll work with anybody at any time,” he said.

I read with alarm last week in letters to a range of newspapers across NSW about a plot from “hardline climate change activists” to save the Leard Forest from coal mining.

The correspondent, the outgoing CEO of Whitehaven Coal Tony Haggarty (“Protest busload doesn’t speak for locals” AFR 13.3.2013) expressed support for Freedom of Speech but apparently not if you disagreed with Whitehaven’s right to profit from our public assets and were prepared to do something about it.

The proven formula of character assassination followed up by the promise of jobs, the threat of reds under the beds and the need to ensure coal miners safety has worked well for the coal barons both here and in the US.

But is any of it true?

The promise of jobs is clouded by the expansion of mining camps in Narrabri, Werris Creek and  Boggabri with the inquiry into Fly in/Fly out “The Cancer of the Bush” saying that the benefits of the resources industry could pass by inland communities and that there may be a hollowing out of regional Australia.

Over the last three years support for the Leard Forest has come from all quarters, including scientists, farmers, politicians, National party members and environmentalists. Broadcaster Allan Jones, has spoken eloquently about the Leard Forest and the privatization of the economic benefits to large multi-nationals and the socialization of its environmental costs.

The real threat to our safety is not from tree sitting environmentalists but to local communities who live in the fallout zone, for those who will suffer from global warming and for the loss of our planets biodiversity.

The unfortunate reality is that the Leard is the thin edge of the wedge as other dominos that include more public forests and productive agricultural lands in NSW are set to fall.

As individuals we must take a stand to protect our environment and the right to free speech where ever it occurs. This stand can take many forms including the running of a street stall or the writing of letters and submissions. It also includes the right to peaceful protest.

For those involved in the Leard Forest campaign be encouraged. Incredible as it may seem this attack is a necessary step along the road for all social and environmental campaigns and signals the next stage in the battle. As Mahatma Gandhi said “First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win”.

Two weeks ago the Lock the Gate Alliance made a passionate plea to all Australians, a Call to Country to protect our communities, environment and future. We owe it to our children and grand children to stand resolute against these threats and to say “No more”.

Namoi Community Network                     Media Release                                      18^th March 2013 

   NSW Government fails with consultant review of Namoi Water Study

Regional communities who took the time to read the Namoi Catchment Water Study review last week by Dr Don Barnett can only conclude that it is some kind of joke. The long awaited review lacks any credibility and the NSW State Government’s commitment to science based assessment is now in question.

“Mining Minister Chris Hartcher must accept responsibility for bringing the entire process to the point of farce” said Hugh Price Chair of the Namoi Community Network.” It’s no wonder the Federal Government is moving to regulate water impacts as a result of mining and CSG.   The NSW Government chose a reviewer, who has throughout his career been employed by the mining industry, and has admitted he has no understanding or expertise in water – referring to it as “not my thing”. ”

“The Namoi Community Network is amazed that 8 months after the Namoi Catchment  Water Study was published; the long awaited, community requested, Scenario 7 was finally released last week, showing Minister Chris Hartcher spent tax payer dollars to determine if the $5 million dollar water study scenarios were feasible.”

“The Namoi Catchment Water Study has been progressing over the last four years as a ground up process agreed to by the mining industry and community, with clear Terms of Reference regarding the Study’s aims and objectives. Intentionally, and agreed by all parties, consideration of economic and infrastructure constraints were excluded.”

“It is obvious Dr Barnett, the reviewer, had not read the terms of reference for the Study as his understanding of its objectives are demonstrably lacking.  The basis of his findings is that the rail and port capacity prevents the development of the Namoi resources past current mining. This is not disputed given the proposed mines will see uncovered coal trains run through the region some 6 minutes apart.  What is apparent is his complete lack of ability to appraise the hydrogeological findings of the Study and the predicted cumulative impacts from extractive mining before the damage is done.

“The Namoi Catchment Water Study, for which people in our community have invested years of their lives to understand the science behind coal and gas impacts on water resources, was developed to show the potential impact on water resources using various scenarios which have been sensitivity tested.” said Hugh Price.

The Water Study concludes that with current and proposed mines there are high risk areas.  Coal Mining close to the alluviums (our world standard premium soils) is a high risk and will cause irreversible damage. Surface and Groundwater will be dramatically impacted by ‘artificial breaks’ in the ground structure.

Review of the water management plans of the mines and CSG industries in the Water Study highlight that most plans will not cater for all water in major rain events and excess mine water will have be returned to the system as environmental contamination.

“As a matter of urgency The NSW Government needs to undertake an independent peer review of the Study as per the agreed terms of reference, and also adopt the accepted guidelines of the Murray Darling Basin Commission.  We need to put this so called ‘review’ behind us and focus on the high risk areas the Water Study has clearly identified, because once the impacts to our water resources occur, it will be impossible to reverse them.  Mr Price concluded.

Dear Editor;

In response to Whitehaven’s outgoing CEO, Tony Heggarty, I would like to make it clear that the local community is very concerned about open cut mining in the Leard State Forest and its surrounds.

The mines in the area will create 18,000 tonnes of dust that will fallout over the surrounding community. And according to the independent Namoi Catchment Water Study the opencut pits will reduce the alluvial groundwater aquifers by 5 meters which will severely affect our stock and domestic water supplies, particularly in drought. Purchases of 34 local properties by the miners is depopulating our community and the clearing of 4000 Ha or more of Native Forest will greatly affect our environment.

The few properties in the district that are selling are devalued or being purchased by the miners at a time of their choosing. Residents who need to retire, expand or move away have their lives on hold. Crops have been washed away due to re-directed surface water flows.

None of this is pretty and such impacts were not a factor before coal came to the area.

When Whitehaven’s Maules Creek Project was first muted some time ago we told the miners that we could support underground mines due to the reduced impact on local people and for the jobs and the economic activity that it could bring. However this was not to be and we are now left with no alternative but to fight for our community.

This is not a battle that a small rural community can win on its own and we wholeheartedly welcome like minded souls to our district to lend support.

Australia is more than huge open cut mines, overburden dumps and the FIFO jobs that it brings. Many Australians are hearing the “Call to Country” from Lock the Gate and others. To the Tony Heggarty’s of the world I say “We are resolute and this is only the beginning”.

Phil Laird

MEDIA RELEASE 1ST MARCH 2013

 In Narrabri Local Court today, Lock the Gate campaigner Carmel Flint was acquitted of three charges arising from a protest at the Boggabri Coal mine last year.

Ms Flint had been charged with entering and remaining on inclosed land and hindering the working of mining equipment.  The latter offence carries a maximum 7 year gaol term.

Another local citizen, 84 year old birdwatcher Russ Watts, had charges against him for a separate protest last year at the same mine withdrawn earlier this week.

This follows the recent withdrawal of charges against two women from Fullerton Cove for a protest against coal seam gas mining in their local area last year.

“My acquittal and the withdrawal of charges against Mr Watts and the Fullerton residents suggests that the police pursuit of community protestors has been heavy-handed and unnecessary.

“We are now asking the NSW police to show equal vigour in enforcing the law against mining companies and pursuing the legal cloud hanging over the Maules Ck coal mine.

“In particular, we are calling for a police inquiry into the recent leaking of documents relating to the Maules Ck mine which led to its subsequent approval  by the Federal Environment Minister.

“We believe the NSW police should be urgently investigating the source of the leak, for what purpose the documents were leaked, and whether the mining company had any involvement.

“As the long shadow of the ICAC corruption inquiry hangs over the administration of mining in NSW, the police should be taking the strongest possible action to prove to a concerned community that the mining industry is not a law unto itself.

“I would personally like to thank my solicitor, Peter Long, for his generous and capable representation in court today” she said.