Has nothing been learnt by the NSW Liberals and Nationals about listening to communities when it comes to coal seam gas?
The recent announcement of plans to try to buy off farmers will not rub well in regional NSW.
Landholders and regional communities have been left frustrated with years of uncertainty and have learned over that time that CSG presents an unacceptable risk to their precious water supplies. Money can’t make good an aquifer.
But Mike Baird has decided to ignore the facts, and those communities across NSW who have expressed their informed opposition to this industry. As the premier said earlier this week, ‘Do we want coal seam gas? Absolutely.’
We could do things differently in NSW. We have the potential to repower our state with renewable energy and get off coal and gas. Global demand for Australia’s food and fibre is increasing and we are well placed to take advantage of that, as long as we protect our land and water.
Premier Mike Baird could have envisioned a better, healthier, cleaner future, but instead he has decided to appease the coal seam gas industry.
The premier could have listened to the community, but once again, like the former Labor government, he has decided he knows better. That’s the key lesson not learned.
Justin Field, Greens candidate for the Legislative Council, Manyana
I attended the Mullumbimby Chamber of Commerce meeting last Tuesday and present was John Murray The Head NSW Chamber Honcho for our beautiful Northern Rivers who says that he only supports CSG mining if it was proven Safe – Gee I felt so relieved !!!! Then he said THE CHIEF SCIENTIST Says it is SAFE! and we are all going to suffer terribly unless we get more gas as prices will go UP maybe even by 100 or 200% increase and that would br very BAD for us.
I left the meeting feeling that John certainly was not being straight.
My opinion PROFIT before everything else and in particular clean water even if there is even the slightest chance that we would poison our water for future generations IS NOT WORTH THE PROFIT
A comment on scientists with due respect scientists are mere humans who may be honest or dishonest well meaning or just after what they can get and a proclamation that it is safe to pump toxic poisins into the ground beggars belief.