August 18, 2011

YOUR REPS AT THE ANTI-COALFACE

The Association was well represented at today's rally outside Sydney's Wentworth Hotel where delegates had paid $900 per head to attend the NSW Government mining conference. While inside the conference people were hearing from speakers like Centennial Coal's Beau Preston about progress on the Inglenook Project which covers the Running Stream area, outside the message was; 'Enough is Enough! Stop Coal and Gas expansion'.
A banner bearing this message was unfurled by members of the Newcastle based Rising Tide organisation who abseiled down the front of the Hotel unimpeded despite the large police presence.
The rally was addressed by NSW Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham, Bev Smiles from the Mudgee-based Mid West Alliance and President of the Lock The Gate Alliance, Drew Hutton.
Hutton told the gathering that the majority of Queenslanders questioned in a recent poll supported the notion that farmers should have the right to deny access to coal seam gas companies seeking to drill on  their lands. This will be tested in court next week when Hutton faces charges of obstructing access to lands targeted by a coal seam gas company. If he wins the case, it will have a big impact on legislation in that state which would then flow on to other states.
The tide is turning. Let's hope it's in time to save our water and our lands for future generations.

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