Federal Greens Senator Richard Di Natale.
A FEDERAL Senator says “the odds are stacked against farmers” if mining companies find coal-seam gas in the Colac region.
Deans Marsh resident and Greens Senator Richard Di Natale said Member for Polwarth Terry Mulder’s claim last week that there was “no need for intervention on exploration licences” was “hollow”.
Mr Mulder said there was a “slim chance of finding a viable resource” and a company’s application to mine would be subject to community consultation.
But Mr Di Natale said the Colac district community had good reason to be concerned and he had no faith in the consultation process.
Terry Mulder
“What I have faith in is the ability of mining companies to get their own way,” he said.
“The fact is the reason these companies are looking for coal-seam gas is so if they find it and mount a commercial business case, they will begin mining.
“That’s the experience of Queensland and New South Wales; the odds are stacked in favour of big mining companies and it’s a tall order for farmers to be successful in getting the government to knock them back,” Mr Di Natale said.
“Terry Mulder is holding up hope they won’t find what they are looking for.
“The government can introduce legislation to stop a wind turbine being within two kilometres of your house but once a mining licence is granted, mining companies can come on your land and start drilling 200 metres from your front door.
“Farmers deserve to have a right of veto over coal-seam gas mining and a mining company’s short-term profits should not stop us protecting prime agricultural land.
“Some don’t regard the Greens and farmers as allies but if you look at who’s standing up for the farmers, the Victorian Farmers Federation and the Liberals seem to be missing in action.”
Forrest resident and anti coal-seam gas campaigner Karen Hansen said the Federal Government had a “human rights duty” to stop pollution or over-extraction from drinking water supplies.
She said state and federal politicians were failing in their obligations, “considering most farmers in QLD and NSW rely upon bores for their drinking water, and no environmental impact study has been done on the effects of CSG extraction”.
http://www.goldcoastinfolink.com/mining/stop-coal-seam-gas-aka-natural-gas-mining
Not sure if I can leave a link, but this is an interesting photo of the field developing near home. If our gate was not locked we would already be well into a similar development.
There has been seismic testing done in Vic, maybe 1949, not sure exactly when. Around that time they surveyed in Qld. An exploration company approached us, we decided to stop them, sent a letter to the minister up here, reply, too bad, so sad,or something to that effect. They drilled on the thickest seam of coal first up, luck or the result of seismic testing. The point I’m making is, they are exploring there because they know it is there. If you let them through the gate you are done for. And the Senator is right, what mining wants, mining gets, along with changes to any Government Acts that hinder it. Queensland has a known corruption history, do you want to bank on Vic being imune to it, I wouldn’t. Look up “Lock the Gate”, view the pictures of Chinchilla. I’m an ex-Victorian and I know anyone who chooses to research this will not want it in your area. I can’t believe it was allowed to get to Mortlake, wake up or suffer my future.