MEDIA RELEASE: 7th MARCH 2012
Lock The Gate Alliance has described the Strategic Regional Land Use... Plans and Aquifer Interference Policy released today by the NSW Government as just more broken promises and said the fight will continue to prevent coal and gas mining from wrecking NSW.
"The NSW Government has broken its promises to put some decent controls on coal and gas mining and instead chosen to literally sell the farm to coal and gas companies,” said Lock The Gate Alliance president Drew Hutton.
"The community will not be deceived by the spin and rhetoric around this announcement by the NSW Government but will now redouble the fight against coal and gas mining in NSW.
"Before the last election we were promised no-go zones where there would be no coal and gas mining in NSW, but what was announced today is a 'gateway process' that miners can drive right through if a panel gives them the go ahead.
“There is also a provision for Cabinet to declare a project ‘exceptional’ – an invitation to circumvent the formal process for the government’s preferred mining companies.
"The miners may get through the NSW Governments pathetic 'gateway process' with ease but they will still find the gates locked when they come knocking on farmers doors across NSW,” said Mr. Hutton.
"The new Draft Code or Practice for coal seam gas exploration still fails to give landholders the right to refuse gas companies access to their land,” said Boudicca Cerese, Lock the Gate Alliance regional co-ordinator for Northern Rivers.
“In addition there appear to be no additional resources to police the code so it will still be up to the community to monitor this industry.
“Today’s announcement makes it clear that the Northern Rivers has been completely left out of the Strategic Regional Land Use assessment process, giving the green light to industry to turn our beautiful region into an industrial zone.
“This is despite the fact that most of the Northern Rivers is covered in coal seam gas exploration licenses and any expansion of this industry in the region will threaten both our thriving agricultural and tourist industries and the world class natural areas and biodiversity that our region is renowned for,” said Ms. Cerese.
“These government policy changes do not address the serious concerns that we have about the impacts of this industry on our precious natural resources. The Alliance is calling on communities to implement a people’s moratorium to protect our land, water and environment,”
said Ms. Cerese.
Lock the Gate Alliance
Lock The Gate Alliance has described the Strategic Regional Land Use... Plans and Aquifer Interference Policy released today by the NSW Government as just more broken promises and said the fight will continue to prevent coal and gas mining from wrecking NSW.
"The NSW Government has broken its promises to put some decent controls on coal and gas mining and instead chosen to literally sell the farm to coal and gas companies,” said Lock The Gate Alliance president Drew Hutton.
"The community will not be deceived by the spin and rhetoric around this announcement by the NSW Government but will now redouble the fight against coal and gas mining in NSW.
"Before the last election we were promised no-go zones where there would be no coal and gas mining in NSW, but what was announced today is a 'gateway process' that miners can drive right through if a panel gives them the go ahead.
“There is also a provision for Cabinet to declare a project ‘exceptional’ – an invitation to circumvent the formal process for the government’s preferred mining companies.
"The miners may get through the NSW Governments pathetic 'gateway process' with ease but they will still find the gates locked when they come knocking on farmers doors across NSW,” said Mr. Hutton.
"The new Draft Code or Practice for coal seam gas exploration still fails to give landholders the right to refuse gas companies access to their land,” said Boudicca Cerese, Lock the Gate Alliance regional co-ordinator for Northern Rivers.
“In addition there appear to be no additional resources to police the code so it will still be up to the community to monitor this industry.
“Today’s announcement makes it clear that the Northern Rivers has been completely left out of the Strategic Regional Land Use assessment process, giving the green light to industry to turn our beautiful region into an industrial zone.
“This is despite the fact that most of the Northern Rivers is covered in coal seam gas exploration licenses and any expansion of this industry in the region will threaten both our thriving agricultural and tourist industries and the world class natural areas and biodiversity that our region is renowned for,” said Ms. Cerese.
“These government policy changes do not address the serious concerns that we have about the impacts of this industry on our precious natural resources. The Alliance is calling on communities to implement a people’s moratorium to protect our land, water and environment,”
said Ms. Cerese.
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