Australia’s south-west is the only part of the country internationally recognised as a biodiversity hotspot. It is also a major agricultural area. The south-west town Margaret River is one of the country’s primary wine producing regions and a major tourist destination.
Over the past year the mining industry has been salivating over this fragile region, planning to mine coal, coal seam gas, tight gas, thorium, oil and mineral sands. Although plans for oil rigs off the Margaret River coast have been cancelled, the website Saveoursouthwest.com lists 12 current proposals for coal and gas mining in the south-west region.
In August last year, Margaret River residents kick started a powerful community campaign, built on solid scientific evidence, against a proposed coalmine run by Vasse Coal. The proposed mine would be built only 15 kilometres from the town centre. Due to the strength of the campaign, the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) did not approve the Vasse Coal proposal. Vasse Coal has since appealed this decision.
Green Left Weekly
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