VOICE OF EXPERIENCE: Queensland farmer Sid Plant told of the devastation wreaked on his community by the nearby New Hope coal mine
Coal mining is an increasingly hot issue. At the end of January I joined a dozen or so other Nelsonians who made the trip down to Mataura, near Gore, for the Keep the Coal in the Hole Festival. Organised by Coal Action Network Aotearoa, the festival was held on Mike Dunbar's land, a farmer who is refusing to sell his land to Solid Energy for lignite mining.
The festival drew attention to the proposed mining and was attended by more than 300 people from across the political spectrum, plus scientists, health professionals, MPs and concerned locals.
Camping out at Mr Dunbar's farm, with the prospect of the surrounding lands being turned into an opencast coal mine, was a very sobering experience.
This was reinforced by guest speaker Sid Plant's account of how his 1200 hectare farm in Queensland, Australia, has been affected by the bordering New Hope coal mine. Sid spoke about the loss of productive land, the increase in noise and air pollution and the virtual destruction of his community.
He warned the Southland community that once the land is gone, you can't get it back.
Stuff.co
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