Country & city, united we stand - protect our water, protect our land! : Sydney May 1 Rally

Country and city united in a 5000-strong march on NSW Parliament on May 1 in protest at the threat of Coal Seam Gas mining companies to precious farming land and our water supplies. Attempted red-baiting by NSW Resources & Energy minister Chris Hartcher to frighten off rural support by ridiculously claiming that the rally was being run by the Socialist Alliance (which is just one group building this broad alliance) fell flat.

Green Left Weekly

Stoner promises to improve CSG policy

NSW Nationals Leader Andrew Stoner faced thousands of jeering protesters as he tried to quell anger over the government's policy on coal seam gas (CSG).

In a sometimes testy address to the rally outside state parliament, Mr Stoner told one protester to "shut your mouth" as he promised the coalition government's draft land-use plan would be improved.

Tuesday's rally came as a parliamentary committee handed down a report recommending that (CSG) exploration continue in NSW but that no new licences be issued until a "comprehensive" regulatory framework was in place.

Under the current draft plan, nearly 1.5 million hectares in the New England and Hunter has been classed as high-value farmland but mining and exploration is not banned on that land.

"It is a draft policy which we know can be improved - it will be," the deputy premier told the rowdy crowd of about 6000 on Tuesday.

But NSW Farmers president Fiona Simson accused the government of trying to discredit the diverse group of protesters who descended on parliament chanting, "Protect our water, protect our land."

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Brisbane Times

Public Forum : Armidale 02.05.12

In this bulletin, the Environment Protection Authority has decided to audit waste management practices by all councils across northern NSW; a public forum will be held in Armidale tonight to discuss the implications of coal seam gas mining on the community after applications were made to prospect for gas over 5-million hectares; and Glen Innes Severn Council intends to review its stock grazing permits for roadsides over concerns farmers don't have sufficient public liability insurance.

Click Here to Listen to Audio 

702 ABC Sydney

Japanese to spend billions for stake in Browse gas

A Japanese company, Japan Australia LNG, is set to take a stake in the proposed Browse gas development in WA's Kimberley in a $2 billion deal.

Woodside has accepted the company's offer for a 14.7 per cent stake in the development, as well as a long term sales and purchase agreement for about 1.5 million tonnes of gas a year.

The agreement would see Woodside's share of the Browse development drop from 46 per cent to 31 per cent.

Premier Colin Barnett has welcomed the deal.

"This is very, very important, it's a significant step forward," he said.

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ABC News

Editor's Note:  Im not surprised that Mr Barnett has welcomed the deal... he seems pretty keen to make the West Coast into a first class quarry.

CSG FREE NORTHERN RIVERS Rally / Rock The Gate Concert

The Fight of Our Lives - For Our Lives

When:   Saturday, May 12, 2012 - 10:00am until 4:00pm

Where:  Lismore Riverside Park

Walk through Lismore CBD together against coal seam gas mining Followed by 'Rock the Gate' from 12:00 noon until 4:00pm Featuring OKA, DUBMARINE and the ROUND MOUNTAIN GIRLS, fresh from Blues Fest!! PLUS loads more!! Inspiring speakers, yummy food, awesome music - Keep Saturday 12th May free peeps!! It's going to be ENORMOUS!!! www.csgfreenorthernrivers.org

Drilling fluid leak stops gas work

DRILLING fluid from one of the state's most ambitious coal-seam gas projects has forced a Queensland Department of Environment investigation into mining giant, QGC.

The material entered the Condamine River as QGC contractors drilled a pipeline underground 12km downstream of Chinchilla Weir.

The underground line will run for 540km connecting Queensland gas fields to Gladstone where the gas will be processed at a Curtis Island plant.

The Condamine River forms part of the Murray-Darling Basin river system.

Environment and Heritage Protection Minister Andrew Powell said his department was investigating.

He said it was an immediate response after QGC notified the Government of the incident.

"Although (environmental) officers who inspected the site did not see any significant water quality impact, they are taking steps to address the risk of future potential impacts," Mr Powell said.

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Northern Star

Origin Energy sells $1 billion of coal seam gas reserves

ORIGIN Energy has agreed to sell more than $1 billion worth of Queensland coal seam gas to the Santos-led Gladstone LNG export project in further evidence the industry is struggling to develop enough early gas needed to feed $50 billion worth of planned export plants.

Origin will complete its own liquefied natural gas project with ConocoPhillips (COP) and China Petroleum and Chemical Corp later than Santos and the other major CSG-to-LNG proponent, BG Group.

But because it has shored up more gas reserves than its rivals, Origin is a position to get export prices for its gas earlier than its 2016 start date if it sells to Santos and BG, who appear to be having trouble getting the thousands of CSG wells needed to feed the plants up and running by 2015.

“The gas sales agreement with GLNG will deliver significant value to Origin, opening an export channel to market for our legacy fuel reserves and allowing a more rapid monetisation of the resource in line with international oil-linked pricing.,” Origin managing director Grant King said.

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The Australian

Protect our water, land: farmers

Farmers and land owners are marching to Parliament House.

THE cries of grieving farmers and land owners are being heard throughout Sydney's CBD as protesters march to Parliament House to demand an audience with NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell.

Chanting the words "city and country, united we stand - protect our water, protect our land", farmers from all walks of life are rallying to send the State Government a clear message - the fight against coal mining is only just beginning.

Dozens of protestors from the Northern Rivers and Clarence Valley gathered in Martin Place on Tuesday morning to lead the march to Parliament House where crowds are calling out "we want Barry".

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Daily Examiner

Thousands rally against NSW land use policy : Sydney Rally

Photo: The protesters marched down Sydney's Macquarie Street before venting their anger outside the NSW Parliament. (ABC News: Sally Block)

Thousands of people from farms and environmental groups have gathered in Sydney for a mass rally against the New South Wales Government's land use policy.

The unlikely alliance, which has formed under the name Protect Our Land and Water, marched to State Parliament at lunchtime.

The marchers included members of several green groups and the lobby group GetUp!, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the Country Women's Association (CWA) and farmers.

They were there to show their displeasure at the Government's draft Strategic Land Use policy.

"City and country, united we stand. Protect our water, protect our land," they chanted.

The protesters say the Government is giving priority to coal seam gas and mining operations with the policy.

Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner sought to respond to the criticism by addressing the really but he struggled to get his message through, clashing with one protester.

"It will be if you'll just shut your mouth for a minute, mate. It will be, don't worry," he said.

Thousands of people from farms and environmental groups have gathered in Sydney for a mass rally against the New South Wales Government's land use policy.

The unlikely alliance, which has formed under the name Protect Our Land and Water, marched to State Parliament at lunchtime.

The marchers included members of several green groups and the lobby group GetUp!, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the Country Women's Association (CWA) and farmers.

They were there to show their displeasure at the Government's draft Strategic Land Use policy.

"City and country, united we stand. Protect our water, protect our land," they chanted.

The protesters say the Government is giving priority to coal seam gas and mining operations with the policy.

Read More

ABC News

Move to freeze coal seam gas licences

The State Government should cease issuing production licences for coal seam gas production until a "comprehensive framework" for regulating the industry is developed, a parliamentary inquiry is set to recommend.

The inquiry's report, due to be released today, is also understood to recommend a moratorium on the controversial extraction method of "fracking" be continued until the national regulator finishes testing the chemicals involved.

 

Fairfax has learnt it also advises the five-year "royalty holiday" granted to coal seam gas miners be scrapped and a strict limit be placed on "fugitive emissions".

 

The inquiry, chaired by Shooters and Fishers Party MP Robert Brown, was established after a proposal by Greens MP and mining spokesman Jeremy Buckingham, its deputy chairman.

The cross-party committee which carried out the inquiry attracted more than 900 submissions after it was announced last year, and travelled the state taking evidence from communities affected by coal seam gas exploration and mining.

 

The expected tabling of its report coincides with an anti-coal seam gas rally organised by farming and environment groups outside NSW Parliament today.

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Illawarra Mercury

Sydney Rally Update: Channel 10 Video

Fiona Simpson, President NSW Farmers Association speaks with Channel Ten this morning.

Click Here to Go to Video

Nuclear waste to be shipped to Sydney

A plan to store radioactive waste in Sydney's suburbs has the backing of the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) because it won't be dumped in the outback

.

Thirteen cubic metres of the waste - enough to fill one third of a shipping container - will be returned to Australia by 2015 and stored for five years at the Lucas Heights nuclear facility.

The waste, which will remain toxic for centuries, was generated in Australia through the production of nuclear medicine and during scientific research.

It was taken to France for reprocessing but will be returned under and Australian-Franco government agreement and kept in a newly built storage unit.

ACF nuclear campaigner Dave Sweeney said he'd rather have the waste at Lucas Heights than placed near outback communities.

"It puts it into an area where there's established and proven security and monitoring," Mr Sweeney told AAP.

"And where there's the greatest number of experts in Australia."

Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) CEO Dr Adi Paterson said most people would be surprised how small the volume of waste was.

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Channel 7 Yahoo News

Editor's Note:   When will the stupidity stop?  Maybe it has something to do with the people that run the place..... AAArgh!   

Peter Lewis :

Plans for the giant T4 coal-loader are criticised by environmentalists and health specialists.

The Life We Now Lead ...

Sydney Rally Update : 3.54 pm

 

 (Photos courtesy of Get Up)

(Parliament House)

(Nationals leader offers nothing but blame shifting to hide the Nationals betrayal of rural australia.
Country and city united we stand. Protect our water, protect our land)

(Stop CSG Illawarra Group)

SYDNEY rally update. After a very early rise, we wait in anticipation for the 12 noon rally in Martin Place!

Fiona Simson President of the Farmers Federation did a live cross on Channel 10 morning show just after 6am this morning, surrounded by about 25 "die hards" with banners! Drew Hutton then had an interview with Alan jones about the rally around 7.15am. We then all proceeded to shake signs outside of Sunrise channel 7 studios (fighting for screen time with hoards of screaming girls waiting to see some young floppy haired xfactor winner??) time for a little break then back to Martin place for a 12 o'clock start. We could not have asked for better weather, it is sunny and perfect temps, today should be big!

Leah Hobbs

(Editor:  Thank you everyone for the photos ....  acknowledgements on FB page)

Do I have a Mining Lease on My Property....??

Dont be an ostrich and stick your head in the sand.     

This is a very important question that every landholder should ask themselves.

Remember:  Information is power. 

So do yourself a favour and click on the Qld Government link below

To view current applications and granted exploration permits, click on 'Connect to the interactive resource and tenure maps (IRTM)'. From the Layers menu, select 'Exploration and Mining Tenure'. Select Current Exploration. Permits Coal, Petroleum and Minerals, either singly or as multiple layers. Other layers of interest are Minerals Deposits, Coal Deposits and Petroleum Data

Click Here 

Green light for Ambre's $200m listing

BRISBANE-based coal developer Ambre Energy plans to go ahead with a $200 million listing on the Australian Securities Exchange after securing a $US2.5 billion ($2.4bn) offtake agreement with two South Korean generators.   

Under the deal unveiled yesterday, Korea South East Power (KOSEP) and Korea Southern Power Co (KOSPO) will buy up to three million tonnes of thermal coal a year from Ambre's partly owned US mines over 10 years.

The utilities will also invest $US20m in the cash-poor Ambre through a convertible note.

"With this strategic partnership we have put in place one of the final building blocks required to achieve our vision of creating an integrated thermal coalmining and export business," Ambre chief executive Edek Choros said.

Ambre half-owns and operates the Decker and Black Butte mines in Montana and Wyoming.

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The Australian

Thoroughbred Industry To Join Rally

The multi-billion dollar Hunter Valley thoroughbred breeding industry is calling on the NSW government to come good on its election promise and protect their agricultural land from future mining projects.

The Hunter Thoroughbred Breeders Association (HTBDA) will on Tuesday join other industry groups, community leaders and concerned citizens in Sydney's CBD for a rally organised by NSW Farmers.

In March, the NSW Government released its draft regional land use policy, which classified 400,000 hectares of the Upper Hunter as high-value agricultural land.

However, new major mining and exploration projects were not ruled out under the draft government guidelines, despite a pre-election pledge by the NSW Liberals and Nationals to do so.

HTBDA vice president Andrew Wiles said the government's current plan offers the thoroughbred industry no investment certainty or protection from mining encroachment in the future.

"Clearly there's a concern across the agricultural sector," Mr Wiles said.

"They want to see the commitments made in the lead-up to the election honoured and delivered."

The HTBDA said the decision to join the rally was not taken lightly and stressed it was not an anti-mining protest but a peaceful community action.

The Hunter Valley is the second largest thoroughbred breeding region in the world, employing thousands of people across the region.

More than half of the top Australian racehorses, as ranked by the International Federation of Horse Authorities in 2011, hail from the Hunter Valley.The HTBDA has in the past successfully lobbied against mining projects in the region.

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Virtual Form Guide

SA Government approves reopening of mineral sands mine

Mining for zircon set to resume at Mindarie (ABC: William Rollo)

A controversial mineral sands mine in the South Australian Mallee has been granted State Government approval to reopen.

The zircon mine at Mindarie closed in 2009 after its former owner went into administration.

The site's new owner, Murray Zircon, has been consulting with farmers and community leaders to rehabilitate damaged land.

South Australia's Resources Minister Tom Koutsantonis says the site will diversify the state's mining sector.

"We need a diversity of minerals being exported out of South Australia," he said.

"Copper is fantastic, it's a base metal, it's something that is going to outpace iron ore.

"Iron ore is very important, uranium is vitally important for our stategic aims around the Asia Pacific.

"Mineral sands is very important because it's basically helping in day to day construction facilities."

ABC Rural

Oakeshott joins protesters

MEMBER for Lyne Robert Oakeshott will fly into Sydney this morning in time to join protesters from the Manning at a rally in Martin Place and Macquarie Street.

A bus-load of 48 Manning people will join the rally, organised by NSW Farmers and other anti-coal seam gas mining groups, in opposition of the new strategic land use policy announced by the NSW government two months ago.

Organisers are hoping the rally will draw 10,000 people, starting in Martin Place at 12.30pm and moving to outside Parliament House in Macquarie Street.

Manning Alliance, which is leading the fight against coal seam gas mining in the local region, had no trouble in filling a 48-seater coach, which was due to leave Wingham at 6.30am today to attend the rally.

Alliance chairperson, Peter Epov, welcomed Mr Oakeshott’s ongoing support and his efforts to join the Manning contingent marching in Sydney.

Public submissions relating to the state government’s new policy close this Thursday.

“Obviously, Manning Alliance will be lodging a submission outlining its concerns of this obvious backflip by the government,” Mr Epov said.

“The Liberal and National coalition went to the elections with a strategic land use policy, a seven page document, which was identified as their ‘bible’ for developers in relation to strategic land use across the state.

Manning River Times

Editor's Note:  What some people will do to try and win a vote.   Too little too late? Mmmmmm

Promise of prosperity spells death knell for mining town

When New Hope Coal arrived in Acland in 2002, company executives promised a new era of prosperity for the small Queensland town. "They said there would be jobs, jobs, jobs, and Acland would boom," recalls Glen Beutel, one resident.

Ten years on, New Hope is producing four million tonnes of coal a year, but Acland is almost deserted. As the mine has crept ever closer, locals have sold up and moved out. Only Beutel has resisted the company's offers, and - apart from a family which rents a house from him - he is the sole remaining inhabitant of the once thriving town on the Darling Downs, west of Brisbane.

The election of Campbell Newman's Liberal National Party last month has given Beutel a stay of execution, with Newman vetoing plans by the company to mine beneath the town itself. But although Newman blocked another major coal project on the fertile Darling Downs, and pledged to protect "strategic cropping areas", few expect the mining frenzy gripping Queensland - and neighbouring New South Wales - to subside.

Already one of the world's biggest coal exporters, Australia is expected to double, or even triple, exports by 2020, with most production taking place in coal-rich NSW and Queensland.

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NZ Herald (Apr 21)

L&M Energy continues Kaitangata coal seam gas drilling : NZ

L&M Energy (ASX: LME) has intersected less than 4 metres of coal seams at its Washpool-1 coal seam gas well in New Zealand.

The company said this would be confirmed during wireline testing.

The previous Taratu-1 well intersected about 23 metres of the Kai Main coal seam and 12 metres of the Carson seam. L&M had recovered 47 canisters of coal for further analysis including measurement of gas content and saturation levels.

Washpool-1 is the third of 5 wells the company is drilling to provide sufficient data to determine the CSG potential of the Kaitangata area.

Kaitangata is ideally placed to supply power to agricultural and domestic users in the Dunedin area as well as compressed natural gas, making it easy for L&M to develop a commercial project.
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Proactive Investors

Hunter farmers rally in Sydney Today

WORRIED: Left, a coal seam gas drill site; and right, Merriwa farmer Chris Kemp in a field of grain ... he believes research used in the draft land use plan was ‘‘not proven’’.

Hunter farmers and irrigators say rivers and underground water are unprotected and resource exploration inadequately controlled in the state government's draft strategic regional land use plan.

The Hunter Valley Water Users Association has called for tougher regulation of mining and coal seam gas explorers ahead of today's march and rally in Sydney to press for big changes in the government's plan.

The protest will bring together Hunter farmers, environmentalists, community groups, thoroughbred breeders and the wine industry.

Water users association president Arthur Burns said the plan's aquifer interference policy provided little if any controls on exploration and there were too many opportunities for exemptions.

The policy provides for exemptions for state significant mining and coal seam gas development granted consent under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act.

"We would prefer there be no exemptions for mining or coal seam gas under any circumstances . . .," Mr Burns said.

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Newcastle Herald

Inquiry calls for freeze on coal seam gas production

Under review ... there are calls to stop the issue of licenses for coal seam gas production until a more "comprehensive framework" is developed. Photo: Jacky Ghossein

THE NSW government should cease issuing production licences for coal seam gas production until a ''comprehensive framework'' for regulating the industry is developed, a parliamentary inquiry is set to recommend.

The inquiry's report, due to be released today, is also understood to recommend a moratorium on the controversial extraction method of fracking be continued until the national regulator finishes testing the chemicals involved.

The Herald has learnt it also advises the five-year ''royalty holiday'' granted to coal seam gas miners be scrapped and a strict limit be placed on ''fugitive emissions'' from gas mining sites.

Read More

SMH

Australian winemakers to march on parliament

Hunter Valley winemakers are leading a march on parliament in Sydney against government plans to allow coal seam gas exploration, which could threaten vine growing land.

On Tuesday May 1, thousands of Hunter Valley residents, including winemakers and farmers, will march on New South Wales Parliament House in protest. Winemakers are worried that CSG exploitation, which uses a process called fracking - involving injecting water into the seam - will deplete local water resources essential to grape growing.

The Hunter Valley Wine Industry Assocation said the New South Wales government's strategic regional land use draft plan puts miners' interests ahead of those of winemakers, landowners and residents, with particular reference to a clause allowing coal seam gas exploration proposals in those areas that are supposedly protected.

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Harpers Wine and Spirit Trade Review