Western Downs AllianceThe Australian Coal Seam Gas Industry: Dirty, Deceptive, Corrupt
Australian government officials are being payed to leave their jobs in environmental protection to work for coal seam gas companies who are currently causing environmental destruction in QLD.
How did this happen?
As was widely reported last year the Department of Environment and Management (DERM) granted an environmental approval allowing Origin Energy to discharge the equivalent of eight Olympic swimming pools of chemicals per day into the Condamine River south of Chinchilla, QLD. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-11-24/chinchilla-toxic-waste-discharge-approved/3677838
Not long after the reports above Australians found out that Santos have been discharging dangerous chemicals into the water in the Pilliga State Forest in NSW. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/new-spill-at-santos-csg-site/story-fnaxx2sv-1226246801889
While many of us called government departments trying to have this industry properly regulated, departments like DERM assured us everything was ok.
Now in January 2012 we find out that these same coal seam gas companies; SANTOS and ORIGIN are literally buying out Department of Environment and Management officials to help pollute rather than preserve our air and water.
Who do we report this environmental damage and corruption to now? Which government body is willing to stand up to these corporations? We have had a Senate Enquiry into Coal Seam Gas; http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/rat_ctte/mdb/interim_report/report.pdf the conclusion was this industry is potentially dirty and dangerous, however in continues.
If we have a Royal Commission into the Coal Seam Gas Industry will it be independent? Too many politicians are now falling to the bribery and corruption associated with Coal Seam Gas.
The former NSW Minister for Energy Ian Macdonald who authorised many of the petroleum licences for Coal Seam Gas Companies is now in the Independent Commission For Corruption. http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/exminister-macdonald-referred-to-icac-20111123-1nudf.html.
The former Queensland Minister for Industrial Relations Gordon Nuttall is in prison for 12 years after being effectively bribed by coal mining companies. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/corrupt-payment-made-by-mining-company-to-then-queensland-mp-court/story-fn3dxiwe-1225838303658
But who are these coal seam gas companies and what are they doing? The companies behind the big three Coal Seam Gas companies in Queensland — Origin, British Gas Group and Santos — declined to comment to
The Weekend Australian on how many staff they had recruited from the government.In a new twist to poacher-turned-gamekeeper, the state government’s Department of Environment and Resource Management has lost the head of its Liquefied Natural Gas Enforcement Unit, Andrew Brier, to Santos, which is developing the giant Gladstone LNG project in partnership with foreign oil companies.
DERM has lost almost 70 staff to resource companies in the past two years and the departmental head, Jim Reeves, has confirmed that other executives have been approached with job offers by CSG companies.
It is time to stand up and say no to Coal Seam Gas in Australia.
Lock The Gate Walgett.