Western Downs AllianceGaspatch News
THIS PAGE IS FOR NEWS FROM RESIDENTS AND OTHER GROUPS FIGHTING THE GAS INDUSTRY!
If you would like to have a letter, perhaps a poem or riddle, featured on our GASPATCH NEWS wall, send them to us.
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COALBED METHANE BLUES
Todd Butler: Coalbed Methane Blues
Todd Butler, Canadian satirist and musician, wrote the Coalbed Methane Blues.
Todd offers the song to everyone struggling to ensure coalbed methane development doesn’t happen in their backyards. Soon Todd will have this song, and a second one he’s working on now, posted to his own website: www.toddbutler.com
ToddButler_CoalbedMethaneBlues.mp3
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3 bedroom council approved home on 30 acres
loads of potential (for the mining companies )
great views (of the surrounding mining drill rigs)
lots of wildlife (dead)
well timbered (slowly dying)
great for insomniacs (noise 24/7)
was worth $250,000
now worthless ???
written by Scott
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There is a place called Tara
You’d think you’d couldnt get any fara
from the Pollution like the City
Aint that a Pity
Because the miners have come to town
and they aint messin around
Give me some or all of your land
You gonna lose, that’s the plan
Were determined we’ll take you to court
Still don’t agree we’ll call for a police escort
So roll over a take it like a man
Cause the labour party is certainly a fan.
written by Scott
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What Are We Doing?
Years ago our government cried come open up this land
Clean it up and populate and make it mighty grand
Bring your sheep and bring your cows and bring your grain to plant
With some sweat and toil and attitude, you’ll make good this government grant
So pack up many did and trudged along their way
Over many many miles, they travelled with horse and dray
These mighty pioneers, they faced hardships every day
But their spirits rose above it, they were here to stay
In this rugged outback, awesome sights you can behold
Stories of amazing feats, are forever being told
On the back verandah and round the blazing fire
The yarns’ll get you going, a passion they inspire
The bush folk are a tough mob, theirs is not a lifeof ease
Summers burn you to a cinder, winters make you freeze
These hardships are accepted as part of natures way
You do you get you give you love, its just another day
The coffers they got empty, frantic pollies searched around
We can make some money now from underneath the ground
We’ll draw a grid upon the map and call it mineral rights
We’ll sell it to the highest bidder, we’re sure to get some bites
Those people who with sweat and toil have made this land their home
Surely must realise, its only the surface that they own
We have bought whats underneath, and we;re going to take it now
We can vandalise your property, we don’t expect a row
Go to it boys, self regulate
Your honesty we anticipate
We know you have our health at heart
If there’s a problem, we trust you won’t even start
To get our stuff might cause some pain, but look at all the jobs you’ll gain
We’ll stuff the water, soil and air, but money’s rolling lets be fair
It’ll get our country solvent, cure the financial mess
Live for now – the future past mining is anyone’s guess
They took the water from the ground and dumped it on the road
Full of salt and chemicals and poisons to behold
Whoops sorry mate, we’ll keep it now in great big settling ponds
It won’t escape, its safe for sure, for ever and beyond
The droughts now broken Mighty Lord, we thank you for that rain
Our tanks are full, the ute got bogged, waters flowing out the drain
And helpless Lord, we stood and watched those ponds that overflowed
Spewing all that toxic sludge, into creeks, and land we sowed
Mary’s drive just caved right in, where those pipes were laid
Its not our fault, we did it right, and remember you got paid
The government has let us off, from rules that should apply
We’re saving your ass, you silly cow, with this gas supply
Old Joe he used to fill his troughs with water from his bore
Now waters just a trickle, and gas spurts out far more
And Fred he hasn’t slept for months, the drone that rig emits
Seeps into his brain at night, and drives him out of his wits
I heard it on the grapevine, I heard them whisper in the store
It crept in through my windows, and under the bedroom door
The gas wells they are leaking, they are poisoning our air
Those boys with the big bucks, they don’t seem to care
Who can we ask to help us here to save our health and land
Our pleas they fall on silent ears, complaints get swiftly canned
Money’s more important, China wants our gas
Be thankful for the jobs we give, your whinging is so crass
Oh Lord what are we doing, to secure that mighty buck
Have we sold out our grandkids, have our futures come unstuck
Is the spirit of our forefathers, right with us in this fight
Can we stop this rape and pillage, can we reverse this hideous plight
written by Sam Fraser
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This Is My Prairie- Corb Lund
This is my prairie, this is my home
I’ll make my stand here and I’ll die alone
They can drill, they can mine o’er my smouldering bones
Cuz this is my prairie, this is my home
The water is poison, my calves are all dead
My children are sick and the aquifer’s bled
They want a big pipeline right thru Pop’s grove
This is my prairie, this is my home
I can’t blame the riggers or the guys drivin’ truck
For feedin’ their families and makin’ a buck
But take a close look at the stock that you own
Cuz’ this is my prairie, this is my home
I don’t got the money that lawyers can buy
I don’t got my own government’s laws on my side
But I got this old rifle that my grand daddy owned
And this is my prairie, this is my home
This is my prairie, this is my home
I’ll make my stand here and I’ll die alone
They can drill they can mine o’er my mouldering bones
Cuz this is my prairie, this is my home.
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The Gas Drilling Man (A little doggerel for fun)
Inspired by Alfred Noyes “Highwayman” by Slingshot The wind brought a whiff of diesel among the gusty trees
The frack fluid left its glaze and its fumes caused me to wheeze
The road was a ribbon of moonlight that revealed the chamber door
And the gas driller came drilling –
Drilling-
Drilling -
And the gas driller came drilling up to the farmhouse door.
He’d a Cowboy’s hat on his forehead and a scarf around his chin,
And a coat of burnished leather, and jeans that were worn thin,
With gloves to protect his hands and goggles for his eyes,
And he dare not light a match
or he’d blow up to the skies,
His hose filled up the pit, under the gas filled sky.
Over the cobbles he clattered and clashed on the country lane,
With his monstrous truck he reeled along driving residents insane,
He whistled a tune to the window, and who should be waiting there,
But the farmer with her minerals
Jess, the farmer with her minerals
Waiting to sign the on the line, with her long scared stare.
One signature’s all that’s needed, I’m after a prize tonight,
But I shall be back with the yellow gold before the morning light,
If you press me too sharply with questions or hurry me through the day,
Then look for me by moonlight,
Watch for me by moonlight,
I’ll come to thee by moonlight and that is when I’ll spray.
He rose up for his lease, and he grasped it from her hand.
She didn’t get to read it, the court would force it on the land.
With friends who get many favors and benefits galore,
He waved goodbye in the moonlight,
Oh, sweet, sweet brine of the moonlight,
Then he chugged at his wheel in the moonlight, and coursed away through the door.
Part Two
He did not come in the dawning; he did not come at noon
And out o’ the tawny sunset, before the rise of the moon,
He set up his lights in the daytime and kept them on night and day
A troop of men came marching,
Marching, marching
Those gas drilling men came marching up to the farmhouse door.
Now they said no word to the farmer, sucked her stream dry instead,
But they gagged her by buying off press and bound her to her narrow stead;
A few of them came a knocking, with their briefcases at their side!
There was death at every window;
And hell at one dark window;
For Jess could see, through her casement, the road that they would ride.
They had tied her up with lawyers, with many a sniggering jest;
Then they drilled with manic fury shaking every hill and crest,
“Now, keep a good watch!” and they kissed her
Though she heard the dead man say –
Watch for them by the moonlight;
They’ll sully your well by the moonlight;
Your clear water well by the moonlight will turn a bloody grey!
She twisted her hands behind her; but the lack of laws just stood!
The agencies writhed through her fingers; they didn’t even try to make good
On their promises of protection so the hours crawled on like years,
Till, now, on the stroke of midnight,
Cold, on the stroke of midnight,
The poisoning of the aquifer…will wring out many tears.
Drrrop; drrrop! Had they heard it? The drill-bits ringing clear
Drrrop, Drrop in the distance? Were they deaf that they did not hear?
Down the ribbon of moonlight, over the brow of the hill,
The gas man came a drilling,
Drilling, drilling!
The gas men looked to their fracking! She stood up, straight and still!
Drrop, in the frosty silence! Drrrop in the echoing night!
Nearer he with his drilling piercing the shale that night.
Her eyes grew wide for a moment; she drew one last deep breath,
Then her voice cried out in the moonlight,
Stop all this in the moonlight
She shattered her silence in the moonlight and refused to die a slow death.
He turned and told her to keep her peace, didn’t she know he could
Carry bags of money to pay off all that he could
To keep her quiet, to hide the truth to keep the farmers mum.
Now Jess, the farmer’s daughter,
The blue-eyed farmer’s daughter,
Had watched them pierce in the moonlight, and splinter the earth in the moonlight
And God said that’s not fair.
Back they drilled like madmen, shrieking a curse to the sky,
With white tankers smoking behind them, and their drill bits brandished high!
Blood-red were their sludge pits in the golden noon, ghostly white were their trucks
When they shot down on the highway,
When they drilled up and down the highway, armed with loads of bucks.
And still of a winter’s night, they say, when the wind is in the trees,
When politicians are pressed with donations to lie and bring them to their knees
There is a terrible catastrophe of water going dry
As the gas man comes a drilling –
Drilling —drilling—
A gas man comes a drilling up to the farmhouse door.
Over the cobbles he clatters and rushed away in utter disgrace
As the farmers all gathered and locked their doors and gates
Of the disaster that was upon them, they soon sounded the alarm,
to save each drop of water and every family farm.
Leave us in peace, you robbers, of our health and of our peace.
Your pollution it’s not worth it we demand that it will cease.
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Hydrofacking is
Cracking
Breaking,Gashing
And Gapping
Bedrock
With gasses locked
Bubbles foam
When shocked
And your home ia a drilling plot
When the earth’s air
Leaks and seeps
From below your feet
It’s worth losing sleep
Demand they stop!
-Clayton DeFisher
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REGRET
Australian farms are turning
Into mud holes in the ground.
Where once the crops were growing
No birdsong quells the sound
Of big machinery churning
Where gas and oils are found.
The desolation caused there
Where all the earth lays bare
And all green trees have vanished
Shows mankind’s lack of care.
No bread to feed the nation,
Where once the golden wheat
Glistened in the sunlight
No ripened fruit to eat.
The milking cows have left here-
Sold or gone away.
No sheep for woollen clothes now.
Regret will come one day.
We cannot see the future
For the greed that money brings
And all the gold that glitters
Cannot replace these things.
By Iris Guy May, 2011
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13) A Second Open Letter on Unity
Hi People,
In an earlier letter I tried to explain that the mining companies would attempt to split town and rural residents, to not only split but to actively turn urban residents against their country cousins.
Can they do this? How will they do this? The answers are yes and money. In fact it doesn’t even take a lot of money. Just has to be spent wisely. Open any country newspaper and you will see 3,4 even 5 full page ads from British Gas/QGC or one of the other mining companies. They use the power of advertising to control both the papers readers and its editors. No editor will long keep his job if he upsets a company that pays for 5 full page ads twice a week. And what do these ads say? Nothing! Just more spin and hype. Enough to convince some readers that the documented dangers of CSG and Coal mining don’t really exist. That they are really generous benefactors who will enable everyone to become rich. Where else do they spend money? Sponsorships.
Drive around mining towns. Look for the signs. On schools, preschools, local groups of all kinds. Do those sponsorships affect the mind set of local groups? Of course!
On Monday May 2nd, Drew Hutton led a group of people from the Rock the Gate festival in Tara, in the May Day march in Chinchilla. The results have been reported in local papers. After joining the march the protestors fell slightly behind, (about 1 minute), due mainly to the slow speed of the Junkyard Bands incredible music machine. On seeing the gap, Parade marshals instructed the protestors to move to the side of the street and allow the classic, veteran and vintage cars following behind to pass. Marshals claimed the cars were overheating. The protestors, taking a small amount of time to do so, maneuvered the music machine to the side. This machine is made to travel in a straight line and needs help to turn. The cars following them refused to go through, preferring to rev the engines to cool them. How much cooling they would have received from 30 or 40 metres of travel is probably why they didn’t bother. The musicians then had to get the machine back on the street. This took even more time and increased the gap. The protestors then sped up and succeeded in closing the gap. This gap is what led to accusations of ‘misbehaviour’. Damn. Last time I was accused of misbehavior was when mum wouldn’t buy me an icecream.
However, when the parade reached the showground, Chinchilla Rotary Club refused permission for the group to enter. In fact, having read some of the signs carried by the protestors, they ‘Locked the Gate’. Rotary Club secretary Ed Hoffman claimed they had misbehaved during the march by going slow and not letting others through. After Locking the Gate for over an hour, holding up residents and protestors alike, the Rotary Club relented and allowed the protestors in providing they only set up one stall and did not bother patrons of the day. Most of the protestors left town in disgust. The Sponsors of the May Day Celebrations ? British Gas operating through QGC. Dr Libby Connors, spokeswoman for Queensland Greens stated “ Commercial Sponsorship has turned this important democratic celebration into a farce.” Friends of The Earth founder and Lock the Gate national President Drew Hutton said “If these people have decided Chinchilla is to be a company own they had better think again!”
So did the Chinchilla Rotary Club try to keep out the protestors in an attempt to protect the mining company’s sponsorship? I truly hope not. I cannot believe that it would be so easy to buy friends and influence people in Australia.
But. British Gas Group did not get to be so big and so rich by wasting money. Not when they can achieve the same ends by different methods. You see, Tara is a town already divided. Town’s people and business owners want the gas. We, who have to live with the realities of mining, want them gone. What does this have to do with BG group sponsorships and the attitude of locals?
On May 7, St Josephs Catholic School Tara hosted its annual Fete and Auction.
This day is known far and wide as Father Jacks Auction. It is one of the biggest days on Tara’s annual calendar. St Josephs is a small school catering to kids from years 1-7. This day is its major fundraiser. Father Jack, after whom the day is named locally, is our local Catholic priest, although sometimes I am not sure of that. as he is often away at places as distant as Warwick, Toowoomba and even Longreach conducting baptisms, weddings and funerals. He is not only a very Christian man but a genuine good bloke. Take your problems to Father Jack and you are sure to get help. Father Jack, in his travels has seen the destruction and despair that comes with the mining industry. On many occasions he has shown sympathy and support for the Tara Protestors.
So please, British gas, tell me what happened to the sponsorship for Father Jacks Auction? Surely a small struggling country school is as worthy of sponsorship as a May Day march? Or will the withholding of sponsorship be seen by Tara locals as one more way the protestors have hurt the community? One more thing to use as a wedge to split the urban and rural residents?
Be careful readers. Whatever mining company is working in your area the methods will be the same. Divide and Conquer. They will use local newspapers, local radio, local groups and meetings to spread the fallacy that CSG is harmless. That mining is good for the country and that your local protest group is “a loud mis-informed minority”. Don’t be mis-informed. Use the internet. Research this problem. Expose the lies. Join us. We walk with pride and hold our heads high. We don’t need mining company sponsorship.
Till next time
Peter McGowan
PO BOX 166
TARA, QLD 4421
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12) An Open Letter to the Residents of Towns in the Mining Sector
Hello,
I have spent the day listening to smarter men (and women) then me, dissect the budget. What will it mean to me?
You have read before my complaints about the rising cost of housing, both rental and sales, in our country towns.
Well, the Unholy Alliance has surprised me again. 16,000 migrant miners to come to regional mining areas. Now, traditionally migrants are young family men looking to find a better life for themselves and a more hopeful life for their children. So, 16000migrant miners will be 16,000 migrant miners families. However this government has said some will be based in mining towns and some fly in- fly out. Given half and half we will have about 8,000 more families coming west. I don’t know how many areas have the mining boom running full steam as it is here in Tara and how many are still in planning stage but I suspect about 20 towns like Dalby and Chinchilla will be affected.
That’s about 400 new families per town. If each family has 2 children of school age that’s 800 new kids in school. In each town. Now add the 25 to 30 new teachers each school will need. Up to 450 new households in each town. We only have about 250 homes in Tara. A lot of these homes are rented. What will happen to rent levels when around 500 families want 50 homes? Chinchilla residents already know. Rents there are approaching $400 per week. Bit much when pensioners get around $600 per fortnight. Of course, regional centres will fare better. Not so. I heard on the news where rents in Caloundra have reached $450 per week. What will happen to the unemployed, the disabled, the elderly when 450 new families hit town? The charities I mentioned in an earlier letter better hold recruitment drives. What other problem will we face? Where are those extra teachers going to teach? What about Doctors? Can’t get an appointment now. Lot harder with 800 kids in town not used to the climate etc. Police. How many more will we need? (None in the Tara Estates, we always seem to have plenty.)
A lot of the smaller communities that host mining camps have had trouble with miners letting off steam, clashes between miners and locals, too much alcohol being consumed. Now we can add in racial tensions, different work practices and the old attitude of our way is best. Can only lead to more problems.
I don’t mean to only blame miners. This problem has been around a long time. During WW2 Aussies hated Yanks because “they are overpaid, over sexed and over here”
What about dentists? I suppose these miners will come from areas with a lot higher population than country Australia. What will they do when they find out there are probably no more than 5 dentist from Dalby west to the Nth Territory Border?
Did Wayne and his mining partners think this through or do they care as little for these migrants as they do for Australians?
Hospitals. Will Wayne explain to these miners that Australia has a Base hospital system and that their wives may have to travel between 2 and 4 hundred kilometres just to give birth? That in an accident they may have to be transported a thousand kilometres? That our small country hospitals rarely perform an operation of any kind, preferring to send you to a base hospital? With no real care about how you are to get there? Our air ambulance staff do a mighty job and got my youngest son to Brisbane quickly and efficiently but can this limited service cope with 16,000 extra people employed in a high risk occupation? Driving on unsealed country roads with dangers they haven’t even dreamed of?
Let’s have a quick look at the budget.
I see where Wayne has claimed back some of the 12 billion dollars the energy sector gets in tax concessions and incentives each year. Almost a billion dollars. He has cut the fringe benefits tax concessions for company cars.
Who will this affect? Australian workers and Australian companies. Like the builder who uses the ute to take his boy go-kart racing on weekends. Like the electrician that tows the family boat with his work truck. Like the retired bookkeeper doing part time work, who accepts the use of a car to supplement the pension.
Won’t hurt his partners at all. Just Aussies!
Did I mention the energy sector gets 12 billion in tax concessions? The renewable energy sector gets $100 million!
Multi-national mining companies get 120 times the funding that renewable and energy efficient projects get.
Wayne, I expected you and your partners to give us Hell, but you shock me again. You are giving us so much more.
Peter McGowan
PO BOX 166
TARA, QLD 4421
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11) An open letter to those who trust our Government
Hi,
I started writing these letters thinking I would write one or two and get a few things off my chest and maybe expose a bit of the unholy Alliance of Government and the Mining Multinationals. I can’t stop. Every time I listen to the news I see more examples of greed and stupidity. I see examples of government treating Aussies as if we are stupid. One example. Queensland’s Governments hype about the hundreds of conditions mining companies have to comply with. Oh yeah? They only have to comply with them after the first 18 months of the life of the project. The governments hype over the saving of Prime Agricultural Land. Oh yeah? The conditions placed on this classification mean that the only land that qualifies is the artificially leveled land used for the flood irrigation of cotton. Another exported commodity. Further on that, did you see where some cane farmers were lucky enough not to have coal or CSG on their land? The unholy alliance has thought of that. Bauxite exploration crews are moving in insisted. Yes. Bauxite exploration leases are being signed right now. One already signed even covers Toowoomba city. Going to be one hell of a landscape. Holes and more holes as far as you can see. If you don’t already know, bauxite is used in the production of aluminium. Is there a shortage worldwide of bauxite? Do we need more bauxite mines? No to both. Didn’t our government pay for ads to get us to recycle aluminium cans etc so we would not need more mines? Yes. When will it end?
I have complained before about gov waste on TV ads. Its my understanding that an ad during prime time costs upwards of $30,000+ each ad. These gov ads are on continuously. They even sponsor Millionaire Hot Seat!
I cant but wonder- how many more teachers, nurses, etc would this money pay for? How many schools and hospitals, roads and ambulances?
Come on Julia. Show some financial responsibility. This is public money. Use it wisely.
Did you see where Julia tackled the Chinese Government over human rights? They laughed at her. They were right to. Look at our government’s record on indigenous Affairs.
Look at what the government is doing to Aussie landholders and farmers. Aussies are usually a quiet respectful bunch but every week there are new protests throughout this country. There are now over 80 grassroots organizations in the Lock The Gate Campaign/union. Is yours one of them? If not, join up. The larger we get the more power we have to effect change. This government needs a wakeup call. It needs a massive dose of Epsom salts. I want to put my name down to be the one who holds the spoon. Friends of The earth and Six Degrees are both on the internet and always welcome new members.
Think your group is too small? As Drew Hutton said at the Rock The Gate Festival, my own group, Western Downs Alliance, has no membership list, has never had an official meeting and is still known all over this country and many others.
I see in the paper where Western Downs Regional Council will be taking people out to inspect the CSG mining industry. A better idea if you want to see it properly is to contact Friends of The Earth, Six Degrees or Western Downs Alliance. Any of these groups can show you the real side of CSG mining, not the sanitized QGC version.
Lastly we are approaching the date of the court cases for Libby, Drew, Bob and Thomas. This will be held on May 18th at Chinchilla Magistrates Court. Send your support to the above organizations and to Thomas Brookes at the Sea Shepherd Foundation. Bob Irwin of course can be contacted through the internet at his own sites.
Let these people know you care.
Thank you
Will write again soon!
Peter McGowan
PO BOX 166
TARA, QLD 4421
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10) An open letter to appeal for unity
Hello,
In an earlier letter I quoted the fact that the town of Acland no longer exists, destroyed by the mining boom.
I also quoted the fact that the NSW Government has approved a CSG well in Marrickville and is considering another one in St Peters.
Do I believe these two wells will be installed? No I don’t. I believe this is just another move by the unholy alliance of government and the multinational mining companies. The unholy alliance will bow to public and cancel permission for these wells. Why will they do this? Divide and conquer. Give in to urban Australians and thus divide town and country Australia yet again.
I cannot blame urban Australia. Faced with the prospect of wells on my block at first, I just wanted them to go elsewhere too. The majority of people in St Peters and Marrickville will not even realize they are being manipulated.. After all, most people still trust and believe in their Government. Faced with the choice of CSG wells in city limits or the same wells out in the countryside, I know which one I would pick. However the basic problem of CSG wells remain. As Australians we must remain united against the alliance and stop the mining of CSG and coal. Australia cannot afford it. 21% increase in greenhouse gas emissions in QLD. The carbon Credit Trading Scheme. The resulting increase in prices affecting every part of daily life. The damage to Gladstone Harbours. Open cut coal mines producing 40 and 60 million tones of coal per annum. The loss of carbon storing bushlands. The danger of LNG super tankers in our harbours. The mining of our state forests. The injection of toxic chemicals into our aquifiers. The very real risk of the dangers to public health. The dangers og gas wells leaking to LEL the threat to the Great Artesian Basin which lies under 22% of Australia. The release of semi treated water into rivers and streams in the belief that the toxins will be diluted. The storage of flow back water in ponds and dams in areas subject to flooding.
The danger to your children’s health from coal mines. I saw in an article where children living within 3.4km of coalmines have a greatly increased risk and level of asthma amongst other things. How many more kids will be exposed by the coal transport rail lines? A coal train every 15 minutes. I don’t know how long this rail line will be but if I compare it with the CSG pipeline it has to be between 400 and 600km long. If Coal fine particles spread 3.4km out from a coal mine, how much further from a speeding train? Even if we only extend the distance to 5km, this means kids living in an area of up to six thousand sq km will now be exposed.(400km long by 5km each side) these rail lines will go through highly populated areas and cities as they make their way to the port.
Of Course, these are not the only mega coal mines planned. There are many more. One that comes to mind is on Bimble Box, a nature reserve of 8000 hectares in Central West QLD.
As you can see people, it is not only those of us living in the mining areas that will be affected. Australian cities and towns could be like English towns during their coal boom, dying from lung infections etc.
Where will the money come from to prop up a health system that is already overloaded? Not from the multinationals!
If we are to protect our kids and our future we must join together. We must stop the CSG and Coal industries from destroying this country.
Please don’t just dismiss what I am saying. As Fox Mulder says’ The truth is out there’. Just pick a subject from the list above and Google it.
Sit down first and prepare to be horrified!
I’ll be back soon.
Peter McGowan
PO BOX 166
TARA, QLD 4421
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9) An Open Letter To Anyone Who Pays Tax (including GST)
Hello Again,
Just saw Wayne Swan on the news. Again. Made me think. Again. Do you, in your area, have many charities working? Things like Salvation Army that help disadvantaged Australians and others with clothes, furniture, advice and even money to help pay power bills etc. Charities like Food Connect that collect food and distribute it to help Aussies put tea on the table for their kids. What about the so-called big bad bikies that each autumn hold blanket runs so Aussie kids can have a warm bed? Community groups that mow lawns etc for the elderly? Meals on wheels? There are many many more.
Several things I have seen on TV over the last few days prompted this line of thought, first I saw an ad asking Australians to donate so disadvantaged kids can have school shoes, uniforms and even school lunches. I saw on the news that even small business are closing throwing hundreds out of work. I saw Julia accepting from Abu Dhabi 30 million dollars to go towards cyclone shelters for Nth QLD that should have been built 10yrs ago. I saw Wayne Swan skiting that Aussies who earn less than$30,000 per year would get $6 per week, or $312 per year. Are we supposed to cheer? With energy bills set to rise by 17% the Carbon Emission Trading Scheme about to raise prices on everything? How much could Wayne have given to the poor.
The 12 billion dollars the energy sector gets in tax concessions and incentives amounts to $545 per year or $10.45 per week , per Australian. Not per tax payer. Per Australian. 12 Billion dollars divided by 22 million Australians., lets add to this the 25.5 billion that has to be spent over the next couple of years on infrastructure for these same mining companies and the figure reaches around $1,200 per year per Australian or $23.00 per week, for a total of $33.45 per week compare this to $6 per week per tax payer. Now count your dependants, multiply by 33.45, then add 6. That’s how much Wayne could have helped you per week.
Yet Julia, without the slightest hint of shame , accepts 30 million from overseas to protect aussies. As I asked before, is there somewhere they breed politicians?
Do you think the shareholders of these mining companies will worry about the elderly Australians who will die this winter because they cannot afford to run heaters and are too proud to ask for help? Worry about the Aussie mums who cry when send their kids to school without shoes or even lunch! How far would $1,200 per tear per Australian go to help? Why should this money go to help profit level of companies that already have more money then Cecil J Rhodes ever dreamt of? Why when you could collect this money are you instead legislating and charging small companies out of existence? One of my local companies, a firm that has been in business helping and advising Tara residents since Puff the Magic Dragon was still an egg , will close in June. Driven out of business by government legislation, government charges and license fees and the sheer frustration of dealing with Government departments. Of course mining companies don’t have to put up with crap like this. They have adaptive legislation . Next to last point. When we have poisoned the water and the land to such an extent that only small areas can grow and support clean crops and livestock, will these areas become a Project of National Significance and receive new roads, trucks fuel subsidies etc?
Last point. 2 billion dollars towards mental health. We need it. Without any disrespect toward any person with mental issues I know that trying to understand the stupidity of our Governments is going to drive me crazy. Seriously though, Australia will need this money . Unless something is done for average Australian depression is going to affect more and more people.
Peter McGowan
PO BOX 166
TARA, QLD 4421
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An open letter to all concerned, Australia has lost control of its future!
Me again,
Why would I say Australia has lost control of its future? Well not really lost it, Just sold it. To the mining industry. Our Government has given control of 80% of Queensland to the multinationals. They have 70% of NSW, and control over my land and yours. HOW?
On receipt of a notice of intention to enter, I must then enter into compensation agreement negotiations for the disruption to my lifestyle and the destruction of my land. I have 40 days to agree to terms. If I fail to accept the terms offered the company will then refer the matter to the land court. Once the matter is listed with the land court, the mining company has the right to immediately enter my land and do what they wish. They do not have to wait for the outcome of the court case. Where is the justice in this? Next, mining companies are exempt from the Sustainable Planning Act 2009. Well, with an industry like coal mining or CSG they would have to be. Otherwise where does the sustainable part come in? How does this affect Australian graziers, who traditionally lease land in state forests, are not going to have their leases renewed. Instead the coal and CSG companies will be moving in. Mining companies have control of our transport rail infrastructure. HOW?
Two new coal mines in Western Queensland have been approved. One to produce 40 million tonnes per annum, the other to produce 60 million tonnes per annum. These have been classed as projects of national significance. That means it will be a state priority to build the rail and port network to handle the coal produced. It has been estimated that a coal train will pass any given spot along the rail lines length every 15 minutes. What is the cost of infrastructure to service the coal and CSG industries in QLD? Approximately 25.5 billion dollars. Over a thousand dollars from every Australian. This is on top of the 12 billion dollars the energy sector receives from the Federal Government in tax concessions and incentives each year.
If Australia had control of its own land would we allow the destruction of the habitat of the dugong? The danger of LNG bulk tanker passing within 500 metres of Gladstone’s C.B.D? Coal trains passing every 15 minutes leaving a black cloud of dust in its wake? After all, you have to cover your trailer when you go to the tip! Not so for the mining sectors.
I have in my hand an application notice Environmental Protection Act 1994- section 310s. This was published in the Chinchilla News on Thurs April 21st 2011.
It lists some of the activities Australia Pacific LNG intends to carry out on the areas named. Things like chemical storage, gas producing electricity generation, regulated waste storage waste disposal, sewage treatment, water treatment, extending pipelines, a high hazard dam, amongst others. However, we as landholders have the right to object in the land court. Of course then you run the risk of having court costs awarded against you. Is this likely? In 2007 the QLD Conservation Council objected to an expansion of the Xstrata Newlands Coal Mine, in the land tribunal Court (now the land court), under grounds related to the likely climate change impacts. The State Government changed the law before a rehearing occurred to authorize the mining lease and environmental authority.
Want to know more? Contact the Environmental Defenders Office QLD.
So far I have covered control of the land and transport. What about finance? Well they do receive tax concessions etc that amount to about $1,500 per year for every working Australian. $1,500. Is that enough for the companies and our governments? NO. They are exempt from rent tax the Government implemented to replace the Mining Super Profits tax. What more can this unholy alliance sneak past us?
Did you see in the paper that Catherine Tanner has been appointed to the Board of the Reserve Bank?
Ms Tanner is not only the head of the Queensland Gas Company but the executive Vice President of British Gas U.K.
Has our Government no shame? Where do they breed these people?
Peter McGowan
PO BOX 166
TARA QLD 4421
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7) To The Urban Residents of Australia.
Hello Again,
I must apologise to you. It has been pointed out to me that I am writing these letters assuming that you know, as I do, about country life. I am sorry. I now understand that many people have no real identifiable concept of land area. That is, how big is a hectare? We all learn in school that a hectare is 100 metres x 100 metres but when you live in a town or city on a normal house block you have no point of reference to compare this size to. I will try to make it clearer, just outside Jandowae there used to be a town called Acland. That name is now owned by a coal mine. The people have been moved (except for one very gutsy, very determined man) to make way for a coal mine. The town is gone. Destroyed. One man sits alone in quiet testimony. The coal mine that appropriated the name of Acland covers some 7,700 hectares. How big is that? Let’s see. One method of comparision is a common point in the lives of all Australians. That is roads and travel. We all know and understand the tyranny of distance. So. In my home area of Tara a duel carriageway road is a standard 6 metres wide. This means every metre of road takes 6 square metres of land or 1,000 metres takes 6,000 square metres of land. Knowing that, we can now divide 7,700 hectares into 6 metre wide strips. When we join those strips end to end we will have a road that stretches from Darwin in the north to Adelaide in the south down either coast. Visiting all capital cities on the way. Not bad for one very small coal mine. But it is boring to have to travel home on the same road so lets look at my home area, the Tara Residential Estates. Some 17,000 odd areas are to be cleared legally on these estates. A lot will be cleared without permission. By the way I am only talking about ground that will be dozed to make way for mining infrastructure.
When we apply the same principles to this area we can then travel back to Darwin by the opposite coast. This area is my backyard. Long road hey.
Let’s carry on with CSG fields of the Surat Basin. With some 100,000 hectares to be cleared how big would this road be? If we applied the same principles and constructed another road we find that we can make an 8 lane super highway that circumnavigates the earth at the level of the equator and leaves enough land leftover to build a major service station on each side of the highway every 250 km. Does this help you get your head around the area of land being taken from it’s legal owners? Do you have a better understanding of my stand against the mining companies?
Sorry let me take it further.
Acland Coal Mine, operated by New Hope coal, produces around 4.7 million tones of coal per year. The Queensland Government, with their partners the mining and resource sector, are planning a 40million ton per annum mine at Wondoan. Damn.
If the land area is comparable to production tonnage, our super highway is now 76 lanes wide. But wait there’s more . The unholy Alliance is also planning another coal mine with a projected tonnage of 60 million per annum. Holy smoke batman!! Our Super highway is now 178 lanes wide. 89 each way. An area bigger then some small countries. Not bad for just 4 small mining areas.
Do you now understand the amount of land involved? Do you now understand the Governments rush toward a carbon emission trading scheme? Do you now understand why your cost of living is set to go through the roof? Do you understand why government is subsiding the mining sector by 12 Billion dollars per year? If you understand that last one please explain it to me. The mining companies have enough money already without taking yours.
By the way please don’t get pathetic and think because you live in town you are safe from the mining companies. Remember the town of Acland . Also the NSW government is considering the approval of a gas well in suburban St Peter’s .Think that’s stupid ? They have already approved one in Marrickville.
Til next time.
Peter McGowan
PO BOX 166
TARA, QLD 4421
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6)An open letter to all who will be affected by a Carbon Trading Scheme (and who won’t?)
Hello again,
At the present time our Prime Minister Julia Gillard is in an almighty rush to push through parliament a carbon emissions trading scheme. WHY?
She is required by the terms of the Kyoto Protocol, to take action to limit and reduce the production of green house equivalent gases. What effect will a carbon emissions trading scheme have on you or me?
Do you buy fruit or vegies, clothes or groceries, drive a car or motorbike, watch TV or turn on a light, pay rates rent or government charges?
Every facet of life in Australia will be affected by rising prices to offset the cost of the scheme. After all, no company is going to absorb this cost if someone else (us) can pay it.
What is the Kyoto Protocol?
It is an agreement formulated in Kyoto on 11th December 1997 and signed by Kevin Rudd on Australia’s behalf on December 3rd 2007.It was ratified 90 days later.
It is an agreement between nations, as stated, to reduce green house emissions. 3 mechanisms are included to allow signatories to fulfill their obligations. Australia has chosen the trading scheme option. WHY? Simple really. Once again the unholy alliance between government and the mining sector comes into play. You see, Australia has no intention of reducing greenhouse gases. In fact, Australia will increase greenhouse gas emissions in Queensland alone by 21% per year. How much more when the CSG industry moves into NSW and the Hunter Valley? Into the beautiful vineyards and rolling hills?
Where will it stop? Currently 80% of Queensland and 70% of NSW are under mining exploration leases. Why are we in this position? The government’s greed for the almighty dollar. This greed has blinded them to the consequences of CSG mining.
It has committed Australia, already the largest exporter of coal, to become the world’s largest exporter of CSG. It has driven the Australian Government to give multinational mining companies tax concessions and incentives to the tune of some 12 billion dollars this financial year. What could this amount of money have done for Australia? These companies have received those concessions since 2001. Does this mean Australia signed the Kyoto Protocol knowing full well that we could not and would not reduce greenhouse gas emissions? I don’t know but the question has to be asked. However the reality exists that our government is allowing CSG mining in residential areas in full knowledge of the health and environmental costs. The mining companies don’t mind. It is the Australian public that is paying the cost in lost tax revenue and rising prices to cover the carbon trading scheme.
Your government. Your money.
Have your say, contact your local member, tell them we have had enough!
Peter McGowan
PO BOX 166
TARA, QLD 4421
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5)An Open Letter To Anyone Affected By Global Warming,
Hello;
Those of you who have read my letters know of my concern for the alliance between all levels of Government in this country and the mining and resource sector. I continually see mining executives and Government officials in the media telling us what a great thing CSG is and how it is the “ clean green fuel” Sorry people it is not. According to Cornell University, emissions from CSG when hydraulic fracturing , extraction , transport and processing are included in the total figures, runs at 33.6 tonnes of CO2 equivalent gases per giga watt hour or about 62% more than diesel or petroleum powered generators(approx 20.3 tonnes per giga watt hour )
Figures show that CSG is cleaner to burn than coal if you measure only the emissions from the power station and ignore all the other emissions . Then the cleanest gas fired power station is 51% cleaner than the dirtiest coal fired generator but the dirtiest gas fired generator is only 13% cleaner then the cleanest coal fired generator. Almost a tongue twister that one.
How can CSG be cleaner than coal but dirtier than petrol? By far the greatest amount of greenhouse gasses produced by CSG are during the production phase. As Queensland is going to export the vast majority of gas produced and not get back the advantage gained when burning the gas, we, who are already the state emitting the most greenhouse gasses in one of the highest producing countries on earth , are set to increase our production of CO2 equivalent gases by 21% over the next 3 to 5 years. To quote a far more intelligent man then myself,” Why is it so?”
To understand this you must know something of the mining process. Hydraulic fracturing( or fracking) is used to release methane gas from the coal seam. A mixture of water and any combination of some 300 toxic chemicals is forced into the coal seam under pressure to fracture the coal seam and release the gas. When the pressure is released water and gas flows back out of the wells. This is called flow backwater and contains many many toxic chemicals. However at the same time gas released by this process is also released into the atmosphere. Some university estimates put the amount of this gas at between1% and 6% of the total gas produced during the total life of the well , this fracking process can be performed on each well up to 6 times. ( Surat Basin? 40,000 wells)
Government officials have also admitted that 5% of all gas wells will leak. It is the level at which the government calls a well that is scary. It is not classed as leaking unless it is leaking to the low explosive level or LEL. With 40,000 wells to be installed in the Surat Basin, we will according to Steven Robertson Minister for Natural Resources Mines and Energy, have 2,000 wells just waiting for a careless cigarette, a hot engine exhaust or a bush fire before exploding into action. Might be a good time to rethink our rural fire fighting techniques. We may have to stay back a bit. Monitoring of gas wells is limited but conservative estimates state that an overall leakage rate of 3% would cancel all the greenhouse gas advantages claimed for CSG over coal. Remember the figure for fracking? Leaking also occurs during the processing, pumping and transport stages where pressure relief valves are used to control internal pressures. These valves vent to the open air. However methane is colourless and can only be seen using specialized filming techniques. So what is the amount in total of greenhouse gases to be released in Queenslands fresh air? The 3 LNG projects approved in QLD will emit 24.14 million tonnes per year for the life of the projects. These figures do not include the loss of Hundreds and Thousands of hectares of carbon storing forests and woodlands cleared to make way for the wells , pipelines etc, of course , China will gain the advantage of CSG as they will only have to pay the carbon costs for the burning of the gas and will thereby reduce their greenhouse gas emission by between 13% and 51% in their power stations.
Till next time.
Peter McGowan
PO BOX 166
TARA, QLD 4421
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4)An Open Letter to all Those Affected by the Mining Boom
Hi. I’m back.
First I just have to revisit the subject of “Adaptive Legislation” or “Reactive Legislation.” Whichever you prefer. I listened to Kate Jones, Minister for Climate change and sustainability, on ABC radio the other day. She was trying to explain what it is. I think an example shows that better:-During the exploration and allotment of leases phase, public input is sought on all manner of subjects to do with CSG. With the help of government departments and scientists certain levels of pollutants were deemed to be allowable in water pumped from gas wells. Water containing more than this amount had to be treated before being released. After being legislated for, you would think the matter settled. I did. Not so. QGC has recently gone back to their partners, The Queensland State Government, and applied to have these levels doubled. Will we have more public consultations? No. You guessed it. “Adaptive Legislation” exists. As any parent of a teenager knows, draw the line. Stick to it. Or give up and let the lads rule the roost. Or in Queensland’s place, is it too late?
In my last letter I asked Wayne Swan to please do something for the people of this area who are suffering due to the rapid expansion of the gas fields. Funnily enough I read in the Toowoomba Chronicle where our Prime Minister Julia, on discussing new legislation concerning poker machines, stated that “it is un-Australian to profit from the suffering of others.” Really? Tell that to the pensioners whose rent has doubled. Tell that to the young families who cannot afford to rent a house. Tell that to the people living in a gas field. Julia, do you know anyone who is trying to survive on a pension? Do you know anyone who is trying to protect his home and lifestyle from mining companies? O do you only see them during those 10 second news bytes? You have a chance to go some way to help them. The budget is coming soon. Wayne is already on the news saying how bad it will be. Tell me, where will the axe fall heaviest? Will it be on big businesses, banks, and mining companies? Will we get back some of the 12 billion dollars we are investing in the mining companies? The total has to be over 100 billion by now. Will it be the little people, the ones who can least afford it, the ones with the least ability to fight back? My father was a lifelong true believer in, and supporter of, the A.L.P.
He would be horrified to see what it has become. What has happened to the principles the A.L.P. was built on? Are they as dead as the Tree of Knowledge? What happened, Julia? When did the A.L.P. lose its way and forget about the Australian public? When did multi-national companies become more important than real people? Can I vote Labor again? I don’t know. Some advice you don’t need. Read the polls. I am not the only one that feels this way.
Now, back to the mining companies. QGC has stated on film that the lone iron bark tree will stay. They won’t put it in writing. Let’s see how good their word is. I can guess.
Also from an earlier letter, I talked about the clean-up effort I took part in at Condamine. Now I see Roma has been flooded again. 3 times in just over a year. Poor buggers. I have been flooded out but will not presume to say I know how you feel. 3 times is past a joke. My point is this. If I am wrong about the settling ponds along the Condamine River above the town of Condamine and the subsequent effort to clean that town then where was the help when Roma needed it? These people refused to cancel their Easter Fest but only had one day to clean-up. If anyone ever needed help, they did. So where was it? Finally, Wayne, Julia, do something for Australia instead of multi-national companies. Claw back the 12 billion and help your fellow Aussies. The mining companies are rich enough. They don’t need it. Aussies, however, do.
Thank you.
Peter McGowan
PO Box 166
Tara, QLD 4421
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3)An Open Letter to Residents of All Areas Affected by or about to be Affected By the Coal Seam Gas and Coal Industries And Our Governments.
Hello again,
First I just want to clear up a few points from the last letter. The metal forms used by QGC to cross pipelines with their vehicles and heavy equipment have been photographed and the photos are on the Western Downs Alliance Facebook page. Have a look. ‘Bryce’ Keating at this time is awaiting the commencement of his court case against QGC for the breach of the compensation agreement. Further on this point, When our protest group discovered the extent of the clearing on ‘Bryces’ property, we went there and blockaded the internal gate to stop further clearing. This was at the same time QGC had voluntarily reported a breach of their environmental agreement, on a property at Dalby, by clearing 6kms of land without proper approvals. At ‘Bryce’s’, We successfully stopped work for several hours before being instructed by police, themselves under instruction by Barry Naylor of QGC, that we had to move or be arrested under the “impeding a mining authorities legal right to perform its duties” legislation. Drew Hutton, co-founder of Friends of The Earth, felt so strongly that QGC was acting illegally that he refused to leave and was arrested. We protesters were escorted from the property by police. That afternoon and the next morning QGC completed the work on Bryce’s property even though they had been informed the compensation agreement was no longer in place and they would be considered to be trespassing. We are currently trying to protect a lone iron bark tree that still stands along the pipelines. It stands alone and unafraid as are the protesters. Following on Drews arrest a further blockade was held at QGCs Kenya Gas fields to protest the destructive and what we believe to be illegal actions of QGC at Bryce Keating’s property. At this protest Bob Irwin, Libby Conners and Thomas Brookes were arrested for Civil Disobedience for refusing to obey the instructions of a police officer. The fines faced by this wide and varied group? QGC was fined $19800 for ignoring their environmental authority on three occasions. $6600 for each breach. Drew Hutton faces a possible fine of $50,000 for trying to stop them doing it again. Bobby, Libby and Thomas face substancial fines for showing their support for his actions and showing their disgust at the extent of the destruction. These people will face Chinchilla Magistrates Court on May 18 . How much will a fine of $19,800 affect the company the size of British Gas? About as much as a mosquito on the sole of an elephants foot will bother the elephant! Just how much will this company be allowed to get away with? Next, i mentioned the adds the Government runs of TV stations. All of them including Pay TV. I continually see adds encouraging us to save energy yet i also see where the 20% rebate on new Solar Energy installations will cease after June. Isn’t this false economy? Just stop the adds, use the money saved to increase the rebate. Then there will be more people installing Solar Power. More power produced. With the ever increasing cost of energy people are already doing all they can to save their wallets and purses from any more punishment.
Another point I brought up was the compensation agreements in place with QGC. Some 600 of them. Are you one of the 600? Did you know that on custodial land, that is state or crown land the Government (the custodians) will receive, per hectare lost to mining $942.60 per year C.P.I. indexed and with the agreement to be reviewed every 7 years. Also the custodians are entitled to stumpage fees for the trees removed. Currently around $80 per cubic meter at first for standing timber then half a cubic meter per year for the life of the well. These amounts to be reviewed every 7 years. Hectares lost include well heads, pipelines, roads, settling ponds, anode beds etc. As around 2 hectares plus are lost to each well, this can be a substantial amount. Especially if you have multiple wells on your land. Were you informed of this before you signed you agreement? Would you have signed your current agreement if you had this knowledge? Should you have been informed? Surely the answer is worth a call to your solicitor.
One further thing, I see in the papers Wayne Swan is claiming the mining and resources boom is not going to be as lucrative to government as first thought. Why?
$25,000,000,000 is a lot of money. But it is still only 10% of the expected boom leaving $225,000,000,000 to be shared by the mining companies in this state. Poor buggers. Couldn’t afford to pay the mining super tax. Come on Wayne. Give me a break. As financial custodian of our country you are supposed to protect me and my future. Not sell my birth right for a bloody pittance. Not supposed to help multi-national mining companies to destroy our land and lifestyles whilst offering us compensation that can only be called insulting. Remember this Wayne. At election time we do not elect the best person for the job. We try to elect the best person available at that time. Times change Wayne. Start thinking about your fellow Australians.
Last point, Am I against the mining boom and the benefits it could bring to us as the Australian people? No. I am not. I merely want properly enforced safe guards in place and a reasonable return for our resources. We have 5 mining inspectors in this state. 5 inspectors to check on all the wells going in. Yet we have up to 100 police to keep tabs on a few protestors. Where is the balance? Where is the governments focus? We need more inspectors. Lots. Who else do we have to check on these companies? To ensure environmental base lines are met? To ensure that wells are even cased correctively? To inspect monitoring wells? I especially want the mining companies out of the residential blocks. There is enough land out there. Enough larger land holders who are willing to allow the wells. Why should we have to live within meters of gas wells? Where else in this state are industrial areas placed amongst family homes? Remember Anna, Wayne, Julia. Elections are coming. It is time to think about the little Australians. Time to let the big end of town stand on their own feet. Don’t punish anymore, the under privileged, the disabled, the unemployed and the pensioners of Dalby, Chinchilla, areas like mine and many others in this country. These people are being forced from their homes by rising rents caused by the influx of workers for the mining companies. Do something for them. Am I right to ask you to do this? I think so. When my father explained democracy and Australia’s two party system to me he believed that it was the labour party that served the working man, the pensioners, the under privileged. The liberal party, in coalition with either the national party or country party, represented the cockies, the farmers, the business men, the big end of town. Democracy, of course, enables us to change leadership periodically. That stops one side of town gaining too much power or influence over the other. Natural checks and balances. When both sides of government support the big end of town and all ignore the little person, what has happened to democracy?
Remember. Mine isn’t the only voice out here. There are over 50 grass roots groups currently under the Lock the Gate banner. Groups that include cockies and businessmen. We are growing. We are getting louder. We are getting more and better information. We are reaching more people. We will vote.
Thank you for reading.
Peter McGowan
PO BOX 166 Tara, QLD, 4421
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2)An Open Letter to the Residents of Tara and The Surat Basin
Hello again,
In my last letter I touched on many points in an attempt to give a broad overview of the Coal Seam Gas Industry. Now I want to discuss some specific points. Namely, pipelines, wells and wildfire.
I am a member of one of the most respected and best regarded Rural Fire Brigades in this state. I am very proud of this fact. I must state here that Fire Com and the Rural Fire Brigade system is non-political and as is only right will refuse to take sides or even comment on the gas versus anti-gas debate. We as an organization, are here to help and protect the community as a whole. Given my admitted animosity to the Coal Seam Gas industry can I fulfill my duties as a fireman if QGC property is threatened? Yes. Fire does not discriminate between the property of good guys and bad guys. It will destroy my property as eagerly as it does QGC. To protect my own home I must protect all others to the best of my ability. No matter who you are, what you do or where you live. As a fireman I have agreed not to discuss the CSG industry while in uniform, at training, at a brigade function or representing the brigade in any way. I will continue to adhere to this agreement.
However, as a private citizen and member of my local community, I feel I have not only the right but the obligation to put into the public forum the problems that I see developing. I, of course, like you am a product of my upbringing, my education no matter how obtained, and my training. This, I believe, has enabled me to see some very real problems that I believe will occur in this area. That is, the combination of wildfire, gas wells and underground gas pipelines.
In this country bushfire is not only a common event but also one that is necessary for the health and continued survival of our bushland. A large percentage of our Flora and Fauna depend on fire to breed and feed. As firemen we understand this and, as do many other organizations, conduct controlled burns when and where required.
How does the gas industry impact on this? On first sight, those long cleared areas where pipelines are laid appear to be excellent firebreaks. They very well could be and as such would make life much easier for the Rural Fire Fighters. BUT. The truth of these pipelines is very very different. To show this is so I will explain what happened along the pipeline laid beside Mary Rd and Joseph Rd. Probably others too but these ones I know about. The pipes laid along these roads go up and down gently rolling hills. I don’t know if the engineers working for this pipe laying company, (not QGC), were not taught the principle of hydro-dynamics or chose to ignore them but either way this pipeline was a disaster. They failed to appreciate the fact that when you dig a trench on the side of a hill you will have created a pathway for rainwater to exit that hill. Rainwater will collect in the trench and start to flow downhill, collecting more water, gathering more speed and power on the way. End result? Erosion and the exposure of the steel pipeline to the elements of wind, rain and sun. This happened in many places along Mary Rd and Joseph Rd.
Old news. Why did I bring this up? The pipeline currently being installed by QGC is 16km long and is being laid to hook up 5, repeat 5 only, gas wells. 16 kilometres of pipe. 5 wells. There are 40, 000 wells planned for the Surat Basin. Where is the problem? One of our members, a local farmer, has had a pipeline installed through the middle of his land. He has now been told that he can no longer cross the pipeline with heavy machinery.
Our fire brigade area is going to be criss-crossed with literally hundreds of kilometers of pipes dividing the land into a chess board effect. This area is also the site of the 2002 bushfires which were classed as a national disaster. During that fire we used many fire appliances, water tankers, heavy earthmoving equipment and bulldozers. It still took 22days to bring this wildfire under control. Houses were lost. Thousands of hectares burned out. I was there. I witnessed the fire and helped to fight it. My fear is that, with these pipelines laid all over this area, we will only be able to move and use this heavy machinery along major roads and highways. Not in the scrub where it is needed. Will we need the machinery again? Yes. It is not a case of if, but when. With the heavy rainfall of the last year, the fuel load is much heavier then it was in 2002. Whether accidently or deliberately lit, fire will come again and, not having the use of heavy equipment, we will be reduced to fighting it as our grandfathers did. With wet bags and shovels. The dozers will not be able to make tracks to enable the fire appliances to get to where they are needed. We will get there on foot carrying knapsacks and rakeho’s. The dozer will not be available to push firebreaks around vulnerable houses. Many more houses will be lost.
What about the wells themselves? 95% will be perfectly safe. However as the government has admitted 5% or around 2,000 of the wells will leak. Of course, that number applies to the first installation of the wells. Each well, all 40,000, have to be re-drilled every 12 to 18 months to clean them out and enable them to keep producing. Will another 5% start to leak after this process? Each time it is conducted? What will happen when this wildfire reaches these leaking wells? I can imagine and it scares the crap out of me. I have seen figures showing the explosion of one well head (any one) could flatten an area of 2 kilometres across. I know of one leaking well within a few hundred metres of a home. A home containing a family with kids. Will our government wait until after a catastrophic fatal fire to examine the problem? Of course. We have ‘Adaptive Legislation’. ‘Adaptive Legislation ‘. A better name would be ‘Reactive Legislation’. At least that term is truthful. Both mean, we will wait and see. If any one action by the gas companies kills, injures or poisons too many people they may legislate against it. And there is still the 25 billion dollars per year the government is expecting to collect from Coal and Gas companies. Does QGC care? Of course not. If they did they would compact the pipelines to a point where they could be crossed by machinery. To where we can get to houses to protect them. Will they? No. We are not residents or landowners to QGC. On QGC maps inhabited blocks are labeled as ‘Sensitive Receptors’. That label is unfortunately correct. I have absolutely no doubt about how ‘sensitive’ our bodies and our families bodies will be to the ‘reception’ of the chemicals used and produced by the CSG companies.
Thankyou. Peter McGowan
P.O. box 166 Tara, QLD
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1)An Open Letter To The Residents Of Tara, The Surat Basin, Toowoomba And The Region East Of The (for now) Garden City.
To paraphrase a great orator “Friends, Aussie and Voters, lend me your ears”. It was with amazement and then with reluctant acceptance that I realized the attitude of most people to the real and potential problems of the coal seam gas extraction and coal mining industries. Most seem to think “She’ll be right Jack”… Will she?
I am a member of the concerned group protesting the invasion of the rural residential blocks (or as Western Downs Council calls us large town blocks) north of Tara. We are an eclectic group, comprising members of Friends of The Earth, 6 Degrees and Western Downs Alliance and many other interested participants. Members include local farmers, land holders, residents and visitors from many other areas including overseas.
Ages range from 3 to over 70 with the majority being around 50. About half are female and all members must adhere to the creed of non-violent protest.
Are we kooks, criminals or terrorists? No. By far the majority have never been involved in any protest or public demonstration. Most are conscientious members of our communities, being volunteers in various local groups including charities, rural fire brigades and public service groups. A few have been involved in protest actions before and one or two are or have been known as political activists.
We have welcomed them all and thank them for their help and advice.
What are we protesting? The rapid expansion of the coal seam gas industry into and onto the residential blocks in the estates.
This expansion is being carried out with the compliance and direct help of the State and Federal Governments even though they know of the problems caused by this industry in the gas fields of the United States.
No testing of the chemicals used in this industry (21 of 23) has been carried out by our governments, relying instead on out of date and foreign Material Safety Data Sheets. Even though this practice is expressly legislated against in Queensland and therefore illegal.
No studies of the possible health problems caused by this industry has been undertaken, even though Health Authorities in Colorado have listed the many and varied illnesses suffered by residents of that State.
Our Governments attitude? “Can’t happen here.” “We have an adaptive legislation program.” “The science will come.”
Given all the preceding statements is the government controlling this industry? Or is this industry controlling the government? Will it help to change governments? One point, I saw in the paper where Campbell Newman was offered the use of a mining magnate’s private jet to help him get elected. Can they be more obvious? Well yes. After all, When Aiden McClindon, member for Beaudesert, proposed a moratorium on the industry to allow time for the examination of the environmental and health issues, only the independents voted with him. The LNP crossed the floor to vote with the ALP. They do not want these issues examined. I do.
The major player in the Tara area is a company called the Queensland Gas Company. Unfortunate choice of initials. Q.G.C. reminds me of Queensland Government Conspiracy. QGC is a subsidiary of British Gas. QGC is currently under investigation for spraying untreated polluted water on our local gravel roads. Local residents brought this to the attention of relevant Government departments but still had to agitate quite vigorously to get any action. QGC are also the subject of court actions for ignoring their contractual obligations. QCG are also accused of conning local land owners into signing inadequate compensation agreements by threatening to take land owners to the land courts. So far QGC has not had to do this and claim compensation agreement holders are happy. They claim to have 600 of these agreements in place. Unfortunate number. Reminds me of another great line: Into the valley the Death rode the 600. Are you one of these 600 and not happy with your agreement? Use the internet. Contact Friends of The Earth, 6 Degrees or Western Downs Alliance. We can help.
Some of these agreement holders and their near neighbours are already suffering from health issues including nausea, headaches, nose bleeds and skin rashes. Remember, we are only in the establishment phase of a 30 year project.
Want to know how strongly I feel about the proximity of gas wells and pipelines to my home? I watch the government ads on TV, you know the one about breast screening, bowel cancer, melanoma, anti smoking etc. I then think about the 23 dangerous chemicals this company will be pumping into the ground. 21 of which have had no testing or documentation. Used illegally. Without MSDS. Without the health checks doctors are asking for. I then ask myself, what is the use of using Public (our) money on these ads when the Government is systematically poisoning a large percent of the population?
In all, quite a community conscious, green and law abiding company. And Government.
So, who benefits? Obviously, shareholders of British Gas who are, presumably British. The Chinese people who are the major purchasers of the gas and who will benefit by having cheap green power while our energy costs continue to rise. Of course, we still rely on coal fired power stations and last I heard were still planning more. State and Federal governments will benefit from taxes, royalties etc. State Government to the tune of 25 billion dollars per year within a decade.
Some, a few, companies will benefit by the supply of goods and services to this industry.
How have I and my neighbours benefited? As the owners of the land involved? Well, I have seen the value of my home and land plummet in 4 years while my rates have doubled in 3. However, to give Western Downs Shire Credit, I now have wheelie bins which I have to drag 300meters to the road. I have seen our local roads fall to pieces with drop-offs on the bitumen up to 6 inches or 15cm deep. The Tara-Chinchilla road, on which most of the QGC trucks and machinery travel, is now almost dangerous to use. As well, I have the potential health benefits I discussed earlier. On the up side, we have a heavily increased police presence on the estate. As recently stated by Drew Hutton, it appears as if the state Government is using the Queensland Police force as a private Para-Military protection and intimidation force for QGC. Why would I repeat this outrageous statement? Well, in the past several weeks we have had on site between 20 and 100 police from such varied groups as the stock squad (what? This is a mining company!) General duty police, highway patrol and Tactical Response Group. TRC members have even crawled on their stomachs through the scrub to spy on our camp. Someone should tell them about the western taipan, mulga snakes and death adders we can find in this area. On Tuesday March 29 we had over 30 officers in the area. A father and son farming team were stopped for breath tests, license and rego checks 3 times. Within 30 minutes. Within 200 meters. We have had our photo s taken, our names, addresses and our car registration numbers recorded. Is this intimidation? You decide.
One further point. To improve response times and to make sure enough police are in attendance to protect QGC assets and work schedules the police have recently routed their communications through the repeater station at the Local Rural Fire Brigade.
Please realize that at this time we were on private property with the written permission of the owner. The landowner was at this time in a dispute with QGC over contracted access and had had his lawyers serve QGC with a letter telling them they were no longer welcome and would be considered to be trespassers if they continued to work on his land. However we were moved on by police and QGC was allowed to continue ignoring their contracted obligations and rip the guts out of that block. Funnily enough, the owner Paul “Bryce” Keating has been locked out of his own land while the police have a key to the gate and come and go on private land at will.
Tell me, can you imagine the wages bill for this level of protection? For over 100 police per day? OK, Now add travel, catering, workers comp insurance superannuation as well as the cost of the police officers who have to perform the duties normally done by these officers. These same police, being theoretically impartial, often travel in QGC vehicles. Even Avis rental vehicles supplied by QGC. Except for the 5 people voluntarily arrested so far every protester has been peaceful and followed the instructions of the police. 2 uniformed officers could very easily do the job currently done by so many.
While we have followed the instructions of the police we have refused to accept the warning letter from QGC which simply informs us under which section of the Act we will be arrested. In fact the only person QGC has been able to serve this letter on is the 3 year old daughter of one of our members. Does this now mean if her mother does not immediately remove her from the site she will be subject to arrest and a possible $50,000 fine?
Come on QGC, Bloody Wake Up!
Enough of my problems. What about yours? Up to 400kms from the gas fields? Most people think of gas wells as wells. Think this is an industry mainly conducted underground. They are wrong. Why? Read on, gentle reader, read on.
Each gas well takes about 1 hectare of land (100 meters x 100 meters). More than another hectare is last to each well in associated pipelines roads etc. with over 40,000 wells planned 100,000 hectares or 250,000 acres will be cleared to bare mineral earth by the mining companies. Farmers get big fines for clearing trees. 250,000 acres! Remember the dust storms of September 2009? Blanketed Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast etc. That dust came all the way from South Australia. It travelled over Tara. Now instead of losing some of its dust load to our forests and grasslands it will meet up with massive bare straight pipelines and will easily replenish itself. BUT. There are also the many many coal mines planned for the area between here and the ranges. These mines have dump and storage sites. As well, A government representative interviewed on A Current Affair admitted that the government was aware that around 5% of all gas wells, around 2000 wells, will leak and most of these will not be able to be sealed. Add this mix to the dust storm and imagine the result. Am I painting a black picture of the future? Not as black as coal dust!
Brings the mind to the lines penned by A.B. “Banjo” Paterson in Clancy of the Overflow:
The feotid air and gritty, of a dusty dirty city, through an open window floating, spreads its foulness over all.
As this letter is addressed to Toowoomba and surrounding areas as well, I should mention some facts about coal dust. This substance has been proven to be detrimental to the mental development of children. Our state government, in its infinite wisdom, has published a list of all schools and the performance of the student body one to another. An examination of this list shows that the lowest performing schools are sited near coal mines. Are you one of the residents who will welcome this industry to your backyard?
Speaking of backyards do you remember the enormous cleanup effort in the tiny town of Condamine? Including army units? I do. I was there cleaning. Something that occurred to me is whether or not that cleanup had anything to do with the settlement and evaporation ponds that were sited along the Condamine river catchment that got flooded out during the recent deluge? What effect would these chemicals have on residents if not cleaned away thoroughly?
I still wonder – did we clean well enough?
But then what about the poor buggers downstream? In New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria? Was the cleanup in Condamine just Government largesse or merely coincidence? Or am I right?
What will happen when the CSG industry reaches its use by date? When the Government of the day loses 25 billion dollars per year? My father told me that my expenses will always expand to meet my income. Experience tells me he was right. Where will the Government find the income to replace this cash cow? Will it be our grandkids who pay through the nose to support the governments. Higher fees charges taxes? Will our grandkids ever have the opportunity to share in the great Australian Dream? To have a block of land to call their own?
I don’t think so. I think the government and mining companies will then go after the coal that lies under most of Queensland. Your house as well as mine. Can’t happen? Already with the connivance of the state government QGC is ignoring state law and the court system. Why would the future be any different?
Now is the time to stand up and be counted for in the future when the gas is running out and the government needs cash we will surely be counted by them.
Do I hear you ask – how can I help? What good can one voice in the wilderness do? Ever been in a dark room at night with one lone mosquito? Be that annoying bloody mosquito! Write to, phone, e-mail your local and Federal member. Let your feelings be known. Let them know the Queensland people will make them accountable for their illegal action. Because, as Australians we elect these custodians of our land. Because as the custodian of this land they have a Duty of Care to each and every Australian. We do not elect them to ignore laws and ride roughshod over our rights and property. We, as the owners of this country need to take charge of our future and tell our governments: ENOUGH! Enough greed. Enough waste. Enough destruction.
Join us please. We are facing the combined wealth and power of a multi-national company aligned wih the government of one of the western worlds superpowers. Must we stand alone? Is democracy in this country dead? A great American, when faced with immense opposition and a repressive government, said
“Gentlemen, we should hang together, because alone we shall surely hang.”
I say
“People, we should hang together, for alone we shall be hung out to dry.”
If you have reached this far, I thank you for your patience.
Peter McGowan
PO Box 166
Tara, Qld 4421
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My address to the court.
Your Honour.
I am normally a law abiding citizen.
I have lived in the United States for more than a decade and have seen what this Coal Seam Gas Industry has done over there and what it is doing here in Tara (and the rest of Australia) is an exact repeat of what has gone on over there, of one set of rules for them and one for everybody else. This industry makes people sick literally.
It is willfully wrong and blatant hypocrisy, at a time when the Gov’t is telling us we should all be more environmentally aware, then they let this Coal seam gas industry come as along with its dirty toxic “Fracking” process that could potentially poison the entire Great Artesian basin.
Your honour, I was told by Ross Dunn who is the CSG Industry director at a forum recently that the CSG Industry can’t guarantee not to poison the Great Artesian Basin. I was just speaking to Jerry Mahr from QGC outside the court and he just told me the same thing that they can’t guarantee not to poison the Great Artesian Basin
How would any sane Industry or Govt play Russian roulette with one of the great natural wonders of the world, the great Artesian Basin. This is absolute insanity and the Poluticions are running the nut house.
If they poison the GAB, farming in 50% of Australia (including this area) will be wiped out for good, along with everybody’s water supplies and would turn places like Tara, Chinchilla and Dalby into ghost towns and could threaten the lives of my grandchildren.
Then there is the loss of your rights.
Your honour if you own a property out here, they can come on to your property without your consent and tear it up. They don’t have to give you any money, and the government legislated it so that the mining/gas company can take you to court, but you cant take them to court. You would be stuck with it for up to 40 years and you wont be able to sell your property because nobody will buy it. The mining company wont buy it, because they don’t have to, as they have all the rights to your land without having to buy it.
People moved to Tara for a peaceful country lifestyle, not to have a dangerous toxic gas industry, that we don’t need or want, forced onto their doorstep.
A stand has to be made that Governments can’t do these sort of things behind peoples backs. Its not like we can even vote them out as The LNP voted for it as well, only the independents voted against it.
Where is it in the constitution that a govt can legislate away your basic rights to land ownership, rights to clean water and air, and your choice of lifestyle.
This is not a democracy any more in this country, this is a two party out of control dictatorship.
Your honour I don’t regret doing what I did, making a stand against this sort of insanity.
I believe we have right and the best interests of our fellow countrymen in our hearts, including even yourself your honour.
I would ask this courts indulgence to a noble cause and would ask if a fine must be imposed could it be minimal and no conviction recorded.
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Was my fathers generation Green?
Back then, they returned their milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled.
Back then, they walked up stairs, because they didn’t have an escalator in every store and office building. They walked to the grocery store and didn’t climb into a motor vehicle every time they had to go two kilometres.
Back then, they washed the baby’s nappies because they didn’t have the throw-away kind. They dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 240 volts – wind and solar power really did dry the clothes. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing.
Back then, they had one TV, or radio, in the house – not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief, not a screen the size of the state of Queensland. In the kitchen, they blended and stirred by hand because they didn’t have electric machines to do everything for you.
When they packaged a fragile item to send in the post, they used a wadded up old newspaper to cushion it, not styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap.
Back then, they didn’t fire up an engine and burn fuel just to cut the grass. They used a push mower that ran on human power. They exercised by working so they didn’t need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.
They drank from a fountain when they were thirsty instead of using a plastic cup or a plastic bottle every time they had a drink of water. They refilled their writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and they replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor because the blade got dull.
Back then, people took the bus and kids rode their bikes to school or rode the school bus instead of turning their mums into a 24-hour taxi service. They had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And they didn’t need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space.
Back then, in order to find the nearest pizza place, they used a phone book.
Back then things were made to last and got repaired instead of being thrown away.
Back then, before dishwashers, family members washed up and talked to each other
Posted by Thomas J Brookes from Facebook
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Greetings from a fellow ratbag of the gaspatch!
I laugh at the absurdity of how we all must be seen by those with so myopic a sense of perspective as to be utterly blind to truth.
I appreciate your great efforts at elevating awareness – alas, it seems that its the greatest we can do right now in the face of rampant greed, public ignorance and abuse of regulatory authority.
Thank you for so boldly joining the global call for justice.
My heart is with you all in your efforts to advocate what is right, elevate truth and bring about accountability.
Godspeed all!
Lisa Bracken
www.journeyoftheforsaken.com
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Once upon a time we had a person who was the Queen’s Representative and the Guardian of the People.
This Person had the ability to call the Government to order on any matter that did not seem right.
Corruption and mismanagement, destruction of World Heritage areas, forcing people off their land and selling other peoples assets fit into this description
The name of this Person was The Governor.
What we now have is an overpaid Public Servant who also calls herself The Governor.
The current overpaid person sits on her backside, having nice parties and holidays at the expense of the Taxpayers but does nothing to ensure that the Democratic and Constitutional rights of the People are protected as required in the Australian Constitution or that the Dictatorship that calls itself a Govt are accountable for their actions.
The Governor’s Charter allows for the Government to be called to order but she sits merrily on her throne and turns a blind eye to the mayhem and destruction that is deliberately being inflicted by her friend Anna Bligh.
This Governor was a personal Political Appointment by Bligh. The shortlist for consideration of a replacement Governor when the Previous one was promoted to the higher Political appointment as a non functioning Governor General did not include the present Governor. Nor did the Parliament have any part in her appointment.
She sits by while her friend Anna sells off the assets that legally belong to the People of this State,
Spends our money like it is going out of fashion (but mostly only on dirty great holes in the ground and Sports Ovals) in South East Queensland. The rest of the State are only the money tree.
She sits by while Anna Bligh and her cohorts order the destruction of thousands of Hectares of some of the most important Natural Environment in the world in Gladstone and Curtis Island.
She pays no heed to the fact that Bligh and her cohorts have ordered that a channel be dredged in Gladstone, the 55 million cubic Mtrs of fill created will cover 6.5 Square Kms of sea grass marine habitat, the home of very endangered Dugong, Dolphins, Turtles and a very important breeding ground for crabs, prawns and a multitude of fish,Birds and Marine Species, some of which are endangered.
This destruction that has been ordered (and in fact has already begun with the bulldozing of up to 1,000 Ha on Curtis Island) is totally within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Marine Park.
If the Governor is not a useless Political appointment then why is she not doing her job and protecting the rights of the People of this State as she promised to do when she was sworn in.
It is time that Bligh and her cohorts were charged at the very least with destruction of several thousand hectares of our environment within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Marine Park.
The Governor has the power to instigate that action.
Peter Neilsen
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AN OPEN LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR OF QUEENSLAND.
I find it necessary to write this open letter to the Governor of Queensland because correspondence to the Governor is ignored and she refuses to answer such correspondence.
When the Governor of Queensland was sworn in to her position she swore to uphold the duties of her position and act as the representative of Queen Elizabeth 2 in the State of Queensland.
The duties of the Governor as representative of the Queen dictate that she will act on behalf of the Queen as the protector of our Democratic and Constitutional rights and uphold those rights.
As Representative of the Queen the Governor has a duty to ensure that the Government behaves in a way which is within the rules of the Constitution of Australia and to the advantage of the people, not to the advantage of self serving interests of a rogue Government.
If the Governor is discharging her duties properly she must be able to see that the Corporate Government of Queensland is not acting within the guidelines of the Australian Constitution.
The seizing of and sale of assets that were paid for and actually belong to the people of Queensland without a referendum of the people to decide if they want their assets sold is not in keeping with the Constitution of australia and is a valid reason for her to exercise the powers that she swore to uphold and call the Government to order and account for their actions.
The removal of the rights of the people of Queensland and the removal of the right to appeal and to challenge the actions of this rogue Government are reason enough for the Governor to exercise her powers that she swore to uphold and call the Government to account for their actions.
The seizing of properties and forced acquisition with no right of appeal or redress is a valid reason for the Governor to exercise the powers that she swore to uphold and call this Government to account for their actions.
To not heed the will of the People and to not act in the interest of the Democratic and Constitutional rights of the People constitutes a breach of the sworn Duties of the Governor and she would stand guilty of neglect of abrogating her sworn duties and responsibility to the Queen to represent her in an honest and open manner and in neglect of the rights of the Queen’s Subjects.
The Governor must now heed the Will of the People and act to call this Government to order.
This Government should be dismissed and the people decide what their future should be.
The Governor has the power to do this and should exercise that power immediately.
Peter Neilsen
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It is sickening to see the Greenies and Weekend Environmentalists whinging and whining over the coal ship Sheng Neng 1 anchored off Hervey Bay. They are screaming out because they think that this Ship may sink and do some damage to the reef within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage area.
These very same people shut their eyes to the thousand or so hectares that have already been bulldozed on the Environmentally sensitive, Curtis Island to build highly dangerous LNG Plants in the name of greed and the destruction of thousands of hectares of Marine and Terrestrial Environment on Curtis Island and The Narrows, Kangaroo Island, Graham Creek and Balaclava Island.
Ripping the guts out of the Marine environment to the North of the present Gladstone Harbour to make channels and loading areas for LNG will result in 55 Million cubic Meters of fill being dumped onto the coastal Mangroves, Tidal flats and 6.5 square Kilometers of sea Grass Beds below the low water mark that are the feeding and breeding grounds and habitat of Dugong, Snub Nosed and other dolphin, Turtles and the very critical breeding grounds for Crabs, Prawns and numerous species of fish and other Marine creatures and Birds.
The filling of the Sea Grass Beds will create a pile of fill, 50mtrs to 70mtrs high above the waterline.
All of this is totally within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and the Australian Heritage Places listing and every bit of it is being carried out by Anna’s dictatorship, her cohorts in Gladstone and with Australian Government approval.
Of course the Greenies and the Weekend Environmentalists could not give a damn about the deliberate destruction of a few thousand hectares of our most pristine Environment by our corrupt Governments, they are too busy complaining about one stinking ship and running their own agendas. What hypocrites they are.
Peter Neilsen
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I used to live in Dooralong Valley, 1 hr drive north of Sydney. We had a gas company come into the valley & try to do the exact same drilling as is happening with your area.
It is an extremely difficult problem to beat as from what I remember that the loophole is anything 30ft or more under your land belongs to the Government.
We had a very proactive solicitor that lived in the area who you might be able to contact & get some advice on his actions.
I think in the end the way that the gas company was beaten was through a group of people buying shares in the gas company & voting at meetings against further mining creating the company to have losses & reduce their share prices.
Good luck & hope you win against the gas mining.
Cheers Kaaren
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To Whom it may Concern,
After watching the 60 minutes program 16/05/2010 i was absolutely horrified that once again the people that are put in a position to protect and serve us have opted to take the mighty dollar, power and recognition over our health, safety and wellbeing. As i have relayed to 60 minutes this has devasting effects on all Australians that live in the rural country or who holiday/camp or simply just the family Sunday drive. I believe that it sheads more light on the 40% supertax and also maybe the people of Tara/Dalby should be looking at declaring their own state/province.
Yours faithfully,
Carl
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Garfield County drilling experience becomes model down under
by David Frey, Aspen Daily News Correspondent
Saturday, May 22, 2010
The description sounds familiar.
“You’ve found your own slice of heaven, a few acres in the country where you’ve set up home. It’s tranquil, it’s peaceful and you’re living the dream. Then one day the gas company calls and it’s not to read the meter. They’ve come to tell you — not ask you, but to tell you — they’re going to build … a gas well, right in your own backyard, and the law says there’s nothing you can do to stop them.”
It could easily describe the experience of plenty of residents of western Garfield County. In this case, though, it’s Australia, where a growing number of landowners are facing threats from energy companies coming in to drill for coal bed methane — similar to drilling for methane and natural gas throughout western Colorado.
The experiences of Coloradans is helping shape how Australian landowners have responded.
Last Sunday’s edition of “Australian 60 Minutes” focused on the Australian fight against gas drilling, including western Coloradans who believe the activity in their backyards has made them sick.
“There are just so many parallels,” said Frank Smith, energy organizer for the group, Western Colorado Congress, which has called for stricter regulations to protect landowners from the impacts of gas drilling. “Rural landowners. Private property rights being trampled.”
The difference, Smith said, is Australians have been much quicker to take action than Coloradans. While Colorado landowners have organized, pressured their legislators and won some reforms that imposed stricter standards on gas drilling, Australians were quick to protest.
Hundreds of farmers in Queensland, Australia have organized blockades with farm equipment to block energy companies from accessing their well pads.
While locals have shown Australians what they believe are the risks of gas drilling, some activists believe Australians have things to teach Coloradans as well.
“I think the Colorado response was basically nonexistent and lethargic,” said Tara Meixsell, of New Castle, a staunch gas drilling critic. “I think people going to meetings at the capitol has done a few things, but I think in Colorado and the West and the United States, we have kind of a stick-your-head in the sand approach.
“The Australian response is more direct,” she added. “A rebellion of types.”
The “Australian 60 Minutes” program showed Queensland residents voicing similar concerns about contaminated — and sometimes flammable water, foul air and impacts on the landscape as Garfield County residents have voiced.
It showed western Colorado residents, including Chris Mobaldi and Dee Hoffmeister, who believe chemicals from the industry have led to health problems. Both have also shared their stories with the Aspen Daily News.
Australia isn’t the first country to pay attention to gas drilling in Garfield County. Reporters from around the world have come to look at the impacts of gas drilling on the western landscape. Two recent documentaries, “Split Estate” and “Gasland,” have focused attention on it.
But unlike other countries, Australia has become interested because it is seeing the same industry playing a bigger role there, and bringing some of the same conflicts.
“Gas is Australia’s new gold,” the television show reported, “and just like the gold rush era of the 1850s, nearly every backyard in Queensland’s Western Downs is being plundered by 21st Century prospectors.”
The country is seeing a boom of natural gas along its eastern coast, and in pockets in the west.
As Queensland prepares for some 30,000 to 40,000 new wells, residents are hoping to avoid impacts western Colorado has seen.
“I feel like we’re guinea pigs,” Meixsell said. “I feel like we’re a bad poster child for how to do it fast, cheap and wrong, without adequate protection for the environment, health and water. When people pass out and when people can light their water on fire and when people are quietly settling big lawsuits with companies when there are big damages, you know something is wrong.”
dfrey@aspendailynews.com
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