The candidates may be acting coy five weeks out from the NSW state election but voters may be beginning to force the pace, if this open letter published in the Clarence Valley Review is any indication:
This open letter to Member for Clarence, Chris Gulaptis, was sent on behalf of all community Groups Against Gas within the Clarence electorate.
Mr Gulaptis,
Do you honestly think a few slick Gas Plan ads will woo us outraged voters back? Nationals’ entire track record indicates your real plan is to ignore our concerns and roll gas mining out across the North Coast.
Even your most loyal voters were shocked when Dart’s massive North Coast licence was renewed just before Christmas. Our shock turned to outrage when we realised that the 25% of Dart’s original leasehold that it had to forfeit, included Ballina. What a sly attempt, at the expense of our long-term future, to lure back voters left hanging by Don Page’s retirement!
That shameful action came hot on the heels of the retirement of your Minister for Resources and Energy, after allegations of corruption by ICAC. Then, just one year after Nationals passed a bill making ‘Public Interest’ legal grounds to refuse or limit gas licences, your party back-flipped and cancelled it!
And now, just weeks before the elections, you refuse to answer four simple questions about your own commitment to protect us voters from the dangers of gas mining.
Every other Clarence candidate answered with honesty and integrity, but you arrogantly responded with your own four questions! Well Mr Gulaptis, let’s see if the answers speak for themselves:
You ask:
1. Which State Government issued the petroleum exploration licences in NSW?
Try as you may to shift the blame back to when CSG was thought safe, but it was Nationals who renewed licences in NSW, even after you knew the real risks. Other parties will implement Gas Bans, not just plans.
2. Which State Government suspended Metgasco’s license in the Northern Rivers?
Not yours! Even after widespread protests from rural communities, plus Police warning the Premier that breaking Bentley blockade could result in local deaths, he only suspended drilling at that site, not the Licence covering the much greater lease! And now, because ‘Public Interest’ no longer counts, the Supreme Court may award Metgasco millions from our taxes!
3. Which Federal Government approved the CSG mine at Gloucester?
Your party has disbanded its own exclusion zoning to trash Gloucester AND your Gas Plan is to push through Narrabri and Camden as well!
4.Which State Government has reduced the CSG footprint across the Northern Rivers and NSW? Not yours! In fact, last month you actually renewed the largest licence in the Northern Rivers!
Many once-loyal Nationals voters have had enough lies! They know gas mining will destroy their precious bores, their family’s health and their kids’ future unless they act now. Gas will be the decider when they lodge their vote. Gas will come way ahead of loyalty to people they no longer trust. Almost 90% percent have said they want gas bans. They don’t want toxic plans…and they will be heard!
When they see four candidates on the lower house voting form, they will know to vote Gasfield Free they simply need to number every box and put ‘Gulaptis’ last!
Lynette Eggins (Clarence Alliance Against Gas), Leonie Blain (Knitting Nannas Against Gas Grafton Loop), David Irving (Yamba Group Against Gas), Deb Whitley (Pillar Valley Group Against Gas), Tony Belton, Annie Dorian (Iluka Group Against Gas), Jeniffer Lewis (Mid-Clarence Group Against Gas), Dr Eric van Beurden (Richmond Valley Group Against Gas)
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