Showing posts with label Coal Seam Gas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Coal Seam Gas. Show all posts
Saturday 16 May 2015
Want to know how responsible the NSW North Coast Member for Page is for our economic, environmental & social predicament?
FEDERAL Member for Page
Kevin Hogan has told Federal Parliament how a visit to the coal seam gas mining
fields in Chinchilla convinced him to continue his opposition to CSG in the
Clarence Valley.
On Thursday Mr Hogan
addressed Federal Parliament about his concerns about the impact of CSG mining
in his electorate.
He said he came to the
conclusion that CSG was inappropriate for Page after he visited Chinchilla in
Queensland in January 2013 to speak with community members about the impact of
the industry there.
"I tried to
envisage what the industry would look like in my region," he said.
"I could not see
how the industry could work without being extremely invasive given the nature
of our topography and small land owning. It would be exceptionally detrimental
to neighbouring properties."....
* This is how the member for the federal seat of Page, Nationals MP actually voted on key issues since 2006, according to Open Australia:
*Voted very strongly against a carbon price. votes
*Voted moderately against increasing scrutiny of asylum seeker management. votes
*Voted very strongly against increasing trade unions' powers in the workplace. votes
*Voted moderately against implementing refugee and protection conventions. votes
*Voted moderately for temporary protection visas. votes
*Voted very strongly for increasing or removing the debt limit. votes
*Voted very strongly against a minerals resource rent tax . votes
*Voted very strongly against increasing protection of Australia's fresh water. votes
*Voted strongly for regional processing of asylum seekers. votes
*Voted very strongly against increasing marine conservation. votes
*Voted very strongly for unconventional gas mining. votes
*Voted very strongly against restricting foreign ownership. votes
*Voted very strongly against increasing investment in renewable energy. votes
*Voted very strongly for privatising government assets. votes
*Voted very strongly against increasing funding for university education. votes
*Voted very strongly for increasing the price of subsidised medicine. votes
*Voted very strongly against increasing the age pension. votes
*Voted very strongly for decreasing availability of welfare payments. votes
*Voted very strongly for an emissions reduction fund. votes
*Voted very strongly for increasing funding for road infrastructure. votes
*Voted very strongly for decreasing ABC and SBS funding. votes [my red bolding{
Read about how the voting record is decided.
More on their full record
Never rebels against their party in this parliament.
Labels:
Coal Seam Gas,
Coalition
Friday 15 May 2015
AGL Energy Limited a supplier of gas & coal based electricity is behaving badly yet again
AGL Energy Limited (AGL) sells and markets gas and electricity. It owns a number thermal stations, has an operational gas plant in the Camden area and approvals for exploration and production of coal seam gas in the Gloucester district in New South Wales.
On 11 May 2015 Smart Company reported that:
The Australian Energy Regulator has penalised energy retailer AGL for disconnecting customers in hardship or on payment plans, with AGL South Australia and AGL Sales both receiving a $20,000 fine from the regulator.
Energy retailers are prohibited from disconnecting customers under certain circumstances, including when they are participating in a hardship program or a payment plan.
However the Australian Energy Regulator said in a statement this morning, it was notified by AGL of incidents in which nine of the company’s customers were wrongfully disconnected from their electricity supply.
This is not the first time that AGL has been in the news for behaving badly.
A quick Internet search brings up this disturbing timeline:
* August 2003
* September 2004
* July 2005
* August 2006
* May 2008
* May 2011
In May 2011 a large drilling fluid spill occurred at
AGL’s CSG well head at Camden North in NSW during routine maintenance. According to STOP CSG!, AGL failed to
report the incident for two days until the leakage was shown on TV.
* September 2012
* 2012
* March 2013
* May 2013
* July 2013
* December 2013
* December 2014
* January 2015
* April 2015
Labels:
Coal Seam Gas,
consumer choice,
electricity,
gas industry,
safety
Monday 27 April 2015
Coal seam and tight gas miner Metgasco Limited sets out on a deliberate collision course with Northern Rivers communities yet again
Coal seam and tight gas miner Metgasco Limited sets out on a deliberate collision course with Northern Rivers communities yet again and, just as before, it intends to drag the NSW Government and police along for the ride.
Energy company Metgasco says it will need police to escort gas drilling equipment onto its site on the NSW north coast following a court victory overturning a suspension imposed on it by the state government.
Chief executive Peter Henderson said protesters would return to the site at Bentley once the company seeks to start drilling in about three months' time.
"When we drill now we know there are going to be protesters and we will need police in there to uphold our rights," he said.
"Otherwise NSW will be the state of anarchy."….. [my red bolding]
PROTESTERS will continue to fight Metgasco at Bentley even if the State Government passes legislation banning protests at drilling sites, Ian Gaillard says.
Mr Gaillard, of Gasfield Free Northern Rivers, said locals would not allow Metgasco to start drilling at Bentley and called on the State Government to revoke all gas licences…..
Clarence MP Chris Gulaptis has also expressed his unhappiness with the decision.
"I am extremely disappointed with the decision of the NSW Supreme Court to quash the decision of the NSW Government to suspend Metgasco's drilling licence at Bentley," Mr Gulaptis said.
"I will be urging the Minister to seek every opportunity to appeal this decision because I believe it is wrong."….
Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan says it would be "foolish" for Metgasco to consider returning to the region, adding the legal avenues over their licence suspension are far from exhausted.Mr Hogan said he had been in touch with state colleagues who were already in talks with Resources and Energy Minister Anthony Roberts about grounds for an appeal.
"We do not want CSG in the Northern Rivers and we need to do everything we can to make sure that is what happens.
"This isn't over, while they may be feel happy with the decision today, I don't think it's over legally and it's certainly not over as far as them coming back into our community to do what they want to do."
Mr Hogan added it would be "quite foolish" for Metgasco to consider returning to Bentley in the near future.
"I think this community has shown very strongly that they do not want coal-seam gas in this region," he said.
"While they have won this court case, there are still legal options for the state government to take, and the first one would be an appeal.
"I think the suspension should remain until that appeal is heard."
Lismore City Mayor Jenny Dowell on Twitter:
Greens Member for Ballina Tamara Smith said, “Despite the court victory, Metgasco should heed the clear message from the community that they want a gas field free Northern Rivers. Metgasco should pack up and leave. “If Metgasco try to drill again, the community will resist and I will be standing with them.
The Knitting Nannas Against Gas (KNAG) on Facebook, 25 April 2015:
Excerpt from an editorial in The Northern Star, 25 April 2015:
Comments published in The Northern Star on 25 April 2015:
From Land Water Future tweet on 24 April 2015:
The Knitting Nannas Against Gas (KNAG) on Facebook, 25 April 2015:
Excerpt from an editorial in The Northern Star, 25 April 2015:
If past history is anything to go by, protesters will likely be setting up camp at Bentley in the very near future.
So are we back to square one on this issue? Or has the government's election results on the Northern Rivers taught them any lessons?
Considering the government trumpeted its buy back of CSG licences during the last election campaign, perhaps they should extend it to the licence that covers Bentley.
Otherwise we are in for more of the same.
Another blockade at Bentley and the government forced to make the difficult decision of sending hundreds of police officers north, at taxpayers' expense, to remove thousands of protesters.
The NSW Supreme Court has delivered a sharp rebuke to the government which is going to cost them a lot of money.
But the circumstances that led them to the suspension still remain.
Lynne
Stebbing: There is going to be trouble!
Hugh
Nicholson: This decision only relates to the way the government went about
suspending Metgasco's license.
It has
nothing to do with the reason for the suspension - namely Metgasco's
failure to consult with the community. Go away Metgasco.
UPDATE
The
Northern Star
27 April 2015:
Bentley
landowners Meg and Peter Nielsen believe that if energy company Metgasco
returns to the region public resistance will be even stronger than it was at
last year's blockade.
"It will
be on for young and old," Mr Nielsen declared.
"Our
resolve will never turn. Metgasco would be absolutely foolish to try it
again."
But the
couple believes the NSW Government will "see common sense" before it
comes to that.
Labels:
Coal Seam Gas,
gas industry,
Metgasco,
Northern Rivers,
NSW government,
people power,
police
Friday 17 April 2015
Knitting Nannas' three year long yarn outside pro-CSG MP's office in Lismore continues
The NSW North Coast Nationals never learn.
At the 28 March 2015 state election they lost one of their safe seats, Ballina, and suffered a 19.6% swing to Labor in Tweed, a 22.4% swing to Labor in Clarence and a 22.5% swing to Labor in Tweed where Thomas George only survived on preferences - yet they tried to flex their political muscle on the one issue that saw so many voters walk away from the National Party at the ballot box.
NSW Police confront Knitting Nannas: Image from @LockTheGate 10 April 215
The Northern Star 9 April 2015:
A group of 10 nannas had yesterday just settled in to their usual positions on the pavement outside Mr George's office yesterday when they were approached by a group of police who informed them the act was illegal.
Eltham Knitting Nanna Judy Summers said she was told by a senior policewoman the group "had no reason to be here as CSG is done and dusted".
The police left after issuing a warning that the group would face more serious action if they returned next week.
But Ms Summers vowed the group were "not going anywhere" and were seeking legal advice over the issue.
"I told her it is not done and dusted; until both licenses are cancelled we will continue to be here," Ms Summers said.
"We are not obstructing the pathway."….
The Knitting
Nannas
[should] move their weekly protests from Thomas George's office to the boat
sculpture at Molesworth Street, Lismore Nationals president John Barnes has
said.
Speaking on
ABC Radio this morning, Mr Barnes said he was against CSG but the Nannas were a
"nuisance" and they should move to "the HMAS Jenny Dowell",
referring to the sculpture.
"I don't
care what they are protesting for, if it is CSG or the man on the moon,"
Mr Barnes said.
"They should give the streets back to the people.".....
Later the same day:
What happened two days later was entirely predictable.
The Northern Star 11 April 2015:
"They should give the streets back to the people.".....
Later the same day:
THE GREENS
NSW coal seam gas spokesperson Jeremy Buckingham wants to know if the
government has an agenda to 'shut the Nannas down'.
Following ABC
reports that suggested National Party members initiated the confrontation
between police and Knitting Nannas on Thursday at their usual knit-in in front
of Thomas George's office, Mr Buckingham today called on Deputy Premier Troy
Grant to clarify whether his party and government wanted the Nannas shut down.
The
'post-election police crackdown', according to Mr Buckingham is 'a ridiculous
attack on the democratic right to peaceful protest'.
What happened two days later was entirely predictable.
Image from @CSGFreeNR 11 April 2015
The Northern Star 11 April 2015:
POLICE moves
to stop the Knitting Nannas against Gas staging protests outside Lismore MP
Thomas George's office have spawned a huge outcry since the group was told they
were breaking the law on Thursday.
But was it a
planned move to shut down the regular "knit-ins" - or a case of
mistaken identity?
Knitting
Nanna Clare Twomey said the Nannas may have been "implicated by
association" over a complaint from another protest - not involving the
Nannas - during which a female employee of Thomas George's allegedly injured
herself while trying to avoid bags of manure.
Local police
were not answering questions on the matter yesterday and the Nannas said they
had legal advice their protests were within the law.
Ms Twomey
said the group had also received overwhelming public support, and the police
intervention had only served to fire them up.
Just as predictable was the public slapdown later on that same Saturday of John Barnes by his leader, who is understandably nervous about the party's poor showing at the recent election.
Anti-gas
group the Knitting Nannas Against Gas are welcome to continue their regular
"knit-ins" outside Lismore MP Thomas George's office NSW Deputy
Premier and Nationals Leader Troy Grant has said.
Mr Grant has
today issued a statement demanding Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham apologise for
suggesting the government wanted to get rid of the Nannas.
The statement
follows a furore over a police visit to the Nannas on Thursday, where officers
told members of the group they would have to stop their protests outside
Lismore MP Thomas George's office.
He said Mr
George was out of the electorate when the complaint was made and he had no
involvement in it or knowledge of it.
Go the Grans!
Ex-National Party member and local contrarian invites a response on coal seam gas
The Daily Examiner’s letters column was the scene of yet another slap down of a wannabee gadfly last week…
The letter
I was somewhat taken aback by the successes of the Greens at the state elections. Their scare campaign against coal seam gas mining was clearly successful.
I will not waste time by going over old ground but I do suggest that the State itself commissions a demonstration gas field under the control of an appropriate government body to counter the fear-mongering that threatens the establishment of a much needed industry that will boost the prosperity of the region.
THOMAS MACINDOE
Yamba
6 April 2015
The response
Scare claim off target
Thomas Macindoe's assertions (DE April 6) that the recent high level of support for the Greens' in Ballina and Lismore was the result of a "scare campaign", is just plain wrong.
In fact I'd describe it as a truth dissemination exercise, and the fact that the Government and mining industry could not debunk that campaign was that they knew the anti-gas campaigners were right.
Thomas' comments were simply parroting those made the previous week by our local member trying to explain the 15% drop in his own vote, and can be excused as ignorance, something that cannot be said for Mr Gulaptis, who is in full possession of all the facts.
The suggestion that the government should set up a gas field, independent of the industry, to prove that unconventional gas mining is safe, is ridiculous. We already have two closely monitored gas fields under construction in NSW, one near Gloucester, and the other at Pilligar, and both operators have already been found guilty of polluting underground water supplies; supposedly banned BTEX chemicals turning up in water in the Gloucester operation, and Uranium in an aquifer in the Pilligar.
Further to that, the NSW chief scientist and engineer spent over a year investigating all aspects of the unconventional gas industry, at the government's behest, and found that the industry did pose risks, and that there would be negative consequences.
In Queensland, pollution events, fires, massive 'draw-down' of water in peoples bores, and methane pollution of bores that can be set on fire, have all been reported in the media, including 60 Minutes and other reputable sources. Fugitive gas emissions seeping out of the ground as a result of Hydraulic Fracturing, has seen levels of methane in the gas fields up to 5 times normal levels (see Southern Cross University research), that resulted in reports of health problems among children living in those gas fields.
Most if not all those families that suffered ill health have now been bought out by the industry, with convenient confidentiality clauses ensuring that there is still no recorded evidence linking their ill-health to the elevated gas levels.
The Nationals' loss of electoral support had nothing to do with a scare campaign, and everything to do with their failure to represent their constituents.
JOHN EDWARDS
South Grafton
9 April 2015
CSG a real worry
I am writing to respond the Mr Macindoe's letter in the DEX on Monday.
I am not sure what planet Thomas Macindoe has been living on for the past few years as there is simply no excuse to be so ignorant about the CSG issue.
With modern technology you can do your own research on anything or anyone.
To accuse the Greens of running a scare campaign is ludicrous when both the NSW Farmers and NSW CWA both came out publicly against CSG way before the NSW election.
The NSW Farmers also ran a campaign against the Nationals in the NSW election which beggars belief when farmers were once the life blood of the National Party. Even our former Governor General Marie Bashir has gone public against CSG.
And if that isn't convincing enough a world wide 'Go Fossil Free' campaign has already seen 180 institutions including universities and churches sell off their investments in coal, oil and gas in the UK and Australia.
Still not persuaded to sell your shares Mr Macindoe?
Maybe this might convince you.
Leading financial groups including Goldman Sachs, Citigroup and Standard and Poor's have also warned of the risk posed to fossil fuel investments by action on climate change.
A series of large funds and world banks have excluded coal and other highly polluting companies, including the world's largest sovereign wealth fund in Norway, which revealed it had dozens of coal companies earlier this year.
And finally last year, Rockefeller's withdrew their funds from fossil fuels.
Perhaps now the election is over you can stop believing all the National Party propaganda as well and do your own research. I hear the Yamba library has cheap wi-fi if you're not connected to the internet.
DEBRAH NOVAK
Yamba
10 April 2015
Labels:
Coal Seam Gas
Friday 3 April 2015
When the NSW gas industry comes to visit: "They say ignorance is bliss and little did I know that life as I knew it was about to change forever"
How it starts – with a knock at the door.
Excerpt from 2011 submission, by northern NSW beef cattle and mixed broad acre farmers Brenden Smith and Angie Smith to the NSW Legislative Council Inquiry Into Coal Seam Gas:
Our farms are situated in PEL 470 and we were approached by a representative from Planet Gas to put an exploration well on one of our properties. We were told it was only one well and it was nothing to worry about. After further investigations, we found out it was going to be a series of wells with a pumping station on a neighbouring farm to join to a pipeline to take the gas to a major pipeline connecting to Gladstone in the North and Wellington and Newcastle in the south. It seems all this had been arranged without notifying landholders or local councils. How can this be allowed to happen?
What one community did about it.
Excerpt from a guest post in 1 Million Women by Angie Smith:
Prior to 2010 I didn't even know what coal seam gas was or that it was embedded in the coal seams deep under our farm. I had no idea what a Petroleum Exploration Licence was let alone that there was one covering our district called PEL470. Hydraulic fracturing was another language.
They say ignorance is bliss and little did I know that life as I knew it was about to change forever.
After a visit from a representative from Planet Gas seeking permission to drill a core hole on our land life went into overdrive. Being a fourth generation farmer I descend from a long line of agriculturalists. My husband is a successful, passionate farmer and our three children, although at university and school, are heavily involved with the running of our family farm. The land is not only in our blood but our hearts as well. Mining companies and governments thought they could establish a gas industry in some of the richest farming land in Australia. They didn't bank on the power of people.
Life became very different from the usual day to day running of the farm and family. Night reading became Petroleum Onshore Act 1991 and NSW Government Draft Strategic Regional Land use Plan. Neighbours were alerted and meetings were planned and email lists collated. Meetings with local, state and federal MP's were attended. Days spent at the legislative Council Inquiries. Letters were written.
Politicians from all parties came to our home to discuss CSG. The phone rang constantly. Involvement on an advisory committee enabled travel to Emerald, Springsure, Toowoomba, Chinchilla, Dalby, Gunnedah, Narrabri and Brisbane to meet with others farmers to learn from their experiences and realise that coexistence is not possible. Legal advice was sought. Lobbying of politicians became a daily occurrence. Meetings with the Chief Scientist and various other influential people became the norm. Every landowner in PEL470 was united and signed an objection to the licence renewal of PEL470.
On 14th October 2014 the Minister for Resources and Energy cancelled our licence.
People power had triumphed…..
Friday 27 March 2015
NSW State Election 2015: Not happy, Mike!
Letter to the Editor in The Northern Star, 24 March 2015:
Poles apart
The NSW Lib/Nat state government wants to privatise the electricity network by leasing the distribution network for 99 years.
Most NSW residents will therefore never again see it in public hands and when the lease expires in 2114 it would probably get renewed for another 99 years meaning it will never return to public ownership.
The state will not benefit financially for another 99 years after blowing the original booty on a stack of hasty re-election promises.
As with all privatisation of the people's assets, staff are sacked, service declines and prices rise, just look to Telstra.
When Telstra was in government hands they were Australia's biggest employer and there were works yards in every town with trucks, tractors and local qualified Telstra linesmen ready to attend promptly to faults and new installations.
Now that is all gone, mostly contractors do the work, employment and training of school leavers has all but stopped, service doesn't exist and prices have risen.
The NSW Lib/Nat government claims we will not be affected on the Far North Coast, however Transgrid which supplies most of our power from the high voltage distribution network will be 100% privatised.
Maybe when the electricity prices go up we can resort to using the methane bubbling out of the ground for heating and cooking once the government covers our land in leaking CSG wells.
GARRY OWERS
Meerschaum Vale
Letter to the Editor in The Daily Examiner, 25 March 2015:
Letter to the Editor in The Daily Examiner, 25 March 2015:
MP
loses trust
BEFORE
you vote remember that once the electricity network is sold off it's gone for
good, and no amount of bleating from our ineffective member Chris Gulaptis is
going to get it back or stop the Sydney-based liberals selling off Essential
Energy at a latter date.
This is
the same member for Clarence who had to clarify with his party who he
represented over the closing of the Grafton goal, i.e. his party or the people
who elected him.
How can
he be trusted to look after his electorate?
How can
he be trusted again?
Paul Macdermott
Lawrence
Letter to the Editor in The Northern Star, 25 March 2015:
Poles an asset
Why sell a publicly owned monopoly guaranteeing a $1.7 billion return every year?
Poles an asset
Privatising publicly owned utilities like electricity assets and water supplies puts states at risk of being held to ransom, especially if foreign owned (e.g., South Australian electricity assets are Chinese owned). There is significant foreign interest in our electricity assets. How simple to cripple a state by turning off the electricity supply.
The $20 billion from leasing these assets is illusory. In truth the NSW public sector's net financial worth will be substantially reduce adding $1-2 billion annually to the budget deficit, weakening the state's financial position.
It displays the worst features of past privatisations of public assets with the financial loss at the top end of the range of past ventures. 'Asset recycling' won't occur as non-income generating assets - hospitals, schools, roads - will replace an asset generating income.
The claim that 49% of the poles and wires will be leased is very misleading. One hundred per cent of Transgrid and 50.4% of both Ausgrid and Endeavour Energy will be privatised representing about 67% of electricity assets, not the 49% oft quoted by the coalition. Government will lose control over the underlying infrastructure.
Who wants a Premier with only a Plan A or a government that deceives the electorate for political gain?
MEG PICKUP
Ballina
Labels:
Coal Seam Gas,
electricity,
NSW State Election 2015
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