Looking back at a time when the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association sometimes told the unvarnished truth

A time when the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (APPEA) was honest with the people of New South Wales:

3 August 2011

Coal seam damage to water inevitable

Ben Cubby

THE coal seam gas industry has conceded that extraction will inevitably contaminate aquifers.

The Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association told a fiery public meeting in Sydney that good management could minimise the risks of water contamination, but never eliminate them.

"Drilling will, to varying degrees, impact on adjoining aquifers," said the spokesman, Ross Dunn. "The extent of impact and whether the impact can be managed is the question."

The admissions came before the start of the first public hearing in NSW, held in Narrabri, of a Senate inquiry into the effects of coal seam gas mining.

The hearing was told that many farmers in northern and western NSW were angry about proposals to extract coal seam gas from their land, and some planned to join a mass campaign to lock their gates in the face of resources companies...

"The intent of saying that is to make it clear that we have never shied away from the fact that there will be impacts on aquifers," Mr Dunn said.

"I'm wanting to ensure that we are not seen as saying there won't be any impacts during the process. It is a matter of monitoring and managing those impacts."...

Of course, immediately after the publication of this article APPEA denied the published quotes of its spokesperson.

However, on 7 March 2014 The Sydney Morning Herald published an article which supported APPEA's original statements:

A coal seam gas project operated by energy company Santos in north-western NSW has contaminated a nearby aquifer, with uranium at levels 20 times higher than safe drinking water guidelines, an official investigation has found.

It is the first confirmation of aquifer contamination associated with coal seam gas activity in Australia - a blow to an industry pushing state and federal governments for permission to expand.

Santos was fined $1500 by the NSW Environment Protection Authority, which posted a media release on its website on February 18, without identifying the nature of the contamination.

Two days later, Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner signed a memorandum of understanding with Santos to speed up the project, in the Pilliga forest near Narrabri, guaranteeing a decision on its future by January 23 next year.

The EPA says it launched an investigation after routine testing in March last year by Santos of groundwater around the project - which remains in the test well stage - detected ''elevated levels of total dissolved solids and slightly elevated levels of other elements''.

The investigation concluded there was no evidence contractors engaged by the previous owner of the project, Eastern Star Gas, followed strict rules when building a pond to hold waste water and brine produced when gas is extracted. The investigation concluded the pond liner was of ''poor quality, which resulted in the integrity of the liner being questionable''.

On Friday, EPA chief environmental regulator Mark Gifford confirmed the contamination was caused by water leaking from the pond and that lead, aluminium, arsenic, barium, boron, nickel and uranium had been detected in an aquifer at levels ''elevated when compared to livestock, irrigation and health guidelines''.

Mr Gifford said the metals are ''not additives'' and occur naturally in the surrounding soil and water.

''However, the leaking pond has mobilised the elements and moved them into the aquifer, increasing their concentrations,'' he said...

Read more at : http://www.smh.com.au/environment/santos-coal-seam-gas-project-contaminates-aquifer-20140307-34csb.html

Note: My red bolding

Is Kevin Hogan playing coy with the media over his position on coal seam gas mining?

The Nationals Member for Page, Kevin Hogan, went to the 7 September 2013 federal election declaring his opposition to coal seam gas exploration and mining on the NSW North Coast until it could be proved there were no negative impacts.

As late as November 2013 he was attending the Kyogle Gas Free Celebration stating that he had “great reservations”, “real questions marks” about the industry, and was willing to “cross the floor” on any vote concerning CSG.

Although a month earlier in the print media he had begun to state that he could see where pro-mining Federal Resources Minister Ian Macfarlane was coming from in his support for the NSW gas industry.

Since that 2013 rally Mr. Hogan has been rather quiet on the subject of coal seam gas mining and the opposition of Northern Rivers communities to establishment of this industry in the region.

There is no current mention of coal seam gas on his official website that I can find, he lists no advocacy on behalf of the electorate concerning coal seam gas in his own review of his first 100 days as an elected representative.

Similarly his Facebook timeline has been silent on the subject since he became a member of parliament, whilst his Twitter account makes no mention of his position at all except in one tweet praising Metgasco’s temporary suspension of exploration activity way back in March 2013.

Behind the scenes in 2014 there are journalists, working for state-wide and national newspapers, who are beginning to wonder why he is now "ducking and diving" any coal seam gas questions posed to him.

Safely ensconced in his seat with a healthy boost to his income, part of the Canberra political scene; has Kevin already begun to forget the little he knew of his electorate and quietly joined the coal seam gas club?

Will NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione risk another heavy handed political move against Northern Rivers anti-coal seam gas protestors in 2014?

Local landowners & others prepare for the arrival of Metasco at its Rosella-1 well site in early 2014

In 2013 Magistrate David Heilpern publicly took NSW Police to task over charges laid against coal seam gas protestors at Metgasco Limited’s Glenugie site.

Does NSW Police Commissioner Scipione want the world to see more media coverage similar to this because he was persuaded to do the bidding of a coal seam gas exploration company which to date has produced not a cent in profit for its investors or the State of New South Wales and is never likely to?

The Northern Star 6 November 2013

"In this case I find myself asking what could possibly be the reason for continuing on with such an innocuous charge in these circumstances? Why else would police risk cost orders against them, drive a prosecutor up from Sydney to run the matters, arrange police witnesses to travel from Sydney, all for an innocuous minor traffic matter. "It is in that context that the realistic suspicion of political interference arises," he said.....

Metgasco Limited is a mining exploration company which after fourteen years still has no social contract with local communities on the NSW North Coast, a spotty safety record and an unhappy shareholder base.

Dangerous decisions by Clarence Valley Council

A BAD MOVE BY CLARENCE VALEY COUNCIL

Letter to the editor published in The Daily Examiner 26 November 3013:

Dangerous Decision

FROM 1983 to 2003 a very large part of my life was dedicated to managing and growing tourism services within the Clarence Valley. It wasn't always easy as the Clarence River Tourist Association (CRTA) had a chequered history up until 1983 and there were five sceptical councils and hundreds of business operators to win over.

It was a long but exciting journey and with some wonderful staff, excellent CRTA management boards, highly co-operative councils and many highly supportive business operators we built one of the best tourism authorities in Australia.

The recent decision by Clarence Valley Council to terminate a current MOU and all future arrangements with the CRTA and then close the South Grafton visitor information centre within three years is alarming and fraught with danger for our local tourism industry, which has become our biggest local industry.

I cannot understand why the recently completed consultant's report was not released in draft form to allow general community input before adoption by the council. There are so many items in this report that are not accurate or not relevant to tourism in the Clarence Valley.

I cannot understand how councillors can adopt this report without so much as a question or a comment. I guess when you don't understand something it's hard to question a consultant's report that cost $30,000.

I can't understand how the council considered this matter without the input of the councillor with the most experience at the front line of the tourism industry, Karen Toms.

If this was the State Government she'd be Minister for Tourism. Within the CVC she feels she'll be in trouble if she offers guidance to other councillors and staff who have such little experience within the tourism industry.

One of the great tragedies of the consultant's report and CVC consideration of its content is that there is no appreciation of the history of many critical issues.

The first of these is CVC claiming the Commercial Rate Levy of $170,000 per annum to the CRTA is a council cost.

This levy was adopted by three councils in 1989/90 to replace CRTA business membership fees as a more effective way for local businesses to contribute to the running costs of the visitor centre at South Grafton.

If CRTA had not engineered this levy and the local business community not agreed to it, it would not exist today.

The second is the total disregard for the history of the purchase of the land and the construction of the South Grafton visitor information centre.

The CRTA selected the site, assisted with the land purchase from the NSW Government, and helped co-ordinate community and government contributions to the building costs.

Subsequently a section of this land was leased to McDonald's, but the rent paid by McDonald's is never credited to the CRTA while the costs for mowing and maintaining this front door to Grafton is inevitably allocated by CVC, in full, to the CRTA.

I have read the consultant's report and so much of it has little relevance to this area. There are great dangers in the direction CVC has taken. Of course there are ways to do some things better in future and save money - no-one should deny this.

It's not too late to revisit the council's decision and many people, including me, would be happy to work with CVC for the best possible outcomes.

Bill Day,
former CRTA manager
Yamba

AN EVEN WORSE MOVE IN PROGRESS

The Daily Examiner 26 November 2013:

Clarence Valley Council is having a workshop about its meeting structures, which could see committee meetings scrapped in favour of two ordinary meetings a month.

At present the council holds one day of two committee meetings. With five councillors on each committee, they discuss and vote on matters that are then brought to the ordinary meeting for a final decision.

In a report presented to councillors at the last ordinary meeting, general manager Scott Greensill wrote that there were a number of issues with the current format, including double handling and delayed decision making.

Before each committee meeting, the public is allowed to make deputations to the council.

"This 11th hour information can often cause problems as the person giving the deputation can introduce new information that neither councillors or officers have had time to appropriately consider," the report said.

"Many council reports are the result of months of work and the receipt of late information, often without time to allow for factual verification, is not conducive to good decision-making."

Deputations would therefore need to be held at a different time.

The council will workshop the issue before making a decision.

This is what Metgasco and other coal seam gas miners want to turn the Northern Rivers into....

http://youtu.be/1AeWYwBreEY

If you don’t’ want this to happen – at the next round of elections vote out those local government councillors and state or federal MPs who support (or fail to genuinely oppose) the coal seam gas industry.

Richmond Valley Watchdog alerts Northern Rivers to NSW Government's search for two new spin meisters

From the Richmond Valley Watchdog’s post NSW Government Hires Spin Doctors to Flog Flawed Planning Laws on 8 September 2013:

Is the Abbott Government about to starve local councils of regional funding opportunities?

The Abbott Government is dissolving the Regional Development Australia Fund and, replacing it with the more limited in scope National Stronger Regions Fund which only has a $400 million budget and no funds for distribution until the 2015-16 financial year.

Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss on the subject; the establishment of the fund would mean the abolition of Labor's Regional Development Australia Fund and a Coalition Government would not honour projects approved for the next round of funding. [Weekly Times,29 August 2013]

Federal Nationals MP Michael McCormack had this to say about the last round of funding promised under the original scheme; Regional Development Australia fund round 5A is also being viewed as an election promise. [The Area News,26 September 2013] 

This is what local governments on the NSW North Coast were expecting to receive under RDAF—Round Five—Funding Allocations to eligible local governments — $150 million:

Ballina (S)	10250	NSW	$232,667
Clarence Valley	11740	NSW	$668,200
Coffs Harbour (C)	11800	NSW	$484,932
Byron (S)	11350	NSW	$149,681
Kyogle	14550	NSW	$229,587
Lismore (C)	14850	NSW	$436,455
Richmond Valley	19050	NSW	$316,430
Tweed (S)	17550	NSW	$613,184

If this previously promised funding is not forthcoming and, funding under the new 50-50 financial obligation regional grants system will not be available for another twenty-one months, how will this affect projects already planned by these eight councils?

Richmond Valley Council was to use its promised funding to kickstart its planned indoor sports centre at Colley Park.

Clarence Valley Council was intending to use the funding for much needed upgrades to Grafton and Yamba public swimming pools.

Kyogle Council was looking to upgrade access to the Kyogle Memorial Institute and to improve public right of way in C Ward.

Lismore City Council planned to provide covered carparking and walkways in its central business district.

While Coffs Harbour City Council wanted to refurbish the Coffs Harbour Regional Museum.

I'm sure that the remaining North Coast councils also had firm plans for the expected grant monies.

Perhaps the Federal National Party MPs for Cowper and Page might like to explain to voters how they are going to assist councils in their electorates with this problem.

NSW Farmers ask Abbott Government & Minister Macfarlane: "Why should CSG extraction take precedence over protection of land and water and basic needs like food and fibre?"

Media Release
18 September 2013	PR/121/13
Setting the record straight on CSG concerns in NSW NSW Farmers today expressed concern that newly appointed Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane was already dismissing opposition to the coal seam gas industry in NSW. Association president Fiona Simson said the minister’s comments were very concerning especially when he had not yet spoken to all relevant stakeholders on the CSG issue. “Farmers and communities in NSW have deep and genuine concerns about the effect this industry is already having and projected to have on agricultural land and water and we do not think it is fair for those concerns to be labelled politically nor emotionally driven,” she said. “We are however encouraged by the Coalition’s Policy for Resources and Energy in particular the CSG co-existence conditions which state that access to prime agricultural land should only be allowed with the farmer’s agreement and that there should be no damage to the underground water supply. “NSW Farmers does not deny that the Queensland CSG industry has progressed much quicker than in NSW. But the geography of Queensland is different and what works there will not necessarily work here and I can assure him that not everyone over the border is ecstatic about how the CSG industry has developed there. “The NSW legislative framework in relation to CSG is severely lacking – this is something we have been saying for years. “We are not against the industry but we are seeking balanced outcomes. Why should CSG extraction take precedence over protection of land and water and basic needs like food and fibre? “NSW Farmers wants adequate protections for agricultural land and water and we want our questions, legitimate questions, answered. Ms Simson said the federal Coalition’s agriculture policy about building better stakeholder relations was encouraging and she was keen to take them up on that. “However, comments like these are a concern so early on in a new government’s first term,” she concluded. ends

Coal Seam Gas: an object lesson for Northern Rivers communities is coming out of Colorado USA

These photographs and videos set out below are coming out of Colorado in the United States and, show just part of the gas and oil fields flooded in September 2013.

Is this the level of risk Prime Minister Tony Abbott, NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell, Metgasco Limited, and its main backer ERM Power, are willing to expose the flood-prone Northern Rivers region to?

http://youtu.be/y_wNkPYGiRo

Colorado frack-site flooding - September 2013 from Mateo Albaricoque on Vimeo.
http://vimeo.com/74683562

The Daily Examiner 19 September 2013:

EmmaB

So Metgasco is heartened by what the Liberal/Nationals governments are saying at state and federal level and plans to "ride a rising tide" to corporate prosperity on the backs of local communities.

Perhaps its board members should give some thought to both past and recent North Coast flood event history.

Then look at those news photographs of literally one thousand plus flooded gas wells, miles of broken pipelines, drifting condensate tanks and floating chemical barrels contaminating Colorado countryside right now.

Of which one Weld County, Colorado resident stated in the media:

“We probably shouldn’t have had the oil and gas development in a flood plain to begin with. That would have been the prudent thing. But, it’s done now. Now we have deal with the result of having made that decision.”

I can assure Metgasco that Northern Rivers residents are noting the lessons those photographs teach.

If elected on 7 September Abbott and Coalition have plans to immediately push for coal seam gas industry expansion in NSW

So much for Nationals candidate Kevin Hogan’s assurances concerning coal seam gas exploration and mining on the NSW North Coast.....

Australian Mining 4 September 2013:

The Abbott government would also drive the expansion of NSW’s coal seam gas sector. Macfarlane would make the NSW domestic gas matter one of his top three concerns, The Australian reported.

Macfarlane has already set a Christmas deadline to resolve the issue, saying it may already be three months overdue.

He labelled the condition urgent “beyond belief”.

“It’s a massive problem and it’s going to cost jobs from Newcastle to Wollongong if we don’t get it sorted,” he said.

“The only situation short-term is to get the CSG industry going well enough to supply the domestic demand, which is going to start to exceed supply in 2015 and 2016 when they start turning on the LNG trains in Gladstone.

The Coalition government and Macfarlane also promised to bring in an exploration development incentive.

Under the scheme, junior mining companies with no taxable income can pass eligible exploration expenses on to their shareholders.

A Minerals Council of Australia spokesman said the pledge showed the Coalition understood the importance of exploration.

“The MCA has regularly highlighted the tax asymmetry in the treatment of exploration expenses for companies with no taxable income.”

The Australian Tax Office will decide on a part of the costs that investors can claim as tax credits.

It is aimed at junior mining companies with no taxable income and will be capped at $100 million over the forward estimates.

Association of Mining and Exploration Companies head Simon Bennison recently told Australian Mining juniors are operating without support and said if this continues, the future of the industry is in jeopardy.

Coalition Policies and the Environment

In the election campaign both major parties are short-changing the environment but by far the weakest response to environmental issues comes from the Coalition.

The Coalition parties' attitude is encapsulated in a comment made by Nationals leader Warren Truss in an election broadcast – "You don't improve the environment by trashing the economy." Truss and many other politicians miss the point entirely when they speak of the economy and the environment as being separate entities with the economy the central matter. They do not understand that the economy and the human community are subsets of the natural environment.  A healthy economy is dependent ultimately on a healthy environment.

Politicians such as Warren Truss may learn this in the future as the effects of climate change start to impact severely on our way of life – and on the economy.

Truss' comment referred to the carbon tax which he and his Coalition allies have promised to abolish.

While the Coalition officially acknowledges that climate change is a problem, there is still the taint of climate scepticism about some Coalition politicians including the Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.  His climate change is "absolute crap" statement was made some time ago but more recently we have had his disparaging comment about the "invisible substance".

Two major components of the Coalition's Direct Action policy on climate change are planting trees and paying farmers for storing carbon in their soils.  Another more significant one is paying polluters to reduce their emissions rather than making them pay for polluting.  Just how effective an incentive this will be in encouraging polluters to move to a low carbon economy is very doubtful.

There are serious questions about the effectiveness of this policy in meeting the target reductions to which the Coalition committed.  There are also questions about the cost of the scheme.  A recent report commissioned by the independent Climate Commission highlights the problems with the Coalition scheme.

http://www.climateinstitute.org.au/verve/_resources/TCI_CoalitionClimatePolicyandtheNationalClimateInterest_15August2013.pdf

For another view of the recent ALP-Coalition "debate" on Direct Action's likely effectiveness see Politifact   http://www.politifact.com.au/truth-o-meter/statements/2013/aug/20/mark-butler/how-much-direct-action-cost/

Another Coalition policy which has serious implications for the natural environment is the pledge to reduce what developers call "green tape" and to leave much environmental governance to the states.  The idea behind this is to make it easier for business and prevent duplication – naturally something business and industry applauds.  However, removing federal oversight is not in the interests of the natural environment or the broader community.  Consider, for example, what has happened to environmental regulation / environmental protection in NSW under the current state government where, for example,  marine reserve protection has been downgraded, national parks are to be opened up to recreational hunters and land-clearing regulations have been eased.  Giving the states either too much power or sole power on environmental protection is almost certain to be disastrous for the natural environment. 

The Coalition has committed $20 billion to road infrastructure but is ignoring investment in rail which is a much less carbon intensive method of transport.  According to the Australasian Railway Association (quoted in Smoke and mirrors, with no policy on smoke   http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/federal-election-2013/smoke-and-mirrors-with-no-policy-on-smoke-20130825-2sjoc.html) 14% - 76 million tonnes per year - of Australia's greenhouse emissions are generated by transport.  90 % of these emissions are attributable to road transport and only 2% to rail.  Investment in rail in this carbon-constrained world is sensible policy.  Why is this not obvious to Mr Abbott and his team?

Other policies/announcements which are cause for concern include:

* The scrapping of the Biodiversity Fund (originally $1 billion but which now stands at $600 million) and replacement with a $300 million "Green Army".
* Slashing of the $10 billion renewable energy fund and replacement with a $1 billion solar roofs program. Plans to review and possibly weaken the current renewable energy target.
* A proposal to build up to 100 dams throughout the country.

Simplistic sloganeering has been the hallmark of the Coalition in Opposition.  If they win government, they won't be able to rely on slogans.  Environmental challenges such as biodiversity loss, and particularly preparing Australia for the climate challenge ahead, will test the new government.  The Coalition's policies show that it is ill-prepared to meet that challenge.

Hildegard

Northern Rivers

30 August 2013

* Guest Speak is a North Coast Voices segment allowing serious or satirical comment from NSW Northern Rivers residents. Email ncvguestpeak at gmail dot com dot au to submit comment for consideration.

Desmond John Thomas Euen wants a sea port

Readers may have noticed that rumours have resurfaced about the Port of Yamba being targeted as a coal terminal at the end of a west-east rail line linking north-western NSW with the coast.

This plan was first mooted by some of the people involved in unsuccessful lobbying to dam and divert water from the Clarence River catchment system for the benefit of irrigators and mining corporations in the Murray Darling Basin and, at the time was estimated to cost at least $3.5 billion to achieve.

Though the latest manifestation of these rumours owes little to Mal Peters & Co and more to an ‘entrepreneur’ from Booval in Queensland.

According to ASIC documents Desmond John Thomas Euen is the only director, shareholder and company secretary in a $1-1 share company registered in New South Wales on 31 August 2012, Australian Infrastructure Developments Pty Ltd, and elsewhere he has variously described himself as the company’s Managing Director and Executive Director.

Mr. Euen also has a website which appears to be locked or parked:

Whois http://whois.domaintools.com/australianinfrastructuredevelopments.com.au

Domain Name:                     australianinfrastructuredevelopments.com.au
Registrar ID:                    WAR
Registrar Name:                  Web Address Registration
Status:                          ok

Registrant:                      LYNX BUSINESS SERVICES PTY LTD
Registrant ID:                   ABN 56146166574
Eligibility Type:                Company

Registrant Contact ID:           R-006499331-SN
Registrant Contact Name:         Des Euen
Registrant Contact Email:        Visit whois.ausregistry.com.au for Web based WhoIs

Tech Contact ID:                 C-001573771-SN
Tech Contact Name:               Des Euen
Tech Contact Email:              Visit whois.ausregistry.com.au for Web based WhoIs

Name Server:                     ns1.designandhost.net
Name Server:                     ns2.designandhost.net

On doing a Google search of the second company which appears to be associated with Desmond Euen, I found this:

As well as this as yet unexplained and possibly unrelated notice.

It appears to be Mr. Euen’s current goal in life to turn a small working port, on which the local fishing and tourism industries also heavily rely, into a generic freight hub at the end of a phantom west-east rail line and, in the process destroy a significant Yaegl cultural and spiritual site, Dirrangun reef.

He rather arrogantly asserted to one journalist that; the local indigenous population would be handsomely compensated and provided with jobs.

Dirrungun reef and the Clarence River below Harwood Bridge fall within two registered native title claims by the Yaegl people of the Clarence Valley.

Desmond Euen has created a power point presentation to support his grandiose plan but has not yet submitted a proposal to the O’Farrell Government.

He appears to be having trouble getting a hearing from relevant federal and state ministers. Indeed, to date the only ‘meeting’ he seems to have achieved has been a very short one with a senior staffer from the NSW Roads and Ports Minister’s office and it resulted in this statement:

“A proposal of this nature is highly unlikely in the current market environment and the government has no plans for the Port of Yamba”

The ever hopeful Mr. Euen has approached at least one local newspaper and, The Daily Examiner reported on 1 August 2013:

In the wake of a recent story on speculation the Port of Yamba was to be converted into a coal freight hub, the managing director of ADI, Desmond J T Euen contacted the paper.

Mr Euen said he was upset rumours were circulating a coal hub was on the agenda and said in fact his organisation had been speaking to the State Government about converting the Port of Yamba into a freight hub.

He said the development would bring billions of dollars worth of investment and thousands of jobs to the area.

Mr Euen also said a funding deal, from the private sector, was in advanced stages.

By 2 August Mr. Euen had reportedly become insistent "I'll tell you this; the Yamba Port is going to be developed in exactly the way I'm saying it will," Mr Euen said. "And it's got nothing to do with coal" and Clarence Valley Mayor Richie Williamson was showing his usual fence sitting skills when it comes to Lower Clarence issues "We would welcome responsible and sustainable development and jobs in the Clarence Valley….And any proposal that reflects that should be given due consideration on its merit."

If Clarence Valley Council management or its executive has given Mr. Euen any form of encouragement they have seriously misjudged the aspirations and priorities of the Yamba community.

NO CSG IN THE NORTHERN RIVERS: Swampy's not amused and on his way to Canberra with as many of your letters as will fit in his saddlebags

 

## OPEN LETTER TO THE COMMUNITY ## Facebook 26 July 2013

To whom it may concern,

My name is Michael Franklin (Turtle or Swampy). My parents, grandparents, and great grandparents have been breeding horses, logging and farming in the Grafton area since the 1800s. We have a great love for the land and everything has been done with consideration to the future viability of our property to sustain a decent lifestyle. I worked in Queensland after going to TOCAL Agricultural College. I started as a Jackaroo and went through to Head Stockman for AA Company. I loved the way of life up there, the attitude was, do what you wanted as long as it wasn't at someone else's expense.

I have just returned from the CSG Gasfields around Tara/Chinchilla on a fact-finding tour. I went to peoples properties, whose bores were contaminated. Not drinkable, and no idea of if, or when the water will ever be drinkable. They have admittance from the company to interfering with the Aquatard, not the Aquifer so no responsibility taken. They have now had to build dams and if you know Queensland, you would realise that dams are there in the good years but when it comes dry, it's all bore water. What happens then? It is not just one farm, there are numerous and any farmer worth his salt knows that clean water is our most valuable resource.

I went to the Wiembiella Estate where the blockies live. This is a motley crew of people, who have bought a piece of Australia to live and raise their families in peace and quiet, only to have it shattered by being turned into an Energy Hub. Thousands of vehicles a week, hundreds of trucks, I mean this is in your face 24/7, it just never goes to sleep. Its total disregard for your fellow man, the land and the water. We drove 15km around a dam just being built to fill up with toxic water to be cleaned and pumped back into the river that feeds the Chinchilla water supply. All they are taking out is the salts, not the radioactive materials or the heavy metal elements. The water is also used to irrigate crops and to water feedlots. I have done my Quality Assurance, Training and Assessment course for Beef Cattle Production and I am concerned about the quality of what the Australian consumer may be eating or drinking. I have never considered fertilising my paddocks with lead, yet The Land newspaper have reported that up to 90kg/ha annually is going onto the fields irrigated with produced water. I expect that the meat will be sold on the domestic/local market due to stringent export quality standards. You are what you eat.

I think that reusing emissions and renewable is the answer to our power problem. Septics/sewage, piggeries, dairies, sawmills, and rubbish tips and biofuel can all produce power. Then there is solar, solar-thermal, wind and tidal energies. Its more than enough and the proof is out there.

I am riding to Canberra against CSG. I believe in respecting thy neighbour. Even if you don't like your neighbour, I don't believe that poisoning them is justifiable. Common decency says that you do not have the right to interfere with or threaten the wellbeing your neighbours. I will also be promoting Australian Owned, Australian Made and Australian Grown because I believe that we should be supporting Australian business and farming as a sustainable future rather than the inevitable bust that will follow the mining boom. I would rather see Australia as a food bowl than a gravel pit.

Mick Franklin
Glenugie
NSW

 

#‪#‎LATEST ANNOUNCEMENT##

Franklin Horses will be running a postal service direct to Parliament House!
Departing from Grafton on the 21st of September 2013, and arriving in Canberra sometime in late November. All hand written letters of concern will be delivered direct to Parliament by way of Pony Express. Arrangements will be made for various collection points prior to departure and also along the way. Further announcements will be made regarding collection.

Tell 'em what you think and we'll take it to 'em!
Cheers
The Franklin Horses Team