Don't mention the funding cuts!

ABC News: At the campaign launch in South Perth on 11 March 2014

It was a case of don't mention the funding cuts or the Commission of Audit 900-page interim report currently sitting on his Canberra desk. As pressing the carbon and mining tax buttons in a mercifully brief, but virtually policy-free speech, Prime Minister Tony Abbott launched the 5 April 2014 West Australia senate election Liberal Party campaign:

Tuesday, 11 March 2014

Perth

Prime Minister

E&OE

I’m here to officially open the Liberal campaign for the Western Australian Senate by-election which we are having because of the ineptitude of the Electoral Commission.

I can understand the frustration of Western Australians of having to go to the polls yet again, but this is a chance for the people of Western Australia to vote for a strong team – for a strong team – that will give a fair deal to the people of Western Australia.

We’ve got a strong team and they will vote in the Senate, should they be elected, for a fair deal, a better deal for the people of Western Australia.

That’s what this is all about – voting for people who will be a strong team and will give the people of Western Australia a fair deal in the Senate.

Now, it’s very important – very, very important – that we get rid of anti-Western Australian taxes and the mining tax and the carbon tax are anti-Western Australian taxes.

That’s what they are. They’re anti-Western Australian taxes and they are only there still because the Labor Party and the Greens, voting together as they always do, have voted to keep them.

The question for Labor Party representatives in this state at this time is why are you voting in the Senate to keep the carbon tax and to keep the mining tax even though these are anti-Western Australian taxes?

That question should echo right around this state. Whenever you see a Labor politician – why are you voting to keep on this great state of Western Australia the mining tax and the carbon tax that are so damaging to this state and which are so obviously anti-Western Australian taxes?

So, it really is very simple and very clear cut – if you want a strong team that will do the right thing by Western Australia you have got to vote for the Liberal Party. You have got to vote for Coalition candidates. I have got great Coalition candidates in David Johnston, in Michaelia Cash, in Linda Reynolds and in Slade Brockman. I am very proud of them and we are a strong united team, as the presence of the Finance Minister Mathias Cormann and also Steve Irons the local member for Swan demonstrates today.

So, it is good to be here and it is good to officially open this campaign to do the right thing by the people of Western Australia with this strong team.

Thank you.

While elsewhere on the West Australia campaign trail Abbott is told you are scum.

Thank the gods! I'm not a Liberal.

As Abbott and Co continue to lay waste to democratic processes, socio-economic policy, access and equity – readers might like to take this test to see if they have been contaminated with the far-right berserker virus:  http://australia.isidewith.com/political-quiz.

Thankfully, my results showed I was far away from the more virulent  policy positions of Abbott, Hockey, Cormann, Brandis, Pyne, Bernardi, Bishop, and the rest of those sitting on the government benches in Pariament House, Canberra:

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

Clarence Valley Conservation Coalition's first Earth Matters presentation for 2014 - 5.30pm Monday 17 March

Media Release 

EARTH  MATTERS

In our first Earth Matters session for 2014, our presenter poses two questions.  Can we stop climate change and keep the planet we have grown to love?  Given the outlook the planet faces with climate change, is it time to consider nuclear energy as part of the solution? 

This is one person's journey in moving from being adamantly opposed to nuclear energy to seeing it as necessary to keep the planet cool.

Our presenter is Peter Morgan, a well-known local conservationist.

Earth Matters is a session on environmental issues which is conducted every two months by the Clarence Valley Conservation Coalition in conjunction with the Clarence Environment Centre.

Time: 5.30 pm, Monday March 17. 

Venue: Staff room, Grafton Primary School, Queen St, Grafton.

All welcome.

For further information contact Stan on 66449309.