14.9 million Metgasco shares traded on Australian Stock Exchange on 19 February 2013 as stock free fall continues

 

Given Metgasco Limited’s poor track record with regard to coal seam gas mining waste water and well leaks, its cynical media spin and contempt for democratic processes there is little sympathy on the NSW North Coast for this coal seam gas exploration and production company as its share price continues in free fall.

 

19 February trading volume was unusually high for this company and at least one local resident is speculating that Metgasco connections began to buy back shares yesterday once the price reached the minuscule 0.099 cents per share, in order to stop share value from plunging even lower.

 

Metgasco share trades on the Australian Stock Exchange 19 February 2013:

 

 

Janelle Saffin MP: National MPs Should Just Do Their Job And Make Region CSG Free

Nationals MPs should just do their job and make region CSG free

 

FEDERAL Member for Page Janelle Saffin says the only solution for the Northern Rivers is a complete exclusion zone from Coal Seam Gas mining, and she is calling on State Nationals MPs to just do their job and make our region CSG free.

 

Ms Saffin says Premier Barry O’Farrell’s new announcement of two-kilometre exclusion zones around urban areas and some wineries and horse studs, is a quick fix which seeks to shore up his political support in Western Sydney and the Hunter  Valley

 

“It ignores the Northern Rivers community’s concerns about CSG ruining our river catchments and prime agricultural land, and shows up the ineffectiveness of the country Nationals and the weakness of Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner,” she says.

 

“The only thing that will protect all local residents is to make our region CSG free, and until we get that legislative assurance from the New South Wales Government, I will continue to support the community campaign to get that outcome.

 

“I heard Premier O’Farrell on radio today blaming the previous State government, and it sounds lame.

 

“Barry O’Farrell made a campaign promise in 2011 to protect our water, and when he had the opportunity to do something, he didn’t honour his promise.

 

“Instead, he introduced a short-term moratorium on CSG and then brought out a land use policy which effectively gives the green light to CSG mining licences.

 

“The O’Farrell-Stoner Government’s land use policy does nothing to protect our water, farms and the rural lifestyle many of us enjoy.

 

“I’m pushing ahead with the work I’m doing with Federal Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities Tony Burke to see if the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act can be broadened to prevent the land, water and environmental vandalism being perpetrated by the NSW Government.”

 

Ms Saffin also urged people to sign a petition she is jointly circulating with Federal Member for Richmond Justine Elliot, demanding that the Nationals make the North Coast CSG free. A target of 10,000 signatures means that the NSW Government must debate the petition in State Parliament.

 

Copies of the petition are available at both Federal MPs’ Electorate Offices or can be downloaded from Janelle’s facebook page.

 

MEDIA RELEASE Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Media Contact: Peter Ellem 0437 303 875

Everytime you go to the supermarket or bottle shop you can make a stand against the annual Antarctic whale slaughter

 

As the Government of Japan and the Japanese people appear unwilling to listen to the Government of Australia when it asks that the Japanese whaling fleet cease its Antarctic commercial whaling (cynically conducted under the guise of lethal research), perhaps it will listen to its own overseas business interests when they complain that Australian consumers are beginning to pass over their products.

 

It is easy to spot products imported directly from Japan, however that is not the true extent of the Japanese presence on supermarket and liquor store shelves.

 

If you would like to protest the ongoing Southern Ocean whale slaughter you can easily make your mark - here is a list of some Japanese-owned brands currently available:

 

Nippon Meat Packers Australia (NMPA) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Nippon Meat Packers, Inc., a Japanese publicly listed company and a leader in the Japanese fresh meat, ham, sausage, and processed foods industries. Brands are: OAKEY ANGUS RESERVE, OAKEY RESERVE, CPB GRAIN FED, BORTHWICKS AUSTRALIA PREMIUM BEEF, WINGHAM BEEF EXPORTS, WINGHAM RESERVE, OAKEY ABATTOIR'S "BLUE" BRAND, OAKEY ABATTOIR'S, "OLIVE" BRAND, WINGHAM GOLD.

Lion Nathan National Foods a wholly owned subsidiary of Kirin Holdings Company Limited, a Japanese corporation specialising in beer, wine and dairy products. Brands are: XXXX GOLD, TOOHEYS NEW, JAMES BOAG’S PREMIUM, WITHER HILLS CHARDONNAY, ST HALLETT FAITH SHIRAZ, DAIRY FARMERS, YOPLAIT, COON, BERRI, DARE, FARMERS UNION, PURA, BIB M, MOOVE, TASMANIAN HERITAGE, and possibly KING ISLAND DAIRY.
 

Schweppes Australia a wholly owned subsidiary of Asahi Group Holdings Ltd of Japan. Brands: SCHWEPPES BRAND SOFT DRINKS & MIXERS, SOLO, SPRING VALLEY, COTTEE'S CORDIALS, COOL RIDGE SPRING WATER, EXTRA JUICY, POP TOPS, GLO, FRANTELLE, PEPSI, MOUNTAIN DEW (under licence), GATORADE (under licence).

 

Independent Distillers a subsidiary owned by Asahi Group Holdings of Japan. Brands: ASAHAI BEER, WOODSTOCK BOURBON, WOODSTOCK BOURBON & COLA, PULSE, HIGHLAND SCOTCH WHISKY, RED BEER, CS COWBOY, VODKA MUDSHAKE, VODKA CRUISER, CRUISER BLACK, CRUISER FREE, CRUISER APPARELLA, LADY LUCK, EVERGLADES, TWISTEE SHOTS, HUMMINGBIRD BLONDE LAGER,KINGKISHER BEER, BALTIKA BEER, HAAGEN PREMUIM MALT.

Coal Seam Gas: National Party MPs George, Gulaptis and Page receive a letter and an invitation to which none replied

 

 

On 13 February 2013 The Northern Star reported:

 

THREE Northern Rivers State Nationals MPs have ignored an invitation from the Federal Member for Page Janelle Saffin to take a united stand against coal seam gas in the region.

APN Newsdesk has seen the letter Ms Saffin wrote to Don Page (Ballina), Thomas George (Lismore) and Chris Gulaptis (Clarence) on January 25, in which she called on each of them to lobby for a statewide ban on CSG until more was known about the industry.....

 

Here is a copy of that letter:

 

                                   

Friday, January 25, 2013.

 

REF: PE.25.01.13.

 

The Honourable Don Page MP

NSW Minister for Local Government

NSW Minister for the North Coast

State Member for Ballina

 

The Honourable Thomas George MP

State Member for Lismore

 

The Honourable Chris Gulaptis MP

State Member for Clarence

 

Dear Don, Thomas and Chris,

 

I formally write to you all as a courtesy to update you on my advocacy on the watershed issue of Coal Seam Gas mining, done on behalf of thousands of my constituents in local communities in the Richmond and Clarence valleys.

 

Northern Rivers residents have made it abundantly clear that they are opposed to this unproven industry going forward because of the potential risks to our water and air, public health and productivity of our prime agricultural land.

 

While I realise that this is a difficult issue for you as State Government MPs, I respectfully call on you to influence Premier Barry O’Farrell and Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner to bring a halt to CSG activity until bioregional assessments are completed.

 

As long term residents of our region, I believe you appreciate that CSG protests at Ellangowan, Glenugie and Doubtful Creek, and Local Government Area-endorsed moratoriums, represent the widely held view in our electorates.

 

Not since the major demonstrations against a proposed rare earth plant at Tuncester, near Lismore, in the 1980s have the people of the Northern Rivers spoken so powerfully and in such a unified fashion against a threat to the natural environment and their way of life.

 

I’ve done a lot of research on Coal Seam Gas, and like a lot of people, when Metgasco came on the scene in Casino several years ago, I thought ‘great, natural gas’. However, I had to find out myself that it wasn’t great at all and this is why I started looking very carefully at what exploration drilling and gas wells do to our precious aquifers and groundwater.

 

I draw your attention to the attached National Water Commission’s position statement on Coal Seam Gas, which is current.

 

I lobbied Federal Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, The Honourable Tony Burke, to ensure that the Clarence-Morton Basin was a priority region for bioregional assessments to identify local water resources and any impacts from CSG and large coal mining.

 

Mr Burke’s Department has confirmed that the Grafton-based Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority has received $400,000 in Australian Government funding to conduct data gathering as part of the early stages of our bio-regional assessment.

 

These assessments are, of course, being done as part of the National Partnership Agreement with the States through COAG, under the purview of the Independent Expert Scientific Committee (IESC), relevant to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment Bill 2013.

 

And I am aware that the Northern Rivers Regional Organisation of Councils (NOROC) is looking at directing significant funds to Southern Cross University’s research arm to conduct baseline studies of water and air quality over the next three years or so.

 

These baseline studies should really be funded by the NSW Government, either directly or through a special levy raised from gas companies.

 

I also support Lock The Gate spokesman Michael McNamara’s latest call for the Northern NSW Local Health Network to take an active role in public health assessments of the chemicals used in CSG mining.

 

I attach my recent letters to NNSW LHN Chief Executive Chris Crawford and to Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing, The Honourable Catherine King MP, together with my major statements on CSG, for your information.

 

Don, Thomas and Chris, all of this should be enough to convince the NSW Government to pause and take stock of these genuine community concerns. It is within your power to adopt the precautionary principle and agitate for a State-wide moratorium.

 

I am happy to meet with you all to discuss a joint approach to CSG on behalf of the people of Page. There is too much at risk to do otherwise.

 

Kind regards,

 

Janelle Saffin MP

Federal Member for Page. 

Metgasco's worries increase about its future in an increasingly hostile environment

 

It is not only Sydney’s outer west, the Mid-North Coast, Northern Rivers communities, local government, the Federal Environment Minister, some state and federal sitting MPs and certain candidates at the 2013 federal election which are lining up in opposition to the coal seam gas industry and mining companies such as Metgasco Limited – now the O’Farrell Government is beginning to feel the political and social backlash flowing from its unwise decision to force this socially disruptive, water-hungry and potentially environmentally destructive industry on the people of New South Wales and has announced a review all coal seam gas activity in NSW.

Metgasco has been quick to react as its commercial worries mount.

 

It is noted that Metgasco's External Relations Manager Richard Shields was Deputy State Director and Director of Party Affairs at the Liberal Party of Australia (NSW Division) until August 2011.

 

The O'Farrell Government and Minister Hartcher in particular would do well to remember that any sense that meetings with Metgasco are conducted under old mates network rules should be avoided at all costs. 

 

 

NSW New regulations and administration

 

19 February 2013

 

The NSW Government has announced a range of new CSG policies and administrative processes. The details of these changes are not yet clear but they could have a significant impact on Metgasco’s Northern Rivers CSG operations. Metgasco understands that there will be a one month consultation process before the changes are finalised.

 

Metgasco has requested an urgent meeting with the NSW Government to better understand the changes and express our concern about the potential impact on Metgasco and NSW’s natural gas supply and business environment, including its manufacturing industry.

 

About Metgasco

The Natural Gas Company - Metgasco Limited

Our business is about finding, producing, marketing and delivering gas from natural gas reserves.  We are a natural gas company that is focused on developing the coal seam gas and conventionally trapped gas resources of the New South Wales Clarence Moreton basin. 

 

We have established a large natural gas reserve base and are in the process of converting our gas reserves into gas supplies delivered to customers.  Metgasco has grown its reserve base at a very low cost relative to other companies.  Our finding cost per gigajoule of 2P reserves is amongst the lowest in Australia.  This provides the basis for shareholder value creation in the future.

 

Richard Shields

Metgasco Limited

 

Mobile: 0418 418 877

SAVE OUR NATIONAL PARKS: Are NSW North Coast National Party MPs set to betray their electorates?

North East Forest Alliance

NORTHERN RIVERS MEMBERS REFUSE TO RULE OUT LOGGING NATIONAL PARKS

MEDIA RELEASE 11/2/2013

Conservation groups have established a Save Your National Parks website to provide information on north east NSW parks proposed for logging: http://saveparks.com.au/

The North East Forest Alliance is disappointed that the elected members for the Northern Rivers refused requests to express their support for retaining national parks in response to proposals to open them up for logging.

NEFA spokesperson, Dailan Pugh, said that having already voted to allow recreational shooters into most of our national parks it seems the Northern Rivers’ State elected representatives are going to stand aside again and allow them to be given to the loggers.

“The Forest Products Association are asking for over a million hectares of north-east NSW’s National Parks, Nature Reserves and State Conservation Areas to be made available for logging. So far they have identified over 100,000 hectares of 43 specific reserves they want revoked.

“In the Northern Rivers the loggers have so far singled out 12 reserves they want to be wholly or partially revoked for logging: Wollumbin, Mebbin, Nightcap, Goonengerry, Guy Fawkes River, Chaelundi, and Nymboi-Binderay National Parks, and Wollumbin, Whian Whian , Bungawalbin, Butterleaf, and Chaelundi State Conservation Areas.

“The O’Farrell Government is currently assessing the timber resources in these reserves with a view to opening them up for logging.

“These reserves encompass core habitat for an array of threatened plants and animals, rare ecosystems, rainforests of world heritage value, exceptional oldgrowth forests, and part of a wilderness. The loggers are also seeking the removal of protections for numerous stands of oldgrowth on state forests throughout the region.

“In mid December NEFA wrote to the four local members for the Northern Rivers, asking them if they support logging within, or revocation for logging of, any National Parks, Nature Reserves or State Conservation Areas on the far North Coast of NSW.

“NEFA told them that we intended to publicise their responses to their electors on the grounds that they have a right to know the position of their elected representatives.

“None of the four State members for the Northern Rivers indicated that they would oppose logging of national parks. Don Page replied that he had forwarded our request for his opinion to the Minister for the Environment Robyn Parker. This is the same Environment Minister who repeatedly refused to rule out allowing logging in national parks during a budget estimates hearing. She has not replied.

“Thomas George responded that until the Government considers an inter-departmental committee review into the timber supply situation on the north coast he is ‘not in a position to speculate on what those options might be or even speculate on what subsequent decisions might be made’.

“Christopher Gulaptis and Geoff Provest did not respond.

“We need local members who are prepared to stand up for the north coast and not stand aside while our national parks are given to the shooters and loggers. The electors of the Northern Rivers must assume that the Government members for Lismore, Clarence, Tweed and Ballina have no intention to stand up for the local national parks that this community had to struggle for decades to protect.

“If the Northern Rivers community wants to keep its national parks they are first going to have to convince their elected representatives that their jobs depend on not supporting proposals to log them” Mr. Pugh said.

Reserves explicitly identified by Forests Products Association for revocation:

Black Bulga State Conservation Area, Bongil Bongil National Park (part), Bungawalbin State Conservation Area (part), Butterleaf State Conservation Area, Chaelundi National Park (part), Chaelundi State Conservation Area (part), Columbey National Park, Copeland Tops State Conservation Area, Dorrigo National Park (part), Ghin-Doo-Ee National Park (part), Gir-um-bit National Park, Gir-um-bit State Conservation Area, Goonengerry National Park, Gumbaynggirr State Conservation Area, Guy Fawkes River National Park (part), Hunter Estuary National Park, Jilliby State Conservation Area, Karuah National Park, Karuah Nature Reserve (part), Lake Innes State Conservation Area, Lake Macquarie State Conservation Area (part), Mebbin National Park (part), Medowie Nature Reserve, Medowie State Conservation Area (part), Myall Lakes National Park (part), Nightcap National Park (part), Nowendoc National Park (part), Nymboi-Binderay National Park (part), Sugarloaf State Conservation Area, Queens Lake Nature Reserve (part), Queens Lake State Conservation Area, Sherwood Nature Reserve (part), Sugarloaf State Conservation Area, Tilligerry National Park, Tilligerry Nature Reserve (part), Tilligerry State Conservation Area, Tomaree National Park (part), Tuggalo Creek Nature Reserve, Watagans National Park, Werakata State Conservation Area, Whian Whian State Conservation Area, Wollumbin National Park, Wollumbin State Conservation Area.

Should any Northern Rivers voter wish to express an objection to this proposal then their MP may be contacted at the following:

The Hon. Thomas George, MP
55 Carrington Street
LISMORE NSW 2480

Postal
The Hon. Thomas George, MP
PO Box 52
Lismore NSW 2480
P (02) 6621 3624
F (02) 6622 1403
E lismore@parliament.nsw.gov.au

Mr Christopher Gulaptis, MP
11 Prince Street
GRAFTON NSW 2460 
P(02) 6642 7574 
F(02) 6642 7574
E clarence@parliament.nsw.gov.au

Mr Geoff Provest, MP
103 Minjungbal Drive
TWEED HEADS SOUTH NSW 2486 
P (07) 5523 4816 
F (07) 5523 4817
E tweed@parliament.nsw.gov.au

The Hon. Donald Page, MP
Shop 1
7 Moon Street
BALLINA NSW 2478
Postal
The Hon. Donald Page, MP
PO Box 1018
BALLINA NSW 2478
P (02) 6686 7522
F (02) 6686 7470
E ballina@parliament.nsw.gov.au

Minister for Local Government, and Minister for the North Coast
Level 33 Governor Macquarie Tower

1 Farrer Place

SYDNEY NSW 2000

P (02) 9228 3403
F (02) 9228 3442
E office@page.minister.nsw.gov.au

Has to be the worst ad placement yet

 

Taking a trip down memory lane @robboma3 posted this June 2008 UK article on Twitter ……