Can our Northern Rivers cope with the amount of water extraction required by foreshadowed mining ventures?

 

NSW Coal, Mineral & Petroleum Mining Titles October 2012

Click to enlarge

 

Perhaps questions should be asked about the average number of dams per operational mining license, as envisaged by the NSW Government, and tally them up across each Northern Rivers catchment as to expected total dam volume and estimated megalitres of extracted river water required over the life of each mining venture.

Can highly variable and environmentally sensitive river systems cope with this additional water extraction?

 

NSW Legislative Council 2012 Adequacy of water storages in NSW (Inquiry):
 

Given the historical long term and recent increasing trends (as noted above), the DSC expects that the number of prescribed dams will continue to grow – particularly for the following reasons:

 

The current on-going significant activity and development in the mining industry, involving the continued evolution of mine tailings and storage dams.

 

Investigation and development of coal seam gas extraction – which will require some holding reservoirs for the water that is obtained as part of the extraction process……..

 

http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/committee.nsf/0/2a2ecc1c47e1a218ca257a7d0018f77f/$FILE/AQO-Dams%20Safety%20Committee.pdf

 

Growing old in the Lucky Country

ABC News 3rd October 2012

2GB haemorrhages advertisers and Jones loses appeal against court ruling that he indulged in "racial vilification"

 

From Change.org

 

Brisbane Times 2 October 2012:

 

The list of sponsors pulling out of broadcaster Alan Jones's radio program following his comments about the prime minister's father is growing…

 

The 2009  Administrative Decisions Tribunal ruling, that in a radio broadcast on 28 April 2005  Alan Jones was guilty of racial vilification was upheld on appeal this week.

 

SBS World News 2 October 2012:

 

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says Alan Jones' comments about the prime minister's late father are "wrong, unacceptable and offensive" but he won't be boycotting the 2GB broadcaster or banning him from Liberal fundraisers.

 

It would appear that the only person still afraid of Alan Jones is Australia’s Federal Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott.

Newspaper circulation figures show decline on NSW North Coast

 

Weekday circulation figures for principal regional daily newspapers according to AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPER HISTORY GROUP NEWSLETTER No. 69 October 2012:

 

 Click on table to enlarge

 

The only regional daily to record an increase in the audited period to the end of June was the Gold Coast Bulletin (up 221 sales, or 0.61 per cent). The remainder recorded declines of from 0.33 per cent (Broken Hill) to 11.05 per cent (Gympie). And, of course, the Daily News on the Tweed coast is no longer a daily printed publication. It closed on 3 December 2011.