Country & City Unite

Country and city groups unite, CSG Petition, adverse publicity prompts advertising campaign, warning for small rural communities, Origin explains why they have no PELs in NSW and lots of links.



Afternoon tea at Putty

 COUNTRY & CITY UNITE

Jacinta Green, a committee member of Lock the Gate Alliance, came to Putty to talk about coal seam gas (CSG) to a small group at the Putty Hall on Saturday. Jacinta is aiming to stop Dart Energy from drilling an exploration hole near her home in St Peters. She is calling for a moratorium on CSG mining and a thorough investigation into the environmental and health impacts of CSG mining. The Putty Community Association CSG Subcommittee has agreed to unite with No Gas Mining in Sydney in the fight against Dart Energy and AGL by sharing contacts and swapping information given out by the mining companies.

Links: http://www.nogasmininginsydney.com/ & http://www.lockthegate.org.au/

PETITION

I am supporting the Stop CSG Illawarra petition to

•           call a Royal Commission into all impacts of CSG mining;

•           implement a moratorium on CSG mining until the outcome of the Royal Commission; &

•           ban the extraction technique known as hydraulic fracturing.

Stop CSG Illawarra already have 5,000 names. They need 10,000 names for Barry O'Farrell to put it to parliament. Download the petition at http://putty.nsw.au/news/csg-petition

MINING COMPANY ADVERTISING

The mining companies must be worried about the growing numbers of negative media reports on coal seam gas mining. As Santos prepares to mine for coal seam gas in prime agricultural land in NSW the company has launched an advertising campaign in print and on television. Their advertisements on SBS and in the Telegraph show Col Maunder from Wallumbilla (near Roma) in Queensland saying ‘Santos looks after the people and the land that is why they are always welcome on my place’.

An article in the Courier Mail on 29 May shows that not all graziers in the area around Roma agree with him. http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/opinion/lee-cattle-empire-near-roma-under-threat-from-coal-seam-gas-project/story-e6frereo-1225872688646

If the mining companies spend loads of money on advertising will the adverse media reports on coal seam gas stop?

WARNING

In small rural communities the mining companies advertise in struggling local papers, sponsor events and give to good causes to ingratiate themselves within a community. Their representatives who talk to landholders are usually tall and good looking and are paid handsomely to be ‘very nice’ blokes. Everyone else working or contracting for the company are not allowed to say anything to the public.

ORIGIN ENERGY & NSW

Putty Gasbag: 
Why does Origin Energy not own any Petroleum Exploration Licences (PELs) in NSW?

Kylie Springall, Origin’s Manager, Investor Communications

When assessing the commercial viability of exploration opportunities within Australia and overseas Origin takes into consideration a range of factors, including the potential of the resource, estimated operational and/or acquisition costs, Origin’s existing portfolio of exploration and development licenses, potential opportunities to monetise the resource, environmental impacts, land access issues and the regulatory environment.  Taking the above into consideration, Origin has concluded that an investment in a PEL in NSW is not compelling at this stage, however Origin does continually assess its options.

LINKS

25/6/11 - The Australian - Suburbs in revolt as mining exploration hits city limits http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/suburbs-in-revolt-as-mining-exploration-hits-city-limits/story-fn59niix-1226081659508

26/6/11 - Chinese mine giant snaps up 43 farms near Gunnedah http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/chinese-mine-giant-snaps-up-43-nsw-farms/story-e6frg6nf-1226082387428