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Cessnock City Council and AGL Energy
Date: 18-Jul-13
Author: Sean Gough
As residents of the Cessnock LGA community, the members of WAGE are deeply concerned by Cessnock Council's reluctance to maintain their stated opposition to the development of a CSG industry within this shire.
Cessnock Council wavers on Coal Seam Gas
Date: 18-Jul-13
Author: James Ryan
Last night Cessnock Council voted to defer making a statement that coal seam gas was not welcome in Cessnock.
Greens Councillors James Ryan says he is concerned that the Coal Seam Gas industry has lobbied Cessnock Councillors and convinced them to defer making a statement. AGL wrote to Cessnock Councillors on the day of the vote offering to take them on a bus tour of AGL's Camden wells on August 10th.
AGL & NSW Govt pushing for CSG development around Wollombi
Date: 04-Jul-13
Author: Sean Gough
AGL and the NSW State Govt have made presentations to Cessnock Council in trying to persuade them to withdraw their opposition to the exploration for CSG and allow them to conduct a seismic survey along the Broken Back Road through the Pokolbin State Forest.
Cessnock Councillors will be meeting next month to vote on a broad CSG position statement.
Have your say on CSG and mining exclusion zones: deadline this Friday
Date: 12-Apr-13
Author: Sean Gough
The proposed changes provide welcome protection for zoned residential areas and mapped critical viticulture and thoroughbred industry clusters.
However, they do nothing to protect those living on farms and rural properties and fail to provide protection for other vital food growing lands, water catchments and sensitive environmental areas.
Other shortcomings of these amendments are that they allow council's to exempt an area from the protections, while failing to give councils the right to include additional areas for protection; they don't cover other types of unconventional gas; and they don't cover coal mining.
Please take a moment to have your say on this policy and tell the government that these protections don't go far enough.
Letter to Barry O'Farrell
Date: 27-Sep-12
Author: Karyne Gough
You have totally betrayed many communities in this state by unleashing the Strategic Regional Land Use Policy which is in breach of your election commitment to the people of NSW. Many voted for you because of your stance on coal-seam-gas mining before the state election...
Media Release: Floodgates open to Coal Seam Gas in NSW - Government renews 22 exploration licences
Date: 12-Sep-12
Author: Lock The Gate
The O'Farrell Government yesterday opened the floodgates to coal seam gas mining in NSW with Minister for Resources Chris Hartcher moving to renew 22 coal seam gas exploration licences including many of the most controversial and hotly contested titles in NSW.
Hunter 'betrayed' by land use policy
Date: 12-Sep-12
Author: ABC Newcastle
There is mixed reaction in the Hunter in response to the release of the State Government's final Strategic Land Use Policy.
A clause allowing cabinet to override an independent panel's assessment of mining proposals has been removed from the final policy.
The size of an Equine Critical Industry Cluster has also increased.
Vineyards, horse studs unprotected
Date: 11-Sep-12
Author: Frances Thompson and Matthew Kelly (The Herald)
HUNTER thoroughbred breeders, vignerons and farmers say the NSW strategic regional land use policy revealed yesterday supports the resource industry and offers no protection for primary producers.
Hunter Valley Vineyard Association president Andrew Margan said his industry had no more protection under the final policy than it did under the draft policy.
He said existing exploration licences, which covered large areas of the Hunter, created uncertainty and the final policy report did nothing to solve the problem.
"This is what this [policy] was supposed to fix," Mr Margan said.
No areas off limits to mining
Date: 11-Sep-12
Author: Michelle Harris (The Herald)
TWENTY-TWO coal seam gas exploration licences across NSW, including two of the region's most controversial, are set to be renewed after the release of the state government's final strategic land use plan.
More than 2 million hectares of land in the Upper Hunter and New England regions have been deemed prime agricultural land or viticulture and equine industry clusters, but no areas will be off limits to mining under the final version of the policy, which was released yesterday.
The exploration licences, which had been on hold pending the plan's completion, include two of the region's most controversial - AGL's 267, originally granted over the Hunter's vineyards, and Dart Energy's 458 over Fullerton Cove and Newcastle suburbs.
Media Release: The gate stays locked after 'appalling' Strategic Regional Land Use Policy
Date: 11-Sep-12
Author: Lock The Gate
The Lock the Gate Alliance reacted to today's announcement of the NSW government's Strategic Regional Land Use Policy by saying that gates across the state would remain locked to coal and coal seam gas mining.
Lock the Gate Alliance president, Drew Hutton, said he felt very few, if any, of the more than 100 community action groups around the state would be unlocking their gates in the wake of the government's announcement.
Media Release: Overwhelming majority rejects CSG in Lismore referendum
Date: 09-Sep-12
Author: Lock The Gate
Over 88 per cent of voters in the Lismore Council area have voted against having coal seam gas in an overwhelming rejection of the industry.
Voters were asked to respond to the question: "Do you support coal seam gas (CSG) exploration and production in the Lismore City Council area?" The response, after more than 15,000 votes were counted, was 11.93% in favour and 88.07% against.
Media Release: Opposition to Reckless Coal Expansion Escalates in NSW
Date: 06-Sep-12
Author: Lock The Gate
Community groups across NSW have stepped up action against reckless coal mining projects this week.
Six people have been arrested at four different protests against the rapid and uncontrolled expansion of coal mining in New South Wales.
On Monday two activists scaled the giant coal-crusher at the Boggabri mine in north-western New South Wales for 8 hours with a banner which read 'Stop the Coal Rush: Protect Health, Water, Climate'.
Media Release: Excessive Police Response Seeks to Criminalise Peaceful Protest
Date: 06-Sep-12
Author: Lock The Gate
ock The Gate Alliance has this morning criticised the NSW Government for its excessive and heavy-handed response to peaceful protest against coal mining expansion in the Gunnedah Basin earlier this week.
Three peaceful protestors arrested this week at the Boggabri Coal Mine have been charged with an offence under s201 of the Crimes Act - hinder working of mining equipment - which carries a maximum gaol term of seven years.
"The excessive charges laid against peaceful protestors this week are clearly an attempt to intimidate rural communities who are concerned about the reckless expansion of mining in NSW" said Carmel Flint, a regional co-ordinator with Lock the Gate Alliance.
FULLERTON COVE COAL SEAM GAS BLOCKADE STAYS STRONG FOR 72 HOURS
Date: 23-Aug-12
Author: Jacinta Green
At dawn this morning, third generation resident and grandmother Julie Wood and mother Lisa McDonald, who was born and raised in the local area, remain locked onto a tractor at the Fullerton Cove blockade.
Dart Energy's coal seam gas operation has now been stopped by the residents blockade for 72 hours.
Residents hold firm at gas blockade: Challenge Dart to face the Land and Environment Court
Date: 22-Aug-12
Author: Jacinta Green
Residents of Fullerton Cove have made a decision to hold firm in their blockade against coal seam gas drilling and challenged Dart Energy to face the Land and Environment court.
NSW Police told the residents late this afternoon that Dart Energy had asked to have the residents evicted from the blockade outside the proposed gas site.
Fullerton Cove Blockade
Date: 20-Aug-12
Author: Jacinta Green
Dart are preparing the site to drill, but members of the local community group Stop CSG in Fullerton have other ideas and early this morning set up a blockade! (ABC coverage here).