“Shame is right”

Community groups and Greens members are assailing the O’Farrell government over its latest announcement supporting coal seam gas.

Residents from across NSW met with Community groups including Get Up and Lock the Gate Alliance and the Greens party at a rally on Saturday to protest coal seam gas mining across NSW.

Vice President of Lock the Gate Alliance, Jacinta Green said any industry that places an unacceptable risk on our water supply needs to be thoroughly investigated.

“One of the greatest threats of Coal and Coal Seam gas is the threat to our water, as a desert nation, plagued by drought, , and needs to ensure that it is not committing generational theft.

“We will be counting the numbers of those around the nation who are standing up in their own local communities and uniting as one.”

Member for Heffron and ex Premier Kristina Keneally last week criticised the NSW Government for the refusing to ban coal seam gas mining in St Peters.

“Dart Energy has publicly stated the company intends to start drilling in St Peters in 2013-14. If Minister Hartcher lacks the gumption to rule out CSG mining in inner Sydney, wouldn’t he at least make a positive and definitive statement about consulting the community about CSG exploration?”

Ms Keneally prompted Resource and Energy Minister Peter Hartcher in Parliament to commit to either ruling out mining in St Peters or community consultation over a potential proposal.

“I’ve got news for Minister Hartcher: he is in Government now. What people in St Peters want to know is what he is going to do about the future,” Ms Keneally said.

Zoe Elliot and Lincoln Smith came from the Northern Beaches to attend the rally; they said St Peter’s is only a starting point and many of their friends and families’ farm lands have been bought by mining company Santos.

“We want a moratorium on coal seam gas mining until more research is conducted into its detrimental effects.”

The young duo told Alternative Media Group they weren’t greenies but swinging voters turned Green by their disappointment in the NSW Government.

NSW Greens MP Cate Faehrmann said the NSW Government and industry are painting the coal seam gas protest movement as radical left wing zealots.

Ms Faehrmann said the coal seam gas industry is an infuriating distraction from progress on renewable energies.

“We need to fast track renewable, that’s what we need governments to be thinking now.”