Your home is your castle?

 Sadly this is no longer the case. 

 The part of the Mining Act used to protect property and surface improvements like vineyards or sheds from mining without permission has been willingly surrendered by the Minister for Mines, Ian Macdonald, in favour of the Planning Minister, Frank Sartor, and his Reich style über-law “Part 3A” relating to State Significant Projects.

What this means is that your home is no longer your castle if someone wants to mine coal, gas or anything else under it. 

 We thought people in our area would like to see what that means to the land they cherish. Click here for a map of the coal, gas and mineral leases currently across the Northwest Slopes and Plains. Not much left in peace is there?

 You’re dreaming if you think this unfettered development won’t affect you. Join us in … Read More »

  With coal-seam gas (CSG) exploration generating excitement in the business media this week, the small print once again details the well-known threat to underground water supplies from this industry. Whilst not as environmentally brutal as coal mining, a sunset industry which was recently slammed in the government’s DECC report for its “devastating” damage to rivers and water courses, CSG extraction is not without environmental impact.

 CSG requires many more wells than a conventional gas field and therefore more extensive puncturing through the aquifers, on which Gunnedah and Quirindi depend for drinking water, not to mention our food and fibre production. The result is a mixing of fresh water with highly saline coal-seam water, another reason why CCAG is pressing for an independent, catchment-wide water study before damage is done by any exploratory process. CSG extraction brings much of … Read More »