Media Release
14 May 2013

A weekend meeting in Narrabri of the North West Alliance resulted in four new community groups joining up to help protect the region from coal seam gas and open cut coal mining. The growth comes amidst growing concern about the impacts of coal seam gas and coal on health, water resources, agriculture and bushland.

The meeting falling on Mother’s Day afternoon did not deter the enthusiastic attendees who celebrated the efforts of the many mothers who are part of the alliance.

“We were happy to spend our Mother’s Day afternoon working together to ensure our children have a bright and healthy future in the North West, where our water resources and lands are protected from damaging coal seam gas and open cut coal mine expansions,” said North West Alliance member and mother Carolyn Bishop.

“We are spurred on by the strong community response to recent surveys across the region that shows at least 96% of people surveyed do not want to live in a gasfield, with over 600,00 hectares declared coal seam gas free by overwhelming community support,” said Alliance member and grandmother of 12, Anne Kennedy.

A new CSG and land rights steering committee was formed in Narrabri last week, sending along representative Phillip Kirkby to investigate the North West Alliance.

“I was impressed by the well-informed intelligence, planning and drive of the participants in the North West Alliance meeting on the weekend. The alliance is working in a coordinated and community run effort to stand up for our rights and protect our region. I’m very pleased to be a part of it,” he said.

Contact:

Carolyn Bishop, 0488 437 803

Anne Kennedy, 0429 023 007

Phillip Kirkby, 0427 935 221

N.B.  The North West Alliance is an umbrella group for 30 groups who stay connected in their work to prevent coal seam gas and open cut coal mining expanding across the North West region.

Groups involved in the North West Alliance include:

Save Our Recharge Environment, Namoi Community Network, Protect our Water/Environment and Rights, Armidale Action on CSG, Mullaley Gas Pipeline Accord, Caroona Coal Action Group, Narrabri Plains Group, Gilgandra Shire Coal Seam Gas Group, Bellata Gurley Action Group Against Gas, Marys Mount Protection Alliance, Lock The Gate Walgett, Maules Creek Community Council, Friends of the Pilliga, Namoi Water, Great Artesian Basin Protection Group, Narrabri CSG Steering Committee, Front Line Action on Coal, Namoi Water, Northern Inland Council for the Environment, Namoi Community Network, Student Environmental Activist Network, Stop CSG Sydney, The Wilderness Society Newcastle, Australian Student Environment Network, Merriwa Healthy Environment Group, Save Bunnan Inc, SOS Liverpool Plains, Maitland Friends of the Pilliga, NSW Nature Conservation Council.

—

Naomi Hogan

Campaign Manager

The Wilderness Society Newcastle Inc
Tel: (02) 4929 4395, Mobile: 0401 650 411
Email:  [email protected]

https://www.wilderness.org.au/new-south-wales
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