91������̳

More than 60 people assembled outside Blacktown Council on September 24 to protest plans to mine for coal-seam gas in Blacktown. Mining has already begun in the Blacktown area at Eastern Creek and threatens the integrity of the Prospect Reservoir, organisers said.

Ben Hammond from the Blacktown Greens told the rally that Dart Energy was already mining coal-seam gas in Blacktown while AGL was seeking approval to mine also.

While acknowledging that mining will bring jobs, Hammond insisted these will only be temporary. “Smoking brings government over $6 billion a year”, Hammond told the rally, “but costs $36 billion a year to treat the effects. [The CSG] industry is cancer. It’s the modern-day asbestos”, Hammond said.

Hammond said that one of the results of coal seam gas mining was the creation of a toxic sludge of runoff chemicals, which was dangerous to wildlife and to people.



He demanded an impact statement be sought, to weigh the impact of coal seam gas mining in Blacktown.

Michael McNamara from the Lock the Gate Alliance told the rally: “If you let them drill a little hole it’s an inevitable step to production”.

He called for a moratorium on coal seam gas mining until such time as there’s an independent inquiry into the industry. “We need to be sure it’s safe,” he said, demanding that the state government convene a royal commission into the industry.