released the statement below on November 23.
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This week the Planning Assessment Commission granted approval to a 16th coal seam gas (CSG) borehole in the Illawarra.
Stop CSG Illawarra spokesperson Jess Moore responded: 鈥淚t is now abundantly clear who [Premier Barry] O鈥橣arrell represents. It鈥檚 not communities, and the concern we express for our water, environment and health; it鈥檚 the CSG industry.
鈥淚n approving this new exploration well the O鈥橣arrell government can no longer claim the situation is simply a Labor legacy issue. The NSW Coalition is developing this industry.
鈥淚t is outrageous to grant new CSG approvals while the parliamentary inquiry 鈥 set up in response to evidenced risks and community opposition 鈥 is still underway.
鈥淭his decision exposes the Planning Assessment Commission鈥檚 public 鈥榗onsultation鈥 as a sham. Every single presentation argued against approval.
鈥淭he well contravenes local environment controls and flies in the face of concerns raised by the Sydney Catchment Authority 鈥 the organisation tasked with protecting our drinking water.
鈥淭his approval advances a project that risks the drinking water of 4.3 million people in NSW.
鈥淭he decision fails to register the cumulative impacts of the project, as well as the reason exploration is happening: to develop a gas field in the drinking water catchment.
鈥淥f course, if the government won鈥檛 protect communities, we鈥檒l have to do it for ourselves. This decision only strengthens our resolve to act to stop coal seam gas.鈥