CSG Free Maffra and Districts

CSG Free Maffra and Districts

c/o Lorraine Watt

6 Pearson Street Maffra VIC 3860

The Hon Nicholas Kotsiras, MP

Minister for Energy and Resources

Level 2

Treasury Place

Melbourne 3000 VIC

16 November 2013

Dear Minister,

We write to urge you to use your discretion and powers under section 7 of the Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Act 1990 to grant an exemption of the land in the Newry region from unconventional gas exploration or mining licenses, specifically Victorian Postcode 3859 (see page 3 for map). This area is within Exploration Licence Application ELA4968 whose equitable rights have been acquired by Ignite Energy Resources.

Our community group, known as CSG-Free Maffra and Districts is presently conducting a survey of residents of the Newry postcode area aged 16 years and older. Eighty-six people have been surveyed so far. Although the survey is not complete, results so far give a good picture of the feeling within this community. Of those surveyed, 73 confirmed that they did not want unconventional gas mining in our community. Three declared that they did support coal seam gas mining and 10 were unsure.

These results demonstrate that 85% of the Newry community do not want Coal Seam Gas exploration or mining in this region. The people surveyed cross all social and cultural divides and include the full spectrum of community members – male, female, employed, unemployed, farmers, teachers, business people, young and old.

It is very clear that there is no social license for the unconventional gas industry in Newry.

This survey was conducted in response to significant community concern about the potentially devastating impacts on food and water security, community health and livability that unconventional gas exploration and mining could have in this region.

We are aware that you have broad discretion and powers under the Act to grant an exemption for any reason that you decide is appropriate. In making such a decision we implore you to take into account the social and economic implications of the decision, as well as the expressed desire of the community.

The health risks associated with unconventional mining are significant and undeniable. The Australian Medical Association has cited concern over the exposure of communities ‘to pollutants through air and groundwater’ and the ‘associated health risks’. The evidence coming from NSW and Queensland demonstrates clearly how devastating the health impacts, including mental health impacts can be – both on individuals and on their communities.

Particularly in regional areas, water is our most valuable asset. It is more basic and more valuable than fuel. It is far too valuable to compromise while seeking to exploit other resources. Once our water goes we have nothing. The Newry area is totally a dairying area with stock and domestic water plus irrigation water being taken from underground aquifers. If that supply is compromised, what would the dairy farmers do to stay in business? What would the population do for drinking water?

As a rural community, water is an essential asset. In the USA, there has been extensive unconventional gas mining for many years and studies there have shown serious threats to safe water supplies. A study completed by the Environment America Research and Policy Center found more than 1,000 cases of water contaminated by dirty drilling processes. Economically, our area would be destroyed if the water supply is compromised. The agriculture industry would be completely crippled if the water is unsafe, not to mention the impact on all other local businesses and tourism. Given that a safe and secure water supply is a basic human right, the social implications of compromising this supply would be devastating.

The coal seam gas industry also threatens our ability to produce food – another basic human right and a significant generator of local and national income. This could happen both by diverting land use away from agriculture, or by threatening the ‘cleanliness’ of our food product, its current ‘clean and green’ brand and therefore its value as a thriving and growing industry. Federal Member of Parliament for Gippsland, Darren Chester, has been quoted as saying that Gippsland has a clean, green image in respect of export of agricultural commodities to our Asian trading partners.Globally – food security is of utmost importance and here in Gippsland, we are blessed with the opportunity to be a significant food bowl now and into the future. The area around Newry is part of the thriving dairy industry in the Macalister Irrigation district. This future of this industry would be compromised if unconventional mining is allowed to take over this valuable land.

The coal seam gas industry would also impact severely on the value of land in the area which would have a profound social and economic impact.

As a result of the lack of formal community consultation by this government, the people of Newry have taken it upon themselves to consult experts and assess local opinion on the issue. Like our neighbouring areas of Maffra, Tinamba, Briagolong and Heyfield, at our own expense we have held free public information meetings with expert speakers on the potential health risks, water safety, economic impacts and our legal rights. Our community is now comprehensively informed and fully engaged in this issue – resulting in this powerful result demonstrating that 85% are opposed to having coal seam gas exploration or mining here.

A failure to protect our community from these social, environmental and economic risks would show a thorough disrespect to this democratic process and the strong resolutions of the community of Newry.

We urge you to use your powers as Minister for Energy and Resources to grant an exemption over Newry. We look forward to hearing your decision in the near future.

Yours sincerely,

Lorraine Watt

on behalf of the CSG Free Maffra and Districts