‘Democracy is incomparably idiotic, and hence incomparably amusing’ – H L Mencken
It’s Thursday October 31, 9am, and a gasfield free flash mob has packed Council’s chamber to support Council’s gasfield free shire submission to the state government. A triumphant mood permeates the room while speakers call on councillors to support gasfield free inclusions into a letter to the NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure. Taking a stand against fossil fuel corporations was looking like a unanimous message from the crowd – but then a lone objector stood before the crowds and pooped on everyone’s feel-good bubble. Belongil resident John Vaughan asked why Council was spending a ‘large amount of money’ on the motion when there were no coal seams in the Shire. ‘There are none in Tweed Shire and none in Ballina Shire,’ he said. ‘While I admire these people for their passion, it is not relevant to this shire.’ Mr Vaughan went on to say he spoke to Lock The Gate’s Ian Gaillard at the recent Metgasco AGM in Sydney. ‘I asked him why is Lock The Gate worried [about CSG] in the Tweed, Byron and Ballina shires. He dodged the question and when I said there’s no coal seams there, he said, “I know.” He said it was a “social movement”.’ There was a short pause while that sentiment sunk in, but then, well yes, that seems an entirely logical explanation. It appeared obvious to everyone in the room except one that this is largely a symbolic and social movement which is calling for a shift towards renewable energy. Regardless, Mr Vaughan pushed on to repeat the same point again and again that, ‘enormous and vast resources’ were being spent on ‘something that wasn’t there.’ He suggested instead that Council find out whether there were coal seams in the area and report that to the community. When asked by Cr Cameron if he represented anyone, he admitted he was a Metgasco shareholder. Laughter and heckles ensued. And when pushed on whether he supported CSG exclusion zones around towns, he eventually said ‘no’. Baseless assertion Mayor Simon Richardson later responded to Mr Vaughan’s claims that the submission would cost ‘enormous amounts of money.’ Cr Richardson said it probably would take staff ‘two hours at most to cut and paste,’ the submission, and that his presumption was completely unfounded. Additionally a gasfield-free activist publicly thanked Mr Vaughn for his keen interest in saving Council money but then pointed out his ongoing court case with Council over rock works he instigated at his beachfront property. When the issue was debated later in the day, Crs Alan Hunter, Di Woods and Chris Cubis spoke against supporting a gasfield free Shire. ‘Conceptually it’s not a problem,’ said Cr Hunter. ‘Food production and tourism should be protected, [but] we shouldn’t follow our emotions,’ he said. ‘A policy of saying “no” is limiting. I am concerned of cutting our supply and we need to be globally competitive.’ Cr Woods agreed. ‘I have signed the anti-fracking petitions… but if we discount gas altogether, what will we use? If you follow the chain to China where they make solar panels, it’s being made from gas. After coal, the only option is nuclear. I would rather have gas.’ Cr Chris Cubis said that while he agreed with some parts of the motion, he was concerned about other elements. ‘Friends of mine with farms outside the region are asking why we are spending money on this,’ he said. ‘There seems to be a lot of rhetoric being spread about.’ He added he would prefer resources spent elsewhere. But as the mover of the motion, Cr cameron had the last word. He said that petroleum exploration licences, held by Dart and the Aboriginal Land Council, still cover Byron Shire. ‘While the licences are in place, they allow a company to come in and explore. Council makes land use submissions on a regular basis and this is no different,’ he said. Crs Hunter, Woods and Cubis voted against the motion. Other business A decision on Bangalow’s historic weir was delayed after councillors all voted in favour of Cr Sol Ibrahim’s motion to wait for funding application results in December and the approval of a development application (DA), which is due in two weeks. Caravan park grab Fifth generation Brunswick heads resident Sean O’Meara questioned Council in public access about the state government’s latest attempts ‘to fleece the Brunswick Heads community of some of its best public foreshore land’. He told councillors he was hoping to ‘inspire you to keep your heads up and not be fooled, bluffed or tricked into dodgy compromises by the newly named NSW Crown Reserve Holiday Parks Trust, or as most of us remember them, Mr Jim Bolger and North Coast Holiday Parks.’ To see all of Thursday’s fun, the minutes are available at www.byron.nsw.gov.au.
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State coalition minister and Byron Bay resident, Don Page, is unsupportive of a 12,000-strong petition by residents calling for a north coast moratorium on coal seam gas The widely anticipated petition was tabled in parliament last week after it reached 10,000 signatures. Mr Page, who is the minister for the north coast, instead used parliament time to launch attacks on the region’s two federal Labor MPs and members of the public opposed to mining expansion. It follows widespread opposition to CSG by communities throughout the north coast, including many declarations by towns and local councils against the industry taking a foothold. Protests against CSG continued last week with residents from Lismore and Richmond Valley rallying outside Metgasco’s offices and drill sites. While defending his government’s unprecedented ‘tough’ restrictions on the industry, he accused ‘disingenuous individuals’ of conducting anti-coal seam gas surveys in residential locations in north coast towns, despite their knowing that his government, ‘already banned CSG activity in all NSW residential areas and in a two-kilometre buffer zone surrounding every residential area.’ But Richmond MP Justine Elliot hit back saying, ‘The Nationals betrayed the people of the north coast in supporting CSG mining’. She also challenged the CSG companies, saying if there are no coal seam reserves in her electorate then they should return their exploration licences. And while Mr Page didn’t name Justine Elliott (Richmond MP) and Janelle Saffin (former Page MP), he told parliament, ‘it was a shameless electioneering tactic, initiated by two Labor federal members on the northern rivers in a desperate attempt to boost their chances in the recent federal elections.’ ‘They stood in main streets gathering signatures and spreading alarm about coal seam gas – scaremongering to try to save their seats – in the full knowledge that coal seam gas companies had walked away from the north coast months before because our rules are so tough. When asked by The Echo to clarify that statement given Metgasco are recommencing drilling near Casino, he said, ‘Metgasco have sealed all their CSG exploration wells and only have an interest in conventional natural gas.’ And with regard to the petition’s request to exempt the north coast from mining, Mr Page told parliament, ‘It is not good public policy to discriminate either for or against any particular geographic area of the state, no matter how close to paradise that part of the world might be.’ ‘The government’s role is not to advocate on behalf of mining companies, but to have the regulatory framework that protects our land and water resources and our environment – something that Labor never did.’ During the debate, Lismore MP Thomas George also went on the attack, accusing former Page MP Janelle Saffin of allowing mining expansion while in office. ‘She was a member of the Legislative Council when the licences were issued for the northern rivers. They took the money and ran.’ But surprisingly Mr George then stated his support for fossil fuel expansion. ‘If we do not produce the extra energy needed in this state, especially in the northern rivers, major businesses such as the Northern Co-operative Meat Company will pack up and move over the border. They cannot survive without cheaper energy.’ Page challenged on renewables Meanwhile Greens NSW MP John Kaye challenged MP Page’s sustainable credentials and vision for the Ballina electorate. ‘National Party MP Don Page says on his webpage that his vision for the electorate is to create a sustainable future for the whole community,’ Dr Kaye said. ‘[Mr Page] says he understands that this is about creating jobs by protecting the environment. The challenge for Mr Page is to show he is serious about the environment and local jobs by supporting our push for 100 per cent renewable NSW. Starting the transition now means that regional NSW can get ahead of the global competition and become leaders in clean energy solutions.’ When asked if he supports Dr Kaye’s 100 per cent renewable push, Mr Page told The Echo, ‘I stand by my long-standing commitment to renewable energy. Indeed I was a keynote speaker at a conference in Bangalow a few years ago, specifically on the importance of renewable energy to our future. Clearly it will take some time to transition to a 100 per cent renewables situation given both the Commonwealth and state objectives are to get to 20 per cent by 2020. I would like to see the Ballina electorate better those targets, which is entirely possible given our interest in renewables, the employment opportunities associated with such a focus, and not to mention the abundance of sunshine! I think our area can be a leader in renewables.’ Transmission line abandoned The challenge comes as a proposed high-voltage transmission line from Tenterfield to Lismore was cancelled last week. The abandonment of the $250 million Bonshaw line, once dubbed ‘essential’ by electricity network provider TransGrid, is a victory for grassroots campaigning and follows on the heels of the cancellation of a similar line on the mid-north coast in April. Dr Kaye will make his 100 per cent renewable presentation at the at the Ballina RSL Club on November 6 from 5.30pm and also at the Mullum Civic Centre on Thursday November 7 from 6pm. Unified government and industry rhetoric regarding a looming liquid natural gas (LNG) shortage has increased after the NSW government’s Energy Security Summit was held last week in Sydney. The pro-coal-and-gas message was loud and clear, while little to no mention was made of renewable options. NSW resources and energy minister Chris Hartcher said in his opening address, ‘Coal and gas contribute over 90 per cent of NSW’s energy needs,’ but, ‘still gives us the best opportunity to get back to energy security... Alternative sources of energy that could take the place of gas are not ready to come online.’ Adding to the pressure to drill is new coalition federal industry minister Ian Macfarlane, who told media last week the production of CSG in NSW is his number one priority. Meanwhile corporations are also ramping up against opposition to gas production; on their website, gas giant AGL threatened the pub- lic that: ‘Continuing to say “no” to natural gas development in NSW will have significant consequence for industry, manufacturers and households in that state.’ But is this just gold-plated rhetoric from fossil fuel companies eager to tap the lucrative overseas market? So far many of the talking points have not differentiated domestic and export markets, making the argument for expansion vague and potentially misleading. According to a report by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER), NSW is way behind in LNG projects compared to other states and is only supplying five per cent of its own supply. ‘Historical low-priced domestic gas contracts will progressively expire over the next five years. Contract replacement activity is expected to peak in QLD in 2015−16, and in NSW and Victoria in 2018... the expiration of low-priced contracts and their renegotiation in a market exposed to global prices will continue to place pressure on domestic prices.’ Demand for the state is not increasing However AER’s State of the energy market 2012 released last December also goes on to say that domestic demand for the state is not increasing. ‘Gas flows into NSW from July 2008 to July 2012 appear to be steady, that is no fluctuation.’ But a solution offered to protecting NSW from the expected 2018 gas price hike comes from NSW Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham. In a SMH opinion piece last week, he suggests the government, ‘regulate the gas market so that domestic gas demand is fulfilled before LNG exports are allowed.’ He added Western Australia has already implemented this. ‘Australians should not have to pay the price because these large gas companies have gambled in investing in LNG export terminals and export contracts before having secured a social licence or approvals to extract massive amounts of coal seam gas.’ The Echo asked Mr Hartcher’s office if Mr Buckingham’s suggestion would ensure energy security for the state and the reply was, ‘Given NSW produces just five per cent of its gas needs, Mr Buckingham would be wise to point out what gas in NSW is intended for the export market.’ When asked the same question, state MP for the seat of Ballina, Don Page, said that was a matter for the cabinet and he was not in a position to comment at this time. But Mr Page did claim much progress was being made in renewable energy. ‘Recently as acting minister for the environment I signed the contracts with AGL to build Australia’s biggest solar energy plants. ‘One is at Nyngan with a 102 megawatt capacity and the other near Broken Hill with a 53 megawatt capacity. ‘They will supply power to our grid by the end of 2015 for 50,000 homes. ‘The NSW government contributed $65m towards this project, which will create 450 jobs during construction. ‘Since 2011, 70,000 house- holds have installed solar power. ‘On CSG, the only sup- plier based in NSW is AGL which through their Camden gas project supplies five per cent of our NSW gas needs, the rest being imported from other states.’ Since the state Liberal/National government’s push to expand coal-seam gas (CSG) across the state, residents of all political persuasions are uniting against the threat of this unnecessary environmental destruction.
While cynics might claim to be CSG fatigued, there is little doubt a network of wells and toxic ponds spread across suburban, agricultural and forested areas is ludicrous, given clean energy availability. And yet the struggle continues; last week a second blockade against drilling near Kyogle was established – Glenugie is ongoing – while Broken Head Road residents joined countless other towns and streets and declared themselves CSG free. But what makes citizen activism tick? A new breed of educated, intelligent and non-violent CSG free dissident is emerging, as exemplified by author and SCU law lecturer Aidan Ricketts. Though he’s been on the frontline since 1984 protecting our nation’s shared environmental heritage, in more recent times he’s been educating those wishing to be a more effective activist while also mediating with law enforcers at protests. He was also a co-ordinator of the North East Forest Alliance (www.nefa.org.au) from 1991 to 2001, and last year published The Activists Handbook: A Step By Step Guide to Participatory Democracy, which is distributed internationally. Immune response ‘I see the explosion of CSG free campaigning as an immune response to a cancerous growth,’ he told The Echo. Faced with a failure by our political institutions to protect us from mining, Ricketts says communities are facing the reality that the mining industry runs our parliaments. ‘This is a very big moment in the history of democracy for Australia. I have begun to advocate for a statewide referendum on CSG and I think, like the Lismore poll, a return to democratic principles is the only way to resolve this conflict.’ Repercussions for the current government, and especially the National Party, are likely he says. Breakdown in the democratic process ‘Communities have expected that a new and high-risk industry would not be imposed on a region when 85 per cent of the residents oppose it. ‘Yet instead of slowing down, doing the science or consulting, we have the NSW government trying to impose this dangerous new industrialisation on the community by force. ‘The social movement is committed to non-violence at the deepest level, but the shock waves of trauma that go through a community when they see government using riot troops to smash legitimate community protest will have unpredictable consequences. ‘The NSW government is playing a very dangerous game in turning the riot squad against its own population, and against a non-violent social movement.’ He describes generally how non-violent protests are coordinated. ‘You tend to have a few people in blockade installations; that’s people locked to machinery or up in tripods. In our speak, we say those people are in “arrestable situations”, and they choose to be there. ‘If I am a police liaison rep, my role would be to say to police: “We understand that these people are in arrestable situations, but the group want to know where we can stand and observe the protest without risk of being arrested.” ‘In most situations the commanding officer tells the group where to stand while the police go about unlocking the blockade devices.’ Glenugie experience But that all changed at the Glenugie blockade, near Grafton, where 18 people were arrested in a major action by imported riot squad police last week. Ricketts says there were no arrests for disobeying instructions until the riot police tried to frog march 200 people down the road and away from their cars, belongings and the protest site itself. ‘The riot squad kept moving the protesters from where they were told to be, and moving the police line. That didn’t lead to any arrests. But then they pulled out this quite unusual power – which we checked and they do technically have – and they closed a whole section of road for a temporary purpose. ‘It’s used mainly for when there are road accidents. I’ve been doing this for years and have never seen this done before. As you can imagine, police shunting 200 people down the road against their will led to some arrests. The crowd did very well; we have our own anxiety about how well we can train crowds to be non-violent, especially under pressure. ‘Their task is to passively resist as much as possible, while appearing to comply. As long as we are complying – albeit slowly – we are not arrestable. ‘But then they started pushing people in the back... Interestingly the ones who were getting most stroppy were the older ladies who were offended at being treated so roughly. ‘The average age of those arrested was about 55, which is very much about this movement; it comprises a lot of older people becsuse it is about belonging.’ He says the crowd posed no threat or hindrance to the drilling trucks arriving. ‘It was totally unnecessary to gain access for the trucks as the crowd were already complying with instructions. Despite all of that, relations with the riot police are pretty good. We were getting along well with around about two thirds of them. But a small portion of them wanted to crack heads, and unfortunately if a policeman decides to grab someone for an arrest, there’s a code of support. ‘So a few people were innocent victims of some overzealous police officers. ‘It appeared that the riot squad and local command had a strange power struggle going on too. It was unclear what the Grafton inspector was in control of, as was the case for the riot squad. I think there is quite a strong reluctance of the local command to engage because they know that it’s around 87 per cent of the local population who are opposed. It was inevitable that the state government would have to bring up the riot squad.’ As is the case with any successful public relations message, it needs to be clear and concise. ‘The message at Glenugie was, “After a 48-day blockade and a drill rig tied up for a month, it takes riot police to break a peaceful protest. This is what it takes to bring one drill rig in. A week after the riot police leave Glenugie, residents are still at the blockade site while a second blockade has been established near Kyogle. “‘The government cannot beat such a broad-based movement with a symbolic show of force.”’ Legal preparations are underway by the Githabul Indigenous people around Kyogle to dissolve the Githabul Nation Aboriginal Corporation (GNAC) which they say approved mining on their country without their consent or approval.
It comes as a peace camp is being assembled in response to planned coal-seam gas mining just west of Kyogle, near the towns of Ettrick and Doubtful Creek. Githabul elder Gloria Williams told The Echo that ‘GNAC is now dead to us. They do not speak for the tribe or have consent. Proper consultation with tribes did not happen. We now know that it is all about mining.’ The Echo understands that representatives of ten Githabul families signed off on mining through native title yet broke agreements regarding updates and contact with the rest of the tribe. Gunham Badi Jakamarra, who is representing the Githabuls, told The Echo that despite the government being advised in writing that the tribe no longer recognise GNAC, they have yet to hear a response. ‘We are looking at going to the European courts and international courts, as the high courts here have interest in protecting the Crown. ‘We need to be heard impartially. Australians wishing to protect their land and families [from CSG mining] can’t rely to the Crown to do that. They are only invested in the dollar. ‘The only way this can stop is to stand in solidarity with the Indigenous people.’ Doubtful Ck protest Dean Draper is neighbour to a planned drilling site on Dunns Road, Doubtful Creek, and told The Echo that infrastructure is currently being built on his property to accommodate an anticipated long protest. He says mining corporation Metgasco plans to start drilling three wells within a fortnight on private property throughout the region. ‘Metgasco drilling rigs are sitting at the offices in Casino,’ he said. ‘The exploration licences are for Banyabba (halfway to Grafton and Casino), Glenugie (near Grafton) and next door to me.’ He claims despite no production licence, exploration wells have been in operation for ‘three to four years’ 18km from Kyogle at Dobies Bight. ‘Given the size of the pipelines needed, either to Ballina and Evans Head or through the Border Ranges, we calculated they will require around 2000 gas wells.’ Mr Draper says his neighbour, whose property is around 1200 acres, hasn’t got all the facts on CSG. ‘He seems to think this is about energy security when in fact it’s about exporting it as a cheap export. ‘He told me he intends to put even more rigs on his property. ‘I have had enormous support from people in the area and beyond. Around 60 locals attended a non-violent training session recently, and a CSGFree survey in the area here found that from 500 people, 90 per cent didn’t want it. ‘Kyogle Council, after the recent election, have also re-affirmed their opposition as well.’ The Echo could not get a response from GNAC or Metgasco by time of going to press. Glenugie update Another ongoing protest at Glenugie near Grafton saw around 100 residents turn back a Metgasco truck just before Christmas. John Edwards from the Clarence Environment Centre told The Echo he just returned from camp after delivering water to protesters. ‘Some of the protesters have been there for the entire seven weeks, he says. ‘Metgasco say they plan to go back and work there after January 3, and made a decision to back off over Christmas. My gut feeling is the riot squad will be brought in to assist the trucks entering.’ When asked about the owner of the land that Metgasco plan to drill on, he said, ‘He’s considered a pariah by many. But he’s elderly and not a well man.’ ‘No-one around him wants this happening. It’s wrong on every level.’ As for the remuneration the mining companies pay landowners, he said, ‘Nobody seems to know how much a well is worth to a landowner; there are confidentiality contracts. My understanding is that the general going rate is $3000–5000.’ |
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