Protecting the Pilliga: Media Alert

Occupy Sydney share the concerns of rural and urban communities regarding the unacceptable impacts of GSG extraction on their communities-and our world. We partner with the Oil & Mining Watch Team  to keep the world informed regarding unconsciencable extractive conduct globally.

Occupy Sydney call join in supporting the Protecting the Pilliga action. 

Occupy Sydney call on all governments and communities to adopt renewable energies such as Free Solar and to Leave whats in the ground in the ground.


Media Alert 7 November 2013 - Community members occupy access road to Pilliga coal seam gas drill rig

https://www.facebook.com/protectingthepilliga

Over 20 community members are today standing their ground on a crown land road that leads to one of the Santos coal seam gas drill rigs in the Pilliga Forest. 

Local farmers have been advised by a government department that Santos have illegally blocked a crown road in order to conduct their drilling. The community is today claiming their legal right to occupy this crown land, and highlighting the danger that CSG drilling in the Pilliga represents to community assets, water resources and natural areas.

Anne Kennedy, President of the NSW Artesian Bore Water Users Association, supports the community in taking a stand.

“This week we have seen the Federal Government hand over their environmental protection responsibilities to the NSW Government, while the NSW Government changed their mining policy to put economic interests over environmental and community concerns.

“We feel we have been backed into a corner by governments refusing to listen to us or to consider the impacts of the potential loss of our groundwater if this gasfield is developed. 

“Community members are stepping up to protect our groundwater and defend this recharge zone of our precious Great Artesian Basin from CSG industrialisation,” she said. 

Bundella Farmer Megan Kuhn said, “Here in North West New South Wales we are currently facing an enormous challenge that we certainly didn’t ask for. Our communities, our water resources and our farmlands are all threatened by a coal seam gas invasion.

“Santos has no social licence to operate and they are forcing themselves on concerned rural communities. We are standing on this road today to highlight Santos' unacceptable behaviour in fencing off our crown roads for their private drilling activities" she said.

Gomeroi Elder Maureen Sulter was on site today to share this message: “Winangaya dhawun. Respect the land. 

“It’s a powerful time out in the Pilliga at the moment, with many people coming together from across the region to protect this place from coal seam gas mining,” she said.