Rant 1 - Coal Seam Gas

Rant 2 - How To Stop Coal Seam Gas

Rant 3 - The Weekend That Was – 25-28 October 2012

Rant 1

From the outset, I will state my strong opposition to coal seam gas mining. I am not opposed to it because of the risk associated with the processes they seek to use, which I believe are manageable, but I am strongly opposed to using any fossil fuels when we do not need to. We have the knowledge and the technology to survive on renewable energy sources. We just have to make the commitment to do so and make these energy sources more main stream so they become more affordable.

Focusing on coal seam gas mining, I have bit my tongue so many times in recent months when listening to people discuss the issues or when reading comments posted online. I have heard and seen discussion about information individuals have come into contact with that they then regurgitate as factual. A quick search online often determines most of the material being relied on is from bias activist websites with clear agendas and the material often does not seem to have any scientific support.

One source I tend to trust is the CSIRO, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation. The CSIRO is Australia’s national science agency and one of the largest and most diverse research agencies in the world. They deliver solutions for agribusiness, energy and transport, environment and natural resources, health, information technology, telecommunications, manufacturing and mineral resources.

Since the CSIRO is not controlled by the State of NSW, I strongly believe they are impartial. Their impartiality was recently supported by their media release on 4 September 2012 in relation to advertisements being aired by the APPEA, the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association, also known as ‘The Voice of Australia’s Oil and Gas Industry’. The advertisements claimed the ‘CSIRO [and government studies] have shown that groundwater is safe with coal seam gas’.

The CSIRO not only rejected the claim made in the commercial, they denied ever making such a statement and stated that their research does not support it. They then went a step further. The CSIRO stated, as they have done publicly in the past, ‘that coal seam gas extraction is likely to pose a ‘lowrisk’ to groundwater quality through contamination’. They then addressed other matters such as aquifer levels.

So we have the mining companies saying coal seam gas mining is safe. There is nothing unusual about that. The activists and the environmentalists say it will cause the end of the world as we know it if it is permitted. Again, nothing unusual here. The middle ground is coming from the unbiased CSIRO. They say it is not completely safe and will not cause the end of the world as we know it but they believe there is a ‘low risk’ to groundwater quality, groundwater levels will fall and they ‘continue to undertake research to better understand the impacts of coal seam gas extraction on groundwater quality and quantity’.

A link to the CSIRO press release will be provided on the Big Rob’s Facebook page and the Big Rob’s website.

With all that said, it is time to look at what has been happening in the Lismore area to try and stop this ‘low risk’ industry.

The former New South Wales Labor Government issued all the mining licenses. Not much opposition came at that time. Queensland has permitted it for some time and we heard very little about it. Labor were also in power in Queensland. The last State elections saw massive swings against Labor and successful Liberal Governments take control. The CSG movement began to gain momentum.

Since Queensland already had an industry operating, many activists jumped across the border and found themselves in Lismore, an area known for activism with regards to almost any issue. The local bombardment began and people began to listen. They were told horror stories and shown documentaries. They were also sold a little book called ‘The Activists’ Handbook’. Someone was now making money from the CSG issue and it was creating a lot of support. The local media also ate it up and published the stories since it sold newspapers.

Step in Lismore City Council Mayor Jenny ‘Devious’ Dowell and the issue now gains considerably more momentum due to her popularity. It did not matter that the issue is one that must be directed at the State Government. There were votes to be had and she was having them.

Devious Dowell then took the CSG fight a step further and successfully gained support in a six to five vote to conduct a poll unnecessarily wasting ratepayer money even though the result was going to be obvious. No other council followed her lead. Funnily enough, the councillor who cast the final vote supporting the poll did not succeed in his attempt to be re-elected at the most recent election. He was ousted and the Country Labor Party secured an extra seat following their new found CSG popularity.

This tactical move by Devious Dowell meant that Lismore City Council would hold off on lobbying the State Government for over five months until the result of the poll was known. They would do nothing. Following the poll, they would write a single letter outlining the result of the poll and the opposition to coal seam gas mining in our area. One letter to represent us all- you could just see the State Government quivering in their boots.

Now for some statistics.

21,608 out of 24,878 formal votes counted voted NO to CSG. This was 86.86% of the Lismore City Council votes counted. For those wondering, the total population of Lismore was 44,225 in 2006. The formal votes make up 56.25%of the population. It seems as though a lot of the population are ineligible to vote.

The population of New South Wales is about 7.24 million people. The 21,608 NO voters represent only 0.30% of the State. Even if every member of the Lismore community could vote and voted NO, it would only represent 0.61%.It does not take a genius to work out that these numbers are completely ineffective to influence anything at the state level represented in a single letter.

The delay of five months, which provided many with false hope that our Mayor would stop CSG in our area if re-elected, resulted in disaster just days after the results of the poll were known. The now New South Wales Liberal Government were compelled to re-issue licenses. Even more recently, the New South Wales Planning Minister, Brad Hazzard, said ‘well, it’s going to happen' to Devious Dowell in relation to coal seam gas mining.

It seems the decisions were well and truly made after waiting for so long to act and we have all wasted our time and effort. At this time, I can really only see three winners in all this:

1. Those selling ‘The Activists’ Handbook’;

2. Devious Dowell getting re-elected off the back of coal seam gas; and

3. The mining companies.

Without a structured legal challenge, there were really only ever three options available to stop coal seam gas mining since the former New South Wales Labor Government gave out the licenses. These included:

1. The mining companies return the licenses;

2. The mining companies are allowed to start mining and the licenses are revoked as they breach conditions; and

3. The current New South Wales Liberal Government take back the licenses, pay out billions of dollars in compensation, bankrupt the State and never be re-elected again.

None of these options were practical.

I will discuss option 4, a structured legal challenge, in my next rant.

You are listening to River FM 92.9 and I am Big Rob.

Big Rob’s Rant is interactive while being broadcast. You can find me on Facebook by following the links to Big Rob’s Rant on the Big Rob’s website at bigrobs.com.au.

Rant 2

To stop coal seam gas mining, we need something structured with legal enforceability. There is nearly always something more we can do if we look outside the box.

A local council cannot do anything to stop a State Government decision unless a law is broken and an expensive court challenge is mounted. This has not happened here. The Federal Government is also very restricted in what they can do. Traditionally, they cannot interfere in State matters unless they have power to do so under the Constitution. If they have the power, they can step in and stop coal seam gas mining.

The High Court of Australia made a decision in 1983 commonly called the ‘Tasmanian Dam Case’. The case was about construction of a hydro-electric dam on the Franklin River in Tasmania. The Tasmanian State Government supported construction but the Federal Government and environmental groups opposed it. I will provide a link to this case on the Big Rob’s Facebook page and the Big Rob’s website.

In an attempt to not bore everyone to death, the Federal Government used their external affairs power contained in section 51(xxix) oft he Australian Constitution. They successfully argued that they were giving effect to an International treaty to which Australia was a party through legislation. The treaty was called the ‘ 

To be included on the World Heritage List, sites must be of outstanding universal value and meet at least one out of ten selection criteria. These include:

1. to represent a masterpiece of human creative genius;

2. to exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning or landscape design;

3. to bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared;

4. to be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates a significant stage or significant stages in human history;

5. to be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of a culture (or cultures), or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change;

6. to be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance. (The Committee considers that this criterion should preferably be used in conjunction with other criteria);

7. to contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance;

8. to be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth's history, including the record of life, significant on-going geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features;

9. to be outstanding examples representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals;

10. to contain the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation.

The protection, management, authenticity and integrity of properties are also important considerations. Since 1992 significant interactions between people and the natural environment have been recognized as cultural landscapes.

Although UNESCO decisions designating World Heritage sites have no binding force, the ratification of the Convention could force action by the Federal Government.

Step 1 – UNESCO makes decision designating the area a World Heritage site

Step 2 – The Federal Government enacts legislation prohibiting mining

Step 3 – The legislation is enforced and licenses are revoked

This is a process that requires considerable effort particularly from environmentalists who can support their claims for UNESCO World Heritage listing with tangible evidence.

This is River FM 92.9 and I am Big Rob.

Find me on Facebook by following the Big Rob’s Rant links on the Big Rob’s website at bigrobs.com.au. 
 

Rant 3

‘The Weekend That Was’ saw a little bit of action.

‘Chest Puff Thursday’ saw one incident at the end of the night where someone threw something at a passing vehicle and the occupants pulled up and charged the guys standing at the taxi rank opposite Night Owl. There was a bit of yelling followed by some chest puffing before everyone went their separate ways.

‘Friday Fight Night’ started off early with an interesting road rage incident in Keen Street. A guy on a bicycle somehow got into an altercation with a guy in a ute. The bicycle rider was yelling for the driver to stop and get out. The driver hit the brakes and accelerated a few times almost causing the bicycle rider to run into the back of him. He then stopped and got out.

The guy on the bicycle jumped off his bike and dropped it. He was backing off with the driver yelling abuse at him. The driver then grabbed hold of the bicycle rider placing him in an interesting choke hold. The police appeared on the scene and the fight was quickly stopped. The police had a word to both guys before letting them go.

Later in the night saw the police pounce on a guy drinking alcohol in the street. They took it off him and moved him on. A couple of groups were then seen hanging around in the streets. They hassled a few people but moved on without causing a major problem.

Saturday night saw one incident reported where a guy received a few punches to the head opposite Night Owl but avoided amore serious confrontation. His friends moved quickly to help him but were not required. He was the bigger man and walked away from the altercation.

Over the weekend, police reported various incidents. These included a number of people being charged with drink driving offences. With nine people being charged, many with middle range readings, it seems the message is just not getting through. Drink responsibly and do not put your life or the life of others in danger by driving.

Police reported an aggravated break and enter at a service station in Woodlark Street. When they say ‘aggravated’, they mean there were occupants on the premises during the crime. Two men kicked through a glass panel and climbed through. The occupant took refuge in an upstairs office and called police. The offenders damaged the register when they could not gain access. Police arrived and caught both men after they were said to resist arrest before being handcuffed and conveyed to the police station. A 31 and a41 year old man were charged with various offences including malicious damage and resisting arrest.

There was also a break and enter at the Bridge Street Art Gallery. Some small items were taken. It would be nice if these could be returned. 

Police have also gone to considerable effort releasing CCTV images to identify a man who may be able to assist them with their enquiries in relation to a broken window at one of the licensed premises. A link to these images will be provided on the Big Rob’s Facebook page and the Big Rob’s website.

I lost the plot a bit late on Saturday after finding out that police have been hassling the club security to move patrons on quickly in the street and also told a busker they were not allowed to play after 3am. There is no legal support for either of these directions.

It seems the police are yet again using their tactic of restricting trade to make their jobs easier. This is a completely inappropriate way to deal with people who are not doing anything wrong and who may be potential patrons of small business operators who certainly need all the business they can get during these tough economic times. I tried to get onto senior police all day on Monday to try to address the problem without success. I will try again during the week and rant more about this next week.

This is River FM 92.9 and I am Big Rob bringing you Big Rob’s Rant.