At the close of the December Johns River Coal Seam Gas Forum, the Coal Seam Gas industry received an overwhelming vote of no confidence from the audience.
If the aim of the forum was to close the gap between the lack of factual information and the claims being made by the anti-coal seam gas groups, then it was an abysmal failure. The entire forum felt more like a platform for the Coal Seam Gas Industry and not a fair and balanced presentation of facts which might explain why the audience got so angry and vocal.
For a start, the forum relied largely on the views of one politician and one scientist. Leslie Williams, the National Party member, said that coal seam gas mining would go ahead regardless of our protests and regardless of any new safety findings. That did not go down well.
The only scientist on the panel, Dr Gary Ellem, said that although the coal seam gas industry presented some unsolved problems, such as salt and waste disposal, he claimed renewable energy at present was insufficient to meet Australia’s baseload energy needs. And yet the independent organisation, Beyond Zero Emissions, disagrees. It has collected evidence from hundreds of scientists around the world and claims that existing renewable energy technology makes it possible to meet Australia’s entire energy needs within 10 years. And that includes baseload energy. You can visit their website and view the plan (www.beyondzeroemissions.org). So, if the Johns River forum really wanted to be balanced, it should have presented the viewpoint of a scientist in favour of total renewable energy, not just Dr Ellem’s views on the necessity for coal seam gas.
As for coal seam gas being clean and green and giving off less carbon emissions than coal, the evidence is inconclusive when the entire gas processing methods are taken into account. If burning the coal seam gas does produce fewer emissions, it will be China doing the burning and reaping the dubious benefits. We’ll be the ones endangering our water and land in extracting the stuff, piping it, compressing it, sending across the ocean and dealing with waste disposal and fugitive emissions.
Maggie O’Sullivan, a Laurieton resident who attended the meeting, said, “Despite the rhetoric about safety concerns, the Government seems more interested in extracting and selling coal seam gas to China as quickly as possible. Big money and getting it out before the Carbon Tax comes in might explain this frenzy. Otherwise, why the rush? The coal seam gas isn’t going anywhere. It will still be there in ten or twenty year’s time.
“Instead, we’re cashing in on the Chinese boom. And to counteract the growing opposition, the coal seam gas proponents are holding forums and hearings, presenting their scientists, and trying to allay our fears with important-sounding legislation like the NSW Aquifer Interference Policy. All these words look great on paper and make politicians appear responsible and concerned. But policies are useless if they can’t be adequately policed, if the deterrents are pathetic, and the environment is accidentally wrecked in the process.”
Mr Ian Oxenford, a Kendall resident who attended the meeting, added, “Look, we could continue calling for moratoriums and independent enquiries and scientific studies and drag it out forever. But I think the gist of the matter is that people don’t want to spend tax-payer money on infrastructure that props up another branch of the petroleum industry. Because that’s what coal seam gas is.
“We want to transform Australia from a 19th century fossil fuel based economy to a 21st century renewable-powered clean tech economy. Contrary to everything they keep telling us at forums like this, the technology does exist to fuel the country with 100 per cent renewable energy. All that’s lacking is political will and long term vision.”
Mary White, the paleontologist and environmentalist, may have been given only a small amount of time to speak at the forum, but she said it all: “This country is old and fragile and we’ve damaged the environment enough. Coal seam gas mining is not the direction we should be headed.”
Michelle Lopert
Camden Haven Anti-Fracking Group (CHAFG) member
Kendall
