Defend the right to protest

Landholders protesting at Pilliga

Defend the right to protest from Baird's anti-activist laws 12 noon Tuesday, 15 March outside the NSW Parliament.

NSW’s new laws and fines for protesting won’t stop me protesting. The reduced fines for mining companies will encourage them to cut corners and therefore pollute more, giving me more reason to protest.

The new laws will give police more power "to deal with people who intend to 'lock-on' to equipment", and the authority to move people on in all protest activities.

Fines for mining or exploring without authority, or failing to provide information and records to an inspector have been reduced from $1.1M to $5000.

Santos CSG activities in the Pilliga and the actions of the Department of Industry will be questioned in the Land and Environment Court starting April 6.

Farmers protest outside Santos Leewood site
on  21 February 2016

Please support these farmers from the Pilliga region by protesting against CSG outside Santos offices between 10.30am and 12.30pm at 

32 Turbot Street, Brisbane
1 Macquarie Place, Sydney.
All welcome.

Santos have not submitted an Environmental Impact Statement for their water treatment plant in the Pilliga. A legal challenge about the approval process is pending. 

Newspaper reports stating that all of the Narrabri community is behind the project are incorrect. They refer to the numbers of arrests of people from outside the area. This is due to the police not arresting local farmers when they lock on.

The NSW government is planning to crack down on CSG mining protesters, giving the police more powers and increasing fines. Some fines for protesters are already higher than those paid by companies for polluting the environment.