Fight continues against CSG in NSW

The Green’s bill before the Legislative Council to prohibit coal seam gas in New South Wales was supported by the Labor Party with amendments, the Christian Democrat Party and the Animal Justice Party –with a vote of 16 for and 19 against.

Earlier it had been announced that the Shooters & Fishers Party were voting yes but during the debate Robert Brown was seen talking to LNP members. He then decided to be listed to speak and seemed to have a dummy spit about the earlier announcement that his party would vote yes. He said the SFP had a gas reservation policy to ensure an affordable domestic gas supply and that he would be voting no.

Today the federal government announced that it is to end the ban on the importation of the rapid fire Alder shotgun next August in return for a vote from David Leyonhjelm, a libertarian MP, who has agreed to support tough new border security measures. Did this have anything to do with the SFP’s change of mind?

Yesterday in NSW parliament people against CSG were called by Dr Peter Phelps NLP - socialists, psychopaths or suckers, green extremists, activists and lunatics who belong to a cult. The bill was called a stunt. Phelps sounded so ridiculous the people in gallery could do nothing but laugh at the absurdity!

The LNP announced that it will be giving out new CSG exploration licences in areas to be decided. No go zones will be created. LNP speakers argued that the NSW chief scientists says CSG can be made safe. National Party member Ben Franklin who campaigned against CSG at Ballina in the last election said that if this bill was passed the cost to taxpayers in compensation and litigation is unknown and it would destroy the state’s reputation with foreign investors.

The Greens Jeremy Buckingham has vowed to keep up the fight. I was in the gallery in 2011 when the Greens were the only party to vote for his last bill for a moratorium on CSG and I will be there when the next is introduced.

The fight continues. My current research has revealed that the CSG industry in Australia was first given the green light by the Federal Government – their election is next. They will continue to say that it is the state’s domain but water has no such boundaries.