THE North West Alliance’s petition, signed by nearly 11,000 people, was accepted by five local MPs: Kevin Humphries, Kevin Anderson, Adam Marshall, George Souris and Troy Grant. A transcript of the petition appears below.
The petition
To the Honourable the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly of NSW.
The Petition of citizens of NSW brings to the attention of the House the grave threats posed by coal seam gas mining and new coal mines to the future of north-western NSW.
The region is a critical food bowl with strong agricultural and tourism industries and outstanding natural values. Areas at immediate risk from new mining include the Liverpool Plains, the Pilliga Forest, the black soil plains of Bellata-Gurley, the Leard Forest, and vast areas of productive farming land around Wee Waa, Narrabri and Moree.
We fear that new mining proposals are risking our long term capacity for sustainable food production, environmental and human health, property values, social well-being and a prosperous and sustainable economic base.
We believe that there is insufficient unbiased Australian scientific data available to the Government of New South Wales to prove that new coal mining and coal seam gas extraction can be conducted without endangering the Great Artesian Basin, other important aquifers and river systems.
Mining in the north-west region simultaneously threatens our most productive farmland and most significant bush land.
If allowed to continue as planned it will permanently degrade both our productive and ecological base and forever change the nature of our rural communities.
The undersigned petitioners therefore ask the Legislative Assembly to:
1. Reform legislation to clearly and permanently identify areas that should be off limits to mining and gas activities, including our agricultural land, bush land, drinking water supplies and underground aquifers.
2. Provide landholders and local communities with the right to say no to coal and gas developments and ensure that all of the long-term social and environmental costs of mining are quantified.
3. Take into account the national and international evidence (both quantitative and qualitative) emerging regarding damage to water supply, human health, flora and fauna and implement a moratorium on coal seam gas and new coal mines until independent scientific studies are completed.
4. Develop a stronger and well-resourced monitoring and compliance regime for mining and gas activities to protect human, flora and fauna health and water and air quality.
The North West Alliance describes itself as an umbrella organisation of 30 community groups concerned about coal and gas mining in north-west NSW.
