FARMERS near the Pilliga Forest are gambling on having their voices heard after they blockaded a CSG wastewater plant with a six-tonne hay bale wall in protest action yesterday.
About 50 farmers, their families and supporters blockaded the access road for Santos’ Leewood CSG wastewater treatment facility near the Pilliga forest with nearly six tonnes of hay bales formed into a six-foot high wall.
The farmers played poker atop the hay wall and beneath them was a banner stating “Santos: Stop Gambling with our Farming Future”.
The blockade stopped construction of Phase 2 of the Leewood project yesterday.
“We simply cannot accept this game of Russian roulette Santos is playing with our groundwater,” said Coonamble farmer Josh Borowski.
“Coal seam gas jeopardises our future as farmers on the land and we are determined to stop Santos and protect our sustainable farming livelihoods.
“We are utterly opposed to the Santos Narrabri Gas Project proposal in the Pilliga forest.”
Mr Borowski’s wife, Stephanie, attended the protest with their one-year-old baby and said they could not stand by while the “toxic industry” polluted their environment and contaminated their groundwater.
“We utterly rely on groundwater on our farm – a risk to groundwater is a risk to our future,” she said.
“What legacy are we leaving our children and future generations?”
Mr Borowski said the farmers were “appalled” that Santos had not waited for the outcome of a pending court case to determine the legality of the facility’s approval before they began construction.
This story was originally published on The Northern Daily Leader.
