THIS Sunday hundreds of people will oppose the coal seam gas industry in Australia’s longest protest stretching across 500km of the Newell Highway, through the heart of Santos’ CSG exploration license area.
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Stationed with their vehicles about every five kilometres, diverse community members will display protest signs to the passing traffic.
“Coal seam gas threatens our land, our water, our cultural heritage and our communities,” said Nicole Hunter of Coonabarabran.
“Our action on Sunday, with dozens of community demonstration sites along the Newell Highway from Dubbo to Boggabilla, is to remind the newly re-elected NSW Government that the citizens of North West NSW will not accept coal seam gas development.
“It’s on the last day of the NSW and QLD school holidays, so lots of drivers will be able to see our message.
“There is no social licence for coal seam gas.”
“This event is about everyday people taking one small action to demonstrate their concern about the coal seam gas industry.”
Kim Revell from Spring Plain will be stationed on the Newell north of Narrabri.
“Petroleum exploration licences for coal seam gas cover a large area of North-West NSW. If developed, these unconventional gas fields risk turning the region into an industrial wasteland.
“There is an unprecedented alliance of community members, farmers, Aboriginal people and conservationists working to stop this destruction of the land we all love. Communities have declared three million hectares of the North West region to be ‘gasfield free’ and more declarations will follow.
“We’re excited community members from across NSW and QLD are now organising their own events on Sunday, down the Pacific Highway between Tweed Heads and Newcastle in NSW and down the Leichhardt Highway in QLD.
“We believe this will be the longest highway demonstration ever held in Australia and so safety is a big priority for all volunteers.”
If you would like to get involved or find out more contact the North West Alliance.