Singleton Council meeting tonight at 5.30 pm
Date: 07-Feb-11
Author: Graeme Gibson
Hi all,
Councillor Alison Howlett is to introduce an urgency motion to the Council meeting tonight. The basic reason was that Council was left off the new Gas Exploration Community Consultative Committee and the new Chair will be seeking applications for representation shortly.
Council should be there. It is a representative of the people. It is wrong that Council was left off.
Alison asked if there was anything else which should be included, and I have sent her the following email. If you have any further thoughts which you think should be raised by her, please contact her direct, or send it through me.
Thanks.
"We saw Minister Tony Kelly last night. We spoke very openly as to why this toxic coal seam methane gas industry should not be permitted in any area where it may have an effect on rivers, waterways, agricultural land, or the winegrowing and tourism areas of Broke Fordwich and also Pokolbin. We also spoke at length as to the inadequacies of any protective legislation. Despite what is claimed, we can live without electricity as a species; we can't survive without food and water.
Although Tony Kelly wasn't as strong as George Souris last week in what he said, our observation was that with continued pressure he would consider drawing a line around the vineyard and tourism areas.
He indicated that he would seek the consent of his colleagues to have a member of the winegrowing community as a representative on the Coal and Gas Strategy Ministerial sub-committee.
In relation to the CCC we need Council to resolve that, as the representative of the people, Council should have representation on the new Hunter Coal Seam Methane Gas Community Consultative Committee.
In relation to the Coal and Gas Strategy Ministerial sub-committee, we need Council to resolve that, as a representative of the people, as a Council in whose area there is an enormous amount of coal mining and the commencement of the coal seam methane gas industry, as a Council who dealt with coal mine development applications for decades before taken over by the State Government and developed over time many environmental protective conditions for coal mining, Council should also have a seat on the Ministerial sub-committee.
Perhaps we also need Council to confirm its previous resolutions underlining its objection to the development of the coal seam methane gas industry, a short term fossil fuel extractor, in any area where it may affect agricultural land, rivers and waterways, winegrowing or tourism area, or other areas where it may impact on the health of humans or our right to the quiet enjoyment of our life and land.
Thanks Alison for your continued support and energy."
If anyone has any further thoughts, please convey them urgently to Alison.
Please encourage bums on seats at 5.30 pm tonight.
Regards,
Graeme Gibson.
