Peaceful actions against gas fracking

Around the world this weekend (Saturday, 11th October in Australia), people will be taking part in peaceful actions to demonstrate their opposition to the land-based unconventional gas fracking industry.

Fracking (fracturing rock deep underground) with the aid of vast amounts of water, chemicals and sand by the short-term gas mining industry is the biggest threat to water resources, soils, agriculture and people’s health that we have ever faced in this country.

If city people worry about food prices or quality, or what chemicals are in their water supplies, then they should be very worried about the new methods of the gas industry known as fracking.

One aquifer in NSW has already been permanently contaminated with uranium, as a result of the gas mining activities, and is now unusable. This was covered up by the company concerned for a whole year. Government regulations have never prevented accidents or cover-ups.

In the USA, Queensland, and parts of New South Wales, people have experienced the pollution from gas mining and its health effects. As a result of the damage to aquifers, farming, and people’s health, some States in the USA have already banned fracking.

Studies from the Australia Institute reveal the gas field industry will also have a detrimental effect on the local and national economies in the long run.

Australian politicians need to become aware that coal, gas and oil incur more losses each year; switching to renewable energy will be more profitable for energy companies and the Australian economy if it is done now.

The rest of the world, including some oil companies, is already converting to renewables. Germany has closed its nuclear reactors, and will be completely reliant on renewable energy, without coal, oil, or gas by 2020.

As Chief Seattle once said, “We cannot eat money”. We certainly cannot drink gas or eat coal. There are no substitutes for clean water and sustainable food production. There can be no co-existence with gas fields.
Gillian Blair Secretary, Sustainable Agriculture & Communities Alliance, Inc.