Category Archives: Mining

Greens slam appointment of Shenhua coal lobbyist as National Party federal president

Posted on by One comment
mine your food bowl

MEDIA RELEASE - 9 September 2015

The Greens NSW mining spokesperson Jeremy Buckingham today slammed the National Party for appointing Larry Anthony, a registered lobbyist for Chinese coal mining company Shenhua, as their new federal president.

Larry Anthony, a former MP for Richmond, is a Director of SAS consulting Group which currently lists Shenhua Watermark as one of its clients on the NSW Lobbyist Register.  Larry Anthony has also been personally lobbying the NSW Department of Planning on behalf of Shenhua since at least 2012.

Larry Anthony Shenhua lobbying

 

“It’s clear that the modern National Party is nothing more than the political arm of the mining lobby,” said Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham.

“The decision to allow Shenhua to mine the heart out of the Liverpool Plains, the food bowl of Australia, is completely irresponsible and the public are understandably sceptical about the influence that the revolving door between politicians and the mining industry has had on decisions like this.

“It seems Shenhua have contracted senior National Party identities to open doors and smooth the path to a mine approval to the detriment of farmers.”

“The National Party have sold their soul and sold out farmers.  The Greens stand ready to fill the gap to protect agriculture,” Mr Buckingham said.

Contact: Max Phillips – 9230 2202 or 0419 444 916

SAS consulting larry anthony 1 SAS consulting larry anthony 2 SAS consulting larry anthony 3

 

Back to Bentley, as Metgasco spits the dummy at NSW Government

Posted on by 5 comments
bignumbersbentley

MEDIA RELEASE - 1 September 2015

The Greens NSW mining spokesperson Jeremy Buckingham today slammed coal seam gas company Metgasco for suing the NSW Government and renewing drilling at Bentley near Lismore saying the company was belligerent and did not have a social licence to operate in the Northern Rivers.

“It’s outrageous and belligerent that this company would sue taxpayers for compensation and threaten to resume drilling when their social licence to operate in the Northern Rivers has so comprehensively been rejected,” said Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham.

“If Metgasco go back to Bentley, then the community will be there to meet them in large numbers and with determination to protect the land and water.

“It is not up to taxpayers to bailout this company who have comprehensively failed to gain a social licence to operate and they should not be trying to extort the NSW Government.

Where is the Member for Lismore Thomas George?  He promised to have the licence cancelled by 30 June 2015, yet here we have Metgasco forcing their way back to Bentley with an assurance of police protection given by the government.

“The government and Shooters Party recently voted down a Greens bill that would have banned coal seam gas in the Northern Rivers.  They’ve got no one but themselves to blame for this huge mess,” he said.

Member for Ballina Tamara Smith said, “Should that drill rig come anywhere near our beautiful Northern Rivers rest assured I will be standing on the frontline with the community at Bentley.”

Buckingham joins tractor convoy to protest Shenhua coal mine

Posted on by One comment
Tractor convoy

MEDIA RELEASE - 21 August 2015

The Greens NSW mining spokesperson Jeremy Buckingham today will join Liverpool Plains farmers on a convoy of tractors driving from Gunnedah to Breeza, to protest the Shenhua Watermark coal mine proposed for the fertile agricultural area.  Mr Buckingham has spent the week at AgQuip in Gunnedah where the mood is firmly against coal and coal seam gas.

The tractor convoy leaves Gunnedah at 1pm and will drive to the Breeza Hall for a BBQ.

“The Greens are standing shoulder to shoulder with the community of the Liverpool Plains to oppose the Shenhua coal mine and I’m proud to join this tractor convoy as an expression of determination that people power will stop this mine, if governments fail,” said Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham.

“I’ve spent the past few days at the AgQuip festival and I can tell you that farmers from all over NSW are dead-set opposed to mining in good agricultural areas.

“We’ve given away many thousands of ‘Farms Not Coal’ stickers, which will be soon be appearing on utes, trucks and cars around the state.

“There is a steely determination among the community that this Shenhua mine must not go ahead.  If they try to build this mine it will be the Farmers’ Franklin, with thousands of people willing to put themselves on the line to protect the land and water.

“The Greens continue to deepen links with farming and country communities and fill the void left by a weak and subservient National Party.”

Did Baird trade CSG vote for game parks?

Posted on by 4 comments
Borsak

MEDIA RELEASE - 14 August 2015

The Greens NSW mining spokesperson Jeremy Buckingham today expressed his concern that the government has done a deal with the Shooters to support the establishment of game parks in NSW, after the Shooters flipped their position and sided with the government to vote down the Greens’ Coal Seam Gas Prohibition Bill, while nominating their bill to legalise game parks in NSW in the Legislative Council order of precedence.  The Greens Bill was supported by Labor, Christian Democratic Party and Animal Justice Party.  The Shooters and Fishers Party changed their vote at the last minute to ensure the Bill did not pass the NSW Upper House.

The Hon. Robert Brown yesterday nominated his Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Amendment (Repeal of Game Park Prohibitions) Bill 2015 in the order or precedence, meaning it will be debated and voted on in the near future.  If passed, this bill would legalise shooting exotic animals in game parks in NSW.

“The Greens are concerned the government has agreed to support the Shooter’s legislation to allow game parks in NSW in return for their vote against the bill that would have established a moratorium on coal seam gas and bans in certain areas of the NSW,” said Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham.

“The Shooters Party are notorious for horse-trading issues and making deals with the government in return for their support on close votes.  They told stakeholders such as Lock the Gate that they would support the CSG Bill in the morning, but after Resources Minister Anthony Roberts visited their office they changed their tune and voted with the government against the bill.

“We know the National Party was desperate to stop the CSG prohibition bill from passing the Upper House and putting their local members under pressure in the Lower House.  Have they agreed to support legalising game parks to avoid any political embarrassment over the sensitive issue of coal seam gas?

“It’s a great shame that politics in NSW can be shaped by the ruthless mercenaries in the Shooters Party with their narrow and dangerous agenda.”

Esoteric parliamentary intrigue on CSG Prohibition Bill vote

Posted on by One comment

A bit of esoteric parliamentary intrigue.  It was bit of tricky maneuvering by the government that meant the final vote on the CSG Prohibition Bill was 16 for - 19 against, rather than 17 for - 18 against.

Under the Westminster parliamentary system, the member in the Speaker or President’s Chair during a vote, does not get to participate in the vote.  They only get to cast a tie-breaking vote if a vote of other members is tied.

Another feature of the system is the ‘pairing’ of MPs.  This is an informal arrangement between parties to ensure the balance of numbers stays the same when an MP is sick or outside parliament on official business).

Yesterday, just before the vote on the Coal Seam Gas Prohibition Bill, Christian Democrat MP Paul Green was in the chair presiding over the debate.  The bells were rung for a division (vote) and MPs entered the chamber.

Liberal MP Don Harwin, who is the President of the Legislative Council (Upper House) and usually sits in the chair during votes, came into the chamber to assume the chair, but was quickly waved away by Liberal Whip Peter Phelps (the Whip organises MPs during parliamentary votes).  President Harwin went back to his office as one of the three pairs.

The effect of all this was to skew the vote.  It meant Paul Green, who would have voted with his leader Fred Nile for the bill was denied a vote, while the Liberals gained an extra vote by not having to fill the chair.

While the vote would still have been lost, it would have been a margin of 1 vote, rather than 3 votes.  That’s how close we really came to making history and the Upper House passing a bill to restrict coal seam gas.

Here is how the vote was recorded on NSW Parliament’s Hansard:

Question—That the bill be read a second time—put.

The House divided.

CSG Vote

Nationals & Shooters shoot down CSG prohibition bill

Posted on by 4 comments
Lock the Gate

MEDIA RELEASE - 13 August 2015

The Greens NSW mining spokesperson Jeremy Buckingham today expressed his bitter disappointment, but was not surprised that the Shooters Party and Nationals have shot down a bill to prohibit coal seam gas in NSW at the second reading stage.   The bill was supported by the Greens, Labor Party, Christian Democratic Party and Animal Justice Party, but the vote was lost 16 -19.

“It’s shameful that the National Party have pulled out all stops to stop this bill progressing to the Lower House by doing a deal with the Shooters Party,” said Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham.

“It was our understanding that the bill had cross-bench support this morning to pass in an amended form, including support from the Shooters Party.  However, it seems Resources Minister Anthony Roberts has met with them during the debate and they’ve flipped their position.

“The National Party were desperate to stop a bill to restrict coal seam gas coming to the Lower House and putting some of their local members under pressure.  They say one thing in their local communities, and another thing in Sydney.

“In 2011, I moved a bill to put a 12 month moratorium on coal seam gas in NSW.  At that time only the Greens voted for the bill.  Now, four years later we have Labor, the CDP and the Animal Justice Party prepared to support a moratorium.  The movement against coal seam gas is winning and we will not give up.

“The government may be able to do deals in the parliament, but public opinion on coal seam gas cannot be dealt away.  It’s clear the industry does not have a social licence and will continue to be vigorously opposed in the parliament and in the community.”

 

 

« Older Entries