Tag Archives: santos

Government labels farmers  “eco- fascists” with draconian new laws to benefit mining companies


MEDIA RELEASE -
7 March  2016

The Greens today condemned the creation of draconian new offences to target anti-CSG and coal protesters and called on Premier Mike Baird to distance himself from the comments of his Resources Minister, Anthony Roberts who labelled farmers and others protecting land and water from coal seam gas as “eco-fascists”.

Greens MP and Mining Spokesperson Jeremy Buckingham said:

“Many of those taking direct action against coal seam gas projects are farmers who feel they must act to protect the land and water from being poisoned or destroyed.  They are Australian patriots, not ‘eco-fascists’.

“I’ve sat next to a 64 year old farmer with a lock around his neck and the gates of Santos’ project out of concern for water resources and his family’s farming future.

“To label these patriots ‘eco-fascists’ is wrong and offensive, and Premier Mike Baird should distance himself from the ill-informed and shameful comments of Resources Minister Anthony Roberts.

“The Baird Government is showing its true colours by siding big mining interests against patriotic Australians seeking to protect land, water and communities.

“Does Mike Baird care more about paying back his political donors in the mining industry, and doing the bidding of his former Chief of Staff, Stephen Galilee, who now runs the Minerals Council of NSW, than he does about farmers and communities in regional NSW?”

Greens MP and Police Spokesperson David Shoebridge said:

“This is part of a pattern from the Coalition of evermore aggressive policing and constantly expanding police powers to crack down on protest and attack our civil liberties. NSW must not become a police state.

“These expanded police powers go well beyond coal seam gas protests and will extend across the state to clamp down on protests as diverse as WestConnex, recreational hunting and Forestry.

“I wonder if Baird even notices the irony when his right wing government proposes massive increases in police powers and then describes democratic protestors as ‘fascists’?

“The Greens will being opposing these expanded police powers under the Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act because, put simply, we believe in democracy and the right to protest.” Mr Shoebridge said.

EPA investigation into Santos’ Uranium incident reveals poor management and monitoring

unlined-pit

MEDIA RELEASE - 15 May 2015

The Greens coal seam gas spokesperson Jeremy Buckingham today said that the conclusions from the NSW EPA’s completed investigations into Uranium contamination at Santos’ Narrabri CSG operations revealed alarmingly poor management and insufficient monitoring and he called on Santos to abandon the Narrabri project.

In their report, the EPA have said that they “have concerns with aspects of the site operations and management” and are issuing Santos with two legally binding Pollution Reduction Programs (PRPs) to improve groundwater monitoring.

“The myth that no cases of aquifer contaminations have occurred in NSW was busted by this incident where elevated levels of Uranium and other heavy metals were found in the groundwater near Santos’ holding ponds,” said Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham.

“No level of Uranium or other heavy metal contamination from coal seam gas is acceptable and the pathetic $1500 EPA at the time is hardly a deterrent to Santos or other companies.”

“It is alarming that the EPA have confirmed Santos does not have a sufficient monitoring program in place. Yet again we find that the management of a coal seam gas operation is not up to scratch and that pollution incidents cannot be properly assessed.”

“The Greens believe that coal seam gas is unnecessary, unwanted and unsafe and that Santos should pack up and leave NSW,” Mr Buckingham said.

Contact: Max Phillips - 9230 2202 or 0427 713 101

Greens call on Labor to return toxic CSG cash

corruption

MEDIA RELEASE - 16 March 2015

The Greens NSW mining spokesperson Jeremy Buckingham has today called on Luke Foley and the NSW Labor Party to return thousands of dollars in donations they have received from coal seam gas company Santos Ltd in the run up to the NSW election to remove the perception that this donation could have influenced Labor’s refusal to rule out coal seam gas across NSW.

“In the recent Leader’s debate we saw Labor leader Luke Foley refuse to rule out coal seam gas development under a Labor government, saying ‘There is a role for gas in the state’s energy future’,” said Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham.

“Given the toxic and corrupting influence that corporate donations have been seen to have on our democracy in recent years, the public have every right to ask whether this donation from Santos has influenced Labor’s weak position on coal seam gas.

“There is a strong public perception that there is a ‘decisions for donations’ culture in NSW and that is why the Greens are calling on all parties to back our policy for a ban on donations from mining and coal seam gas companies,” Mr Buckingham said.

The Greens NSW policy is not to accept any corporate donations and to publically disclose all donations worth more than $200.

Contact: Jack Gough - 9230 2202 or 0427 713 101

Extract from Labor’s Additional Donations Disclosure for the March 2015 NSW election:

labor santos highlighted

Santos should come clean on Narrabri coal seam gas project’s future

Boo Santos

MEDIA RELEASE - 12 December 2014

Santos should come clean on Narrabri coal seam gas project’s future

The Greens NSW mining spokesperson Jeremy Buckingham today called on Santos to come clean on their plans for the Narrabri coal seam gas project to give certainty to the local community, after the company announced it would slice $250 million from its $400 million expenditure budget for the project.

Under a MOU signed early in 2014, Santos were due to lodge their Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on 30 June 2014, with a determination scheduled for 23 January 2015, however, Santos is still yet to lodge its EIS.

A sudden and significant drop in the world oil price has put a huge amount of pressure on Santos, with its value falling 40%, its credit rating dropped to BBB, and the profitability of its GLNG project in doubt.

“The people of the North West deserve to have some certainty, so the Greens are calling on Santos to make an announcement on the future of the Narrabri coal seam gas project in the context of the uncertain future for coal seam gas and Santos’ significant cuts to capital expenditure,” said Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham.

“The world gas and oil market is changing rapidly, and it is looking increasingly like CSG and LNG may resemble a giant Ponzi scheme.

“This project has caused enormous community concern and both the government and Santos have a responsibility to inform the public what is happening.

“Resources Minister Anthony Roberts should indicate whether the government still considers the Narrabri project a ‘Strategic Energy Project’, given the MOU timetable has fallen over, capital expenditure has been slashed, and any connecting pipeline is off in the Never Never,” he said.

Contact: Max Phillips – 9230 2202 or 0419 444 916

Santos leaked documents show government buckled under corrosive influence of gas lobby

MEDIA RELEASE - 17 July 2014 

The Greens NSW spokesperson on mining, Jeremy Buckingham today said that leaked internal documents from gas company Santos demonstrate the pervasive and corrosive influence lobbyists for the gas industry have on NSW government policy.  The internal Santos presentation, detailed in today’s The Land Newspaper, show that the NSW Government was considering policies in line with community expectations before they were influenced by Santos.  These included:

  • the introduction of clear no go zones, including on the black soil Liverpool Plains;
  • the Mining and Petroleum Gateway being a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ decision, and all exploration activity to go through this Gateway;
  • Significantly tougher Petroleum Exploration License renewal conditions.

“These explosive documents once again show the pervasive and corrosive influence of lobbyists on NSW government policy,” said Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham.

“The government has watered down its own policies, to placate Santos and probably the Minerals Council of NSW, and the result is regulations that fail to protect land and water.

“The public expectations are clear, we need prime agricultural land, critical water resources and urban areas to be off limits to the gas industry and we need an independent, transparent and accountable planning system.

“Instead what we have got is a government shamelessly fast tracking coal seam gas, avoiding the tough policy decisions needed to protect the community and having secret meetings with dodgy donors.

“Recent damning Gateway Panel decisions show how important it is that that body is given real power.

“The Greens have a bill before parliament which will ensure we have a responsible mining industry in NSW and I urge the government to listen to the public and support our Responsible Mining Bill when it comes up for debate in August. ” he said.

Contact: Jack Gough - 9230 2202 or 0427 713 101