Can you beleive it? Rio Tinto still want to extend the open-cut coal mine near Bulga NSW.

A defiant Rio Tinto are still attempting to push ahead with the extension of the open-cut coal mine near Bulga in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales.   

Sydney Law Courts

Multinational mining company Rio Tinto is defying the verdict of the Supreme Court which upheld the earlier decision by  the Land and Environment Court to not allow for the Mt Thorley Warkorth mine extension. 

Bulga is a beautiful little village, a tiny haven of 350 people who sadly reside at the gate of the Hunter Valley Mine Expansion program of New South Wales, Australia.

The Supreme Court verdict did not seem to faze Rio Tinto.  They say they are simply going to submit another development application under the new controversial planning laws and attempt to steam roll this through regardless of the process of law.

Last year when Planning minister Hazzard took no notice of the Land and Environment Court decision and sided with Rio Tinto against the people, it left many people in New South Wales with no other option but to see the reality of the political arena today.   The arena is clearly a corrupt and filthy paddock of play with no place for the views of the people or the courts, it is the haunt of of the corrupt, the greedy and the inhumane.

Rio Tinto saying no matter what we will still go ahead despite the ruling is "Genocide via Ecocide".

The supreme court cited the expected economic benefits of the expansion did not justify its environmental impacts.  Residents have already been driven mad with dust and particulate issues that Rio Tinto already do nothing about.  The noise is already deafening and any thought of doubling this is just not justifiable.

Bulga Residents Protesting at the Law Courts in Sydney

 If allowed to proceed, Rio Tinto  will destroy the land that was previously set aside as compensation.  This set aside land contains endangered eco systems and it was clear at the onset this land was compensation for the earlier destruction of land compliments of the present mine at Warkworth near Bulga NSW. 

To even entertain such a notion about the set aside land is not ethical business and it is a clear misrepresentation of the the parameters of truth presented to get the earlier Development Applications.

This type of thinking is not logical or practical as there are no long term benefits in such short term thinking.

Demand Rio Tinto respects the rulings of both the Supreme and NSW Land and Environment Court.

Please sign the petition and tell mining giant Rio Tinto not to extend its polluting open-cut coal mine.   HERE  at Petition Site.  It may not be what stops it but it just might help.

Follow the story further with the ABC Here 

Judgment Summary Supreme Court New South Wales

Court of Appeal  7 April 2014

Warkworth Mining Limited and Anor v Bulga Milbrodale ProgressAssociation Inc [2014] NSWCA 105

Bathurst CJ, Beazley P and Tobias AJA

Images @ Eminpee Fotography

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LoL on the 'Better than Reality Televison' Tagline - ICAC

I had to smile reading the Newcastle Herald article written by Kate McClymont, Michaela Whitbour, the two were reporting on the latest call ups and final appearances to the ICAC Investigation into Parliamentary Donations.  

 

These donations have been alleged to have been given by corrupt businessmen who desire their contracts to pass through all the necessary channels unhindered and no questions asked in the process in return for monies that were secreted in slush fund companies.  This is the story line so far.

The writers were correct in saying it was more entertaining than reality telly as the who's who of New South Wales politics gets called up to the live inquiry. 

This is a serious show, they issue warrants to see what is going on behind closed doors.  Chris Hartcher was over come with stage fright earlier on in the game when he received a warrant and had to retire with an injured pride.   But the fans don't miss out on seeing Riff Raff Hartcher because its reality television and he still has to appear warts and all.

Someone who had to take the latest walk of shame was Barry O'Farrell the now former Premier of New South Wales.  He was voted out because he let the team down with memory problems or to be blunt  over the non disclosure of a gift of a bottle of very special Grange Hermitage 1959 Vintage.

There are strict laws around donating to politicians and the business men are bending the rules to make these fit to meet their greedy mercenary needs.  Barry's memory problems bought him an early mark from last weeks action packed ICAC episode.

The herald story which you can read HERE was so witty using sentences that raise a smile and allow you to feel like they are with us on this issue, sentences like the following:

The next ICAC episode, which starts on Monday, is expected to deliver several twists and turns given that its backdrop is the stench of corruption surrounding developers, their hefty donations to political parties and possible favourable outcomes.

The stars of the show will be three central coast state MPs – former resources minister Chris Hartcher, Darren Webber and Chris Spence.

The big reveal will be the details of what favours were granted in return for generous donations.

At the centre of this twisted plot is  Eightbyfive, a company controlled by Tim Koelma and Ray Carter who were former staffers to the stage frightened Chris Harcher former Energy Minister.

It is alleged this company operated secretly as a slush fund.  Nick Di Girolamo recently had all of his affairs scrutinized by the ICAC judges and they found that AWB had EightbyFive on a retainer of $7333   a month.  ICAC are yet to determine just what work they did for the AWB.   Suspiciously the documents were destroyed in a flood in Koelma's car port. One could only deem this act of God as a convenient occurrence. 

The links to corruption go right across the nation, and the Corruption commission is uncovering new information each day it sits.

The Cast list is growing on the ICAC Reality Politics Television Show:

Tony Abbott          Head of the Razor Gang / Prime Minister

English: Barry O'Farrell in 2010. Cropped picture. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

John Caputo                                          Liberal Party Official

Chris Hartcher                     Former Liberal Energy Minister

Darren Webber                              Harcher Electorate Staffer

Chris Spence                                 Harcher Electorate Staffer
Pat Sergi                                           Undischarged Banrupt  

Peter Hesky                                       Developer and Hotelier

Tim Gunasinghe      President, Erina Chamber of Commerce

     EricStammer                                                  Yeramba Estate
Nabil Gazal                                                Director, Gazcorp

Nicholas Gazal                                          Director,  Gascorp

Jodie McKay        Nathan Tinkler Victim (Newcastle Labor)

Nathan Tinkler                                            Whitehaven Coal

Cast who have already left the show

Barry O'Farrell    -  - - Former NSW Premier  

Eddie Obeid         - - - Terrigals / Senior Labor Official

Ian Macdonald     - - - Mining Minister

Joe Tripodi          - - - Terrigals / Labor Figure

Anthony Kelly     - - - Labor Figure

Kristina Kennealy - -  Former NSW Premier / Puppet ... poppit sorry!

In 2013 the Independent Commission Against Corruption investigated these two (former) senior Labor officials, Eddie Obeid and the Mining Minister, Ian Macdonald.  The Commission inquiry found the two had engaged in corrupt conduct and recommended they face criminal charges.

 Back in 2009 Nathan Rees who was up for head clown re election declared regarding the election out come at the time, "Should I not be Premier at the end of this day, let there be no doubt in the community's mind that any challenger would be a puppet of Eddie Obeid and Joe Tripodi". 

Kristina Keneally denied this of course but it made her look tired for her then 41 years.  She firmly stated "I am nobody's puppet, I am nobody's protege, I am nobody's girl."   I dont think the clown liked puppets myself.

The corruption as I said earlier runs the full length of this country and over seas as well.  A mining license was conveniently issued over the Obeid family farm.  Macdonald and Obeid say they know nothing, and Australia laughs as we watch on, knowing this will make a top rate movie script.  Reality Show Rules stated he Obeid is forevermore banned from ever playing the game of politics with any party in the future, permanently red carded and the same treatment was dished out to Ian Macdonald as well.

Only today it is revealed that Australian Banks have been involved in Land Grabs in third world countries.  It appears their is very little in the way of scruples used in big business in Australia. 

The donations are said to vary in amount and have been hidden in a variety of creative ways across the nation.  Chris Hartcher even used his own nephew Legal Firm to launder money and get them involved in this sordid affair that reaches far and wide. 
Nathan Tinkler gave donations in the vicinty of  $183,000 and that is not to be sneezed at.  He really wanted his way didn't he. 

Australian Water Holdings former board member Dr Shott who had his career smeared has now been cleared as well.   It was found that this malicious action was premeditated and was done to get rid of him.  The man had scruples and he got in their way and they sort to repay him for this by finishing his career for him.  Now that is game power, Dr Shott needed a medic and finally one came in the form of ICAC.

The list goes on and on and on and on and this is a long long way from being over as ICAC go over every business dealing that Eddie Obeid ever did in Australia since coming from Lebanon. 

Was there  a purpose coming to Australia?  I have heard stories that he may have been sent here to try to galvanize the mining industry at pace in this century in Australia because he sure was instrumental in causing a lot of mines to be passed that people are simple scratching their heads over. 

Pipelines that are trashing sacred sites faster than I say Jack Robertson and the demolishing of Cobb and Co Overnight stations that are not on the main routes and out of common site is blatant disreguard for anyones actual culture and some of this is what has brought the attention squarely on them all.

Many protectors have spent hours and hours pouring over documents looking for connections in business and government and the ASX.  I think some of this is actually paying off.  After all it was silly of the NSW government to Appeal the Land and Environment Court.  Everyone started looking then.  Many ordinary people I spoke to who really showed no care either way all of a sudden were quite clear on how corrupt this was and that the Mining companies ran the NSW Parliament not the politicians.  That was the word on the street back then.

Newspaper story links here:
NEWS.Com
Wiki Kristina Kennealy
Newcastle Herald
Mick Daley
Illawarra Mercury

Images @ Emipee Fotography

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ggg 
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I keep saying Plants have feelings and I hear laughter when I say this..

Australian Bush Tucker - Bush Fig

I saw this on facebook and it gave all the details of what I have been saying for years.

The Secret Life of Plants (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I strongly suspected this was the case when I was quite young because Aunty Kay always talks to her plants and she says they respond and since she said this I read the book titled The Secret Life of Plants by Christopher Bird and Peter Tompkins,  many many years ago now.   I never forgot and now I have an awesome relationship with my plants.  Some of them have been with me for over 35 years.  That sure is an old friend to have around.  They have been with me since before I was married 32 years ago.   They have seen many places and many directions to look upon during this time.  They are resilient because as long as I look after their basic needs to carry on as good old mates.

In 1973  Michael Pollans "How Smart are Plants" book where scientists prove the plants repond to all sorts of stimuli like music for example.  He says plants have feelings and emotions.

Plant Intelligence - Questions and Answers.

There are Other links are at the base of the youtube video to follow for more information.

Images @ Eminpee Fotography -

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Gasfield Free Northern Rivers - Media Release 25 April 2014

Questions raised about Richmond Valley Council's treatment of anti-gas protest camp at Bentley

Gasfield Free Northern Rivers have raised serious concerns about the motivations of Richmond Valley Council in their treatment of the community camp set up on private land adjacent to Metgasco’s planned gas drilling site at Bentley.

Richmond Valley Council has refused Gasfield Free Northern Rivers’ (GFNR) latest application to continue and expand the camp at Bungabee Road, which was made on behalf of community members opposing Metgasco’s invasive drilling at Bentley.


"It is very concerning that whilst Gasfield Free Northern Rivers is trying to comply with all requests from Richmond Valley Council, we have been denied procedural fairness by them,” said Gasfield Free Northern Rivers representative, Ian Gaillard.


“It is standard practice for Council to offer applicants an opportunity to address any perceived failings in their development applications, but for some reason Council is denying the community camp at Bentley this right.”


“This begs the questions whether Council is running a political agenda in support of Metgasco or is under undue influence from a state government intent on forcing this toxic industry on an unwilling population in the Northern Rivers?”


"I know there are hundreds of properties in Richmond Valley that are non-compliant under the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act, yet it is only those exercising their democratic right to protest that are being treated unfairly", he said.


“Even more disturbingly, despite making every effort to follow due process in our dealings with Council, the occupants of the community camp have been subjected to repeated spurious allegations and vilifying innuendo in public statements and media comments by Council representatives.”


"Nonetheless, we will continue with our efforts to pursue an ongoing permit for the camp and have submitted notification to Richmond Valley Council that we will be lodging an application for redetermination of our development application under s82A," Mr Gaillard said.


“We will be pursuing all available legal avenues to maintain the existing camp so we can support people’s right to peacefully protest Metgasco’s invasive gas mining.”


“The irony of the whole situation is that, as RVC well knows, maintaining the Bungabee Road camp is the best way of ensuring public safety and an orderly and organised camp,” concluded Mr Gaillard.

Gasfield Free Northern NSW

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The Clocks tick louder at the Bentley Blockade

~ By Marie Cameron ~ 

Marie is a fellow Protector, Friend, Photographer and Journalist.  We met protecting together a couple of years ago.

Early morning, Gate A, Bentley Blockade. Photo Marie Cameron

Marie Cameron, onsite at the Bentley Blockade

Gone is the grass from Metgasco’s Rosella entrance.  Overhead are two monopoles and two tripods with interactive lines. On the ground you can barely walk between the many time-delay installations.

All are lock-on devices to provide ‘simmos’ with a multiple of choices to thread their arms into locking points. Some are booby-trapped with underground dragons.

The latest to arrive at Gate A is a red Toyota. With ‘Know Hope’ painted on its windscreen it’s set to go the distance and drive Metgasco mad.
With Metgasco’s share price in the poor box and its mine site under a 3,000-strong protest, the car mirrors Metgasco; derailed, worthless and going nowhere.

Locked-on Toyota at Rosella well Gate A. Photo Marie Cameron

The use of cars as a lock-on and dragon device is not a new blockade stunt. Metgasco is well aware of their use.

At the Glenugie blockade the fiery Traumatron crashed the gates to hold centre stage for nine hours.That car contained the dragon of all dragons; made from layers of intricate and interconnected locks it made a massive barrier. Locked in its centre was Lismore artist, Rodney Sharpe.

At the Doubtful Creek blockade the old family Ford dubbed the Githabul Growler was locked across the Eden Creek State Forest gateway for weeks.
On its final day of existence four simmos locked on and held Metgasco at bay for seven hours.

Bad health effects confirmed
Tuesday’s morning dawn crowd saw Dr Geralyn McCarron in its midst.
It was her second visit to Bentley. This Brisbane-based family physician is the author of the 2013 report Symptomatology of a Gas Field. An independent health survey in the Tara rural residential estates and environs.

Dr McCarron enjoyed looking over the gas-well-free hills of Bentley. When she spoke of a life lived in the Tara CSG industrial zone her eyes clouded with concern.

‘Most people in the community are sick. It depends on how many wells are flaring, who’s drilling wells, which way the wind is blowing, what the processing plant is releasing, the holding ponds and the road sprays. There are many variables,’ Dr McCarron said.

Dr Geralyn McCarron visits the Bentley Blockade to warn about the health effects of living
in a gasfield that she has observed in Tara.
Photo Marie Cameron

‘The mental focus is one of the first things to be affected. You’re just so tired you can’t think and there are many reasons.
‘Extreme worry, everything you own is violated, you can’t sleep there is so much stuff going on. The kids are sick!

‘Co-existence is not a viable option. You can’t live in a gas processing plant. It’s an extreme industrial zone!
‘You don’t have babies living in a processing plant. When you try to mix them you don’t get a good outcome,’ said Dr McCarron.

‘CSG-related health complaints include eye irritations, nosebleeds, headaches, coughs, respiratory problems, skin irritation, muscle pain, numbness, fatigue and sore joints and the list goes on.
‘The problem faced by every person living in a gas field is debilitation. People don’t have the energy to fight the government and gain support or recognition.

‘The Queensland government did not make a baseline health study and now the onus is on the person to prove they’re affected by CSG.
‘I have to find an indisputable link. The only protection is not to allow it to happen. If you have any doubt take a trip to Tara. Communities have fallen by the wayside.

‘When you cannot live and breathe you need to walk away but when you live there, you can’t,’ she said.

With the gas zones of Tara on her mind, Dr McCarron looked across the blockade.
‘The difference,’ she said ‘is here democracy is actually happening! People aren’t just voting; they are taking an interactive part in what is happening.’
The people in Brisbane are ‘oblivious’.

The battle of  Gate C
The blockade has completed three months and Metgasco has yet to get a portaloo across the line. Metgasco has two choices. It could repeat history and declare political instability as a reason to exit gracefully or it could push ahead.

Either way the waiting game reached a new level when the blockade clock ticked louder on Wednesday. Some Richmond Valley Council workers made an appearance at Gate A. With the camp still holding record numbers, people are watching any council movements very closely.

The vigil at Gate C of the Bentley Blockade on Naughtons Gap Road. Photo Marie Cameron

Gate B has a dedicated crew of organised protectors ready to give Metgasco their best efforts.

Gate C has an unusual history.
Last week saw Ian Gaillard tell protectors to clear the gate as Lock the Gate had a clear understanding with Metgasco they would not enter through Gate C.

Protectors were reluctant to leave as they could see how police could use the gate for their entry. Gate C is placed on the Bentley Road and is almost opposite Naughtons Gap Road. It is easy to access from both roads so protectors kept re-establishing the block.

To support their efforts they built a vigil camp on the high ground across the road. The police arrived toward the end of the week to protect the council workers who were there to clear the gate. Protectors were warned by the police to stay out of the way or be arrested.

Regardless, Gate C has been rebuilt and the vigil camp has gained more stayers. It would seem Gate C is the new Bentley Blockade frontline.

Doug Keogh from Kyogle was observing from the side of the road. Doug has eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. His father had fought in World War II, his son was in the air force, and his daughter had seen action in Afghanistan in the Australian army.

‘Now we’ve got this,’ he said. ‘We have been taken over without a shot fired.  ‘I’ve seen good and I’ve seen bad and in my opinion this is bad.
‘They’re going to make good people into criminals.’

‘They’re going to make good people into criminals’:
Doug Keogh from Kyogle surveys Metgasco’s site.Photo Marie Cameron

This article was submitted to Econetdaily.

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The Richmond Valley Council General Manager Mr Ernie Walker - Suss as!

People just kept coming

Stacks of people opposed to the Metgasco Gas company coming to drill anywhere near this beautiful area of the north coast of New South Wales.   They converged 7 weeks ago starting off with a simple daily information kiosk under at tarp with a table and information and has grown to the large size it is now as more and more find out about what is going on here under there noses.  Because there were so many people they applied for a DA and have been given permission to camp on Mr Scalapinos farm. which is the farm adjacent to where the rig wants to move in and he also opposes this mining and wants to protect his land.

BENTLEY FROM THE AIR Jen Lewis - FACEBOOK

 One person said : What a beautifully run, clean and functional camp....this is what the police and council want to shut down....welcome to the tactics used by the South African apartheid government...as well as mining by martial law...

Graham the land owner who wants the gas has proffered many lies to the public as well and he is severely unaware of the truth of this industry as well.   I heard him say, "They do it in Queensland and there hasn't been a problem"   When he said that I knew he had no real idea of the truth of the industry and that when I heard him say that I had just gotten off the telephone from a mother who is in one of those gas fields and all there water has to be brought in now as their bore is contaminated and no one admits fault for this.  I was fuming listening to him speak rubbish and sound so immature and uneducated.

Recently the Richmond Valley Council gave a Development Approval for a camp site on the Scalapino property but they are now they are not going to renew it as of Friday (Today).   

The waters get muddy when we find out the person behind these grand plans to stop the protestors is none other than the notorious Mr Ernie Walker of  the NRMA / THRIFTY farce which is being investigated by ICAC.  Corporate confidentiality will not hold up in this because it was a public company they were fiddling with.  The plans soured and now he turns up on the RVC as the General Manager.  Something smells of a rat to me.  Someone owes someone something.  What is that though?

Yesterday Ernie Walker the General Manager of the Richmond Valley Council went on the ABC Radio and said a lot of rubbish that was a bunch of complete twaddle and barefaced lies and he talked about busting the camp up at Bentley and not re issuing a DA for the most hilarious reasons I have ever heard.  

This man is doing the dirty work for Metgasco and he has been planted in this job for this explicit purpose.

Here is the transcript of what he had to say:

General manager John Walker says council conditions have been ignored, and an application to increase the site's capacity will be rejected.

"That application has been assessed and has been opposed by people who have a fairly strong influence, such as the police, the RMS and our planners themselves," he said.

"It unfortunately is not of an appropriate quality and the proposed use will not be approved.

"As it's grown... it's become something different from a primitive site.
"There are many, many aspects of the conditions that were applied to it that are not being adhered to, and it's just an inappropriate mechanism for any approval.

"A primitive camp site does not allow for example cooking.

"It has limited capacity in terms of toilet facilities, it doesn't provide for washing, it didn't allow music for example.

"It didn't allow other activities that are there, it certainly put some conditions on controlling people moving along the roadway, the main Lismore-Kyogle road.

"All of which are not being adhered to."

 Lock the Gate have made it clear they are not moving.  The people of the area number around 87% who vehemently oppose this industry and they are adamant they are not going down without a fight for the rights of the people and the environment and the culture of the area.  They know they are in for a dirty fight here.

"I think people will continue to do civil disobedience and do what they have to do and what they came for,  If the laws of this land are used against us to facilitate mining by martial law, then people will take appropriate non-violent direct action.
Ian Gaillard

Most protectors have done NVDA workshops and are well aware of Non Violent Direct Action.  The camp is running very well and it is clean and hygenic and there is a high value placed on all safety issues.  

Right now I think Mr Ernie Walker will be feeling a tad sorry he threatened those protectors out at Bentley while he endeavors to cover up his filthy past issues in business.  It poses questions in ones mind like who it is he owes favors too in the Mining industry?  This could have occurred in his vulnerable days of going broke in the Car Rental business and he was thrown a lifeline and all he had to do was deliver here at Bentley.

What about Cessnock NSW .. Gateway to the Vineyards.

Cessnock is a city in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia, about 52 km by road west of Newcastle.  Cessnock was named after an 1826 grant of land called Cessnock Estate, which was owned by John Campbell.
Greater Cessnock contains a number of buildings and sites that are on the Register of the National Estate.

• Court House, Branxton
• Police Station and Residence, Branxton
• Former Court House, Greta
• Kurri Kurri Hotel, Lang and Hampden Streets, Kurri Kurri
• Richmond Main Colliery, Mulbring Rd, Pelaw Main
• Laguna House, Laguna
• Post Office, Wollombi
• Endeavour Museum (former Court House), Wollombi
• Public School, Wollombi
• St Michael's Catholic Church, Wollombi
• St John the Evangelist Anglican Church, Wollombi
• Stanford Main No.2 Colliery Pit Head Building, Brick Cottages
• Aboriginal Rock Carvings Site, popularly known as Baiame Cave, Milbrodale Area 
• This area is the traditional lands of the The Darkinjung peoples.

The Baiame cave is outside the village of Milbrodale in the Lower Hunter Valley, not far from the town of Wollombi. It is close to Bulga, the site of an Aboriginal ceremonial bora ground, the place where boys were initiated into manhood. The Bulga bora has been described as being of ‘immeasurable significance’ by the NSW Department of Planning. 

 

 Baiame is the creator spirit of the Dreaming of the Aboriginal peoples of South-Eastern Australia, including the Wonnarua, Wiradjuri, Darkinjung, Awabakal, Worimi and Kamilaroi.

The first European references to Baiame date from the 1820s and 1830s and appear in the accounts of missionaries and white ‘explorers’. There are many variations in the spelling of his name.

What is it about Cessnock,  I know a lot of people from there.  Its an old mining town and it shows too and the smell of the coal is very evident everywhere you go.  The main street is a classic very long one that seems to stretch on forever but now boasting many empty business places.  The street looked tired for such a rich mining area.

The other day two men from here lost there lives in a mine collapse and the locals are in shock, although they all ought to realize they take their lives in their own hands each time they go down.  These miners go down kilometers under the ground. Its a terrifying job I would not want my husband doing this work for all the gold in China.

Pit Houses in Cessnock

There are funny little houses they call pit houses in the surrounding areas of Cessnock.  My daughter and her partner live in one of these little houses.  They are the cutest houses going.  They are probably tiny inside though.

Half Round Pit Houses in Macquarie Avenue Cessnock

Images @ Eminpee Fotography

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