Petition - The Queensland Premier is selling off Aboriginal lands to frackers -- and the UN is taking notice.

 The SUM of US Petition Site located HERE

Queensland Premier Campbell Newman. 

A fracking company and the Queensland government are conspiring to trample Aboriginal rights and put vital waterways at risk.
 
Santos Ltd., the oil and gas giant, recently struck a deal with Premier Campbell Newman to allow fracking through Queensland's Channel Country. This territory has traditionally been the home of the Mathaka people, whose cultural identity and way of life depend on the waterways that Santos intends to pollute.

Previously, this fragile ecosystem was protected by wild rivers legislation. When pressured by Santos, however, the Newman government changed the law to allow for fracking of shale oil deposits there. The Mithaka, unable to have their voices heard by their own state government, have asked the UN to intervene! This wouldn't be necessary if Premier Newman had not decided that a corporation's profits are more important than citizens' rights.
 
Sign the petition to Premier Newman, demanding that he reinstate the wild rivers laws and respect indigenous rights!

Fracking is dangerous and destructive to land, wildlife, and people. A new scientific study in America, where fracking has been big business for over a decade, finds that any amount of the chemical cocktail used by frackers is toxic to humans!
 
Children and developing fetuses, especially, will suffer life-long health problems after exposure to even a small amount of fracking's poisonous mix. Contaminated drinking water is common in areas with fracking – and there's no way to clean up fracking chemicals once they're in the water table.

This is why wild rivers laws exist. Premier Newman's decision to subvert the law and disregard indigenous rights is shameful, and a dangerous precedent not just for Queensland but for the entire nation.
 
Tell Premier Newman not to exempt frackers from the law, and to protect indigenous rights and wild waterways.

 2014 SumOfUs, Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

 More information: 
Queensland Indigenous group appeals to UN over mining on traditional land
The Guardian, 3 January 2015

The TRUTH of CSG in QUEENSLAND via the Senate Inquiry

The Queensland Government should surely be in hot water given the amount of unhappy farmers and the entourage of people effected adversely by the CSG Industry coming forward to the Palmer inspired party to end all parties if its fair dinkum. 

Watch Latelines episode with  EMMA ALBERICI and MARK WILLACY exposing the depth of trouble brewing up there in Queensland.

Queensland's CSG backlash

Images @ Eminpee Fotography

Cally Wilson from Queensland gets my hero of the week award.

Claims from the latest corruption whistle-blower Cally Wilson, who was a former treasury analyst at ENERGEX,  (Queensland's government electricity supplier)  that staff at Energex were asked to manipulate the figures in the data so as to  artificially boost revenue.

Energex (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

An inquiry has been called for from many sectors.  Annastacia Palaszczuk, the Queensland opposition leader, said herself that this needs investigation to ascertain if Energex deliberately attempted to drive the prices up and defraud the general public who were their customers.

The Solar sector are asking questions too, given this comes straight on the heels of the government renigging on and removing the guaranteed 8c feed-in tariff which was to be paid to owners who were set up with solar power.

Of course Energex refute these corruption claims made by Cally Wilson.   I don't think anyone would be surprised by this stance.  But,  I also don't think there would be many who would believe Energex  either.

Campbell Newman demanded to see Cally.  That is a worry!  If it were me I wouldn't give him the time of day.  There is nothing that Newman could say to Miss Cally for example other than to threaten her life or the life of her family that would change her mind now she has come out, so why does he bother with this?  It makes Queensland Energy and Queensland government look like a bunch of Collooder's on a witch hunt and it is reminiscent of a government hiding something very detrimental to themselves here.
I look forward to following up the outcome of these allegations against Energex, it will go a long way to back up what is already been said in many sectors that Queensland is fraught with as much corruption as the New South Wales government is.

Read More HERE at the Guardian

poles and wires gold plated

Images @ Eminpee Fotography

Looks like the Gloucester Council will grant the Approval for the Camp!

The Gloucester Council has received hundreds of petitions of support about the camp against AGL and their plans to fracc in the Gloucester Valley.  The Deputy Mayor Mr Frank Hooke of the council said that they may have no other alternative but to approve the camp.

 The Deputy Mayor was quoted as saying "It's not improperly zoned for that purpose and if we were to reject it they (the proponents of the Development Application) could take the case to the Land and Environment Court, where it would probably be approved."

Groundswell Gloucester the action group formed to protect the Gloucester Valley has said that 
they know that Gloucester is what they call a  flashpoint for rest of NSW. "

Julie Lyford who is also the ex-mayor of Gloucester and spokesperson for Groundswell was quoted as saying

"If fracking of 330 wells goes ahead here then the rest of NSW is up for grabs with the coal seam gas industry.
"We know people are going to come, so we want to be responsible and actually contain that and have a really good camp, a really good blockade situation, so it doesn't get out of hand.

So it looks like the camp approval will go through and since the Blockade has already been called then its all going to be very above board and there will be no shenanigans.  The Camp rules have already been set down so the rest lays with that approval which will be given in approximately a fortnight when Gloucester Council meets.

There are people in the town who are offended that there is people who desire to protect the land and water of the Gloucester Valley and these people have made numerous threats towards those who are already in position making a stand against this government go ahead. 

The protectors desire to be able to show them what they know about Coal Seam Gas and then let them make their mind up.  The threats have been along the lines of running people over, throwing cow shit all over them, bashing them.  All of those comments only show how far these pro-gas people are down on the food chain of knowing the truth of the Coal Seam Gas industry and there is absolutely no consideration by these same people that money isn't everything.  There is zero evidence there is any consideration the future for us all as a humanity.  Personally I find that behaviour very disturbing.

Images @ Eminpee Fotography

I remember the Fitzgerald Inquiry - They were heady days!

I remember the days of the Fitzgerald Inquiry and the effects were felt right across the country at the time as the  Queensland criminals leaked over the borders trying to escape the prying eyes of the inquiry.  I was pleased there was a clean sweep put through the place it being the place of my birth, and I had witnessed the corruption myself first hand.   

It appears though that the Newman Government in Queensland makes those days look like a Sunday School Picnic and it appears I am not the only one to feel this way about the state of the nation north of the border.  Its the land of Water and Energy companies and Mining and its all done in a corrupt BIG manner.  It loses most people but there are some who make it their business to stay on their tales and keep up with what they are up to.

Source: No Fibs

Fitzgerald hands down verdict on Newman Government.

Tony Fitzgerald has given his strongest verdict to date on the Newman Government’s performance. In a media statement, he outlined the government’s disrespect for the separation of powers.

“The government has already flaunted its disdain for democracy and good governance by attacks on the judiciary and judicial independence, emasculation of the State’s anti-corruption commission, interference with the electoral system,” he wrote.

With around eight months to go before a general Queensland election, he also advised Queenslander's to think carefully about their vote.

“Queensland’s future is a matter for its voters. At the next state election they will simply need to decide which party will do the least long-term damage.”

He also accused News Corporation of showing bias toward the Liberal National Party (LNP).

“News Corporation publications, which dominate the local print media, consistently publish biased reports which favour the government,” he said.

The statement culminated in the twenty-fifth anniversary of the handing down of his most famous report, “The Fitzgerald Inquiry”.
 
In 1987, former Courier Mail journalist Phil Dickie and ABC 4Corners journalist Chris Masters had exposed the activities which the Queensland government was turning a blind eye to. Revealed were illegal prostitution, illegal gambling and police corruption.
 
The day following Masters’ program, “The Moonlight State” was aired, and with Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen out of the state, his deputy Bill Gunn ordered a commission of inquiry.
 
The Fitzgerald Inquiry lasted for two years and the report was presented to new Premier Mike Ahern who succeeded fellow National Party leader, Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen.
 
Thursday 3rd July, 2014, marked twenty-five years since democracy and accountability changed in Queensland.
 
However, both the Newman Government and Courier Mail, which helped to expose corruption, choose to ignore the anniversary.

   Sources:

 Kathy Faldt Facebook -  https://www.facebook.com/kathy.faldt/posts/727325610659018?fref=nf

http://nofibs.com.au/2014/07/06/disdain-for-democracy-fitzgeralds-verdict-the-qldpol-weekly-qldaah/

Images @ Eminpee Fotography

Email Campbell Newman / the.premier@premiers.qld.gov.au

This Australian is 19 years old. He is impacted by Unconventional Gas Extraction (CSG). He chooses to no longer live in gas field due to it's impact on him. Sadly, many Australian families cannot make that choice and remain in place. They are being ignored by the QLD government and Q Health. Please take a moment to send an email to Campbell Newman and ask why this is being allowed.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152115838873245&set=a.10151157842728245.489840.717133244&type=1

Tara Gas Sign

Images @ Eminpee Fotography

Related articles

• Corporate Greed
• Qld premier says no early poll
• Qld govt to draft 30-year mining plan
• Campbell Newman reignites debate on public asset sales

Stop Sandming on Stradbroke Island

North Stradbroke Island, Brown lake (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Kaiyu Bayles
 

Campbell Newman's own father stopped sandmining on Fraser Island in just six weeks and we think Campbell Newman should do the same for Stradbroke Island.

The ALP definitely tries to claim that they've stopped sandmining on Stradbroke Island, but what they actually did was bring in new legislation to bypass existing safeguards in order to actually extend sandmining on Stradbroke Island, extend the destruction for 15 more years.

- NIKKI PARKER, FRIENDS OF STRADBROKE ISLAND

CAMPBELL NEWMAN, LNP LEADER: We will allow the mine to proceed in the way it was originally allowed to, prior to the actions of the last 18 months.

Sibelco belatedly obtained authorisation and last year filed a disclosure revealing it had spent more than $90,000 on postage and printing.

On gaining office, the Newman Government discovered its promise to extend sand mining could potentially conflict with native title rights, and unbeknownst to the Quandamooka, LNP ministers and Sibelco have been closely working together for the past 14 months to find a way around this legal obstacle.

7.30 has obtained a ministerial briefing paper by Sibelco on how to frame new legislation and a pre-cabinet government circular seeking permission to put this proposal into practice. The documents say mining at Enterprise will extend through to 2035, eight years longer than had been previously announced.

By continuing it to 2035, aren't you going beyond the Premier's election commitment?

ANDREW CRIPPS, QLD MINES MINISTER: Well, we asked them to go away and come up with a package that would provide for a much smoother transition process.

PETER MCCUTCHEON: The documents reveal a plan to lift restrictions on the path of the Enterprise mine that were put in place by the Bligh Government to protect areas of high conservation value. Sibelco has declined to be interviewed on camera, but the company told 7.30 these restrictions were unnecessary as they didn't provide the best environmental outcome. The Government circular also acknowledges the proposed legislation could be vulnerable to a legal challenge by the Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation, or QYAC.

CAMERON COSTELLO: The relationship between Sibelco and the Premier and Sibelco funding him in his electorate in Ashgrove, which is no secret, it's - I think that's muddied the judgment of the Government.

PETER MCCUTCHEON: But the Minister argues the Government has always been upfront about its intentions to extend mining as part of an election promise.

What the Quandamooka argue is you've gone about implementing that promise by talking almost exclusively to the mining company and ignoring the owners of the land.

ANDREW CRIPPS: Well, as I've already outlined, it was very difficult to commence negotiations with the Quandamooka people when they indicated that they didn't want to undertake negotiations when the proposals involved an extension of sand mining activities.

PETER MCCUTCHEON: If the Government pushes ahead with this legislation, what have the Quandamooka lost?

CAMERON COSTELLO: Well basically, we're gonna be offered the scraps, you know, so - or nothing. So what's the mining company got to deal with us if it's been legislated? They don't have to deal with us and we're just seeing history repeat itself.

Sources: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-04/sandmining-on-stradbroke-island-to-be-decided-at/3811364?section=qld

http://savestraddie.com/site/wp-content/woo_uploads/2012/02/Transcript-ABC612-Steve-vs-Vicky-8-Feb-2012.pdf

http://savestraddie.com/stop-sand-mining-now/company-illegally-took-sand/

Related articles

• White majority overrules aboriginal people's native title rights
• Storms at Stradbroke Island
• North Stradbroke Island
• Sand mining hits Stradbroke water: report
• Qld Government accused of 'filthy, rotten deal' over North Stradbroke sand mining
• Local voters backed Stradbroke Island sand mining, Premier Campbell Newman says

Mining Laws in NSW are changing, but it is still an understatement.

Besides being not enough it is not swift to deliver and it does nothing about the leases already granted  to these money hungry energy companies like Metgasco, AGL, Whitehaven, Arrow that are blatantly damaging ecosystems that will take a millennium to recover if ever.

The N.S.W. Premier,Barry O'Farrell and to a degree Campbell Newman in Queensland have both done an about face on a few of these issues around the lax laws concerning the granting of these PEL's.
Green groups are still not happy as this only effects new leases granted.  The Pilliga Forest is in trouble now and its crunch time there.  We will never be able to rehabilitate an entire forest that houses endangered Australian species by the arc load. We have to have more action in this area immediately and therefore we have to ramp up the pressure on Government while they are catching up to the rest of us out here who appear to know much more than they do.

This map shows Metgasco's plans for thirty to forty wells in one small area.

The news laws put restrictions around how close they can mine to certain industry and to people in general.  Although Green groups are not pleased, shock waves are being felt in board rooms across the country as these giant energy corps go into damage control because these laws will directly effect their bottom line price.  This will halt a considerable amount of gas extraction procedures and one could only hope that this is enough to fully break these companies down.  They are what is considered a stranded asset and this is not a great outlook for any future investment from any sector. 

Our Earth is groaning under the pressure the government push for industry across the planet.  Those people who command the highest salaries are so stupid they cannot see the connection between what they are doing and what is happening with global warming etc.  We are killing our planet and there will be no time left soon to turn this around if we do not hurry. 

Government across the planet cannot be trusted to have our best interests at heart.  They have the interests of big business and large corporations and they dress this up to us lowly folk as jobs for the people.  Jobs for the people to die working in an industry that kills them and everyone else while the fat losers in charge make all of the money and sit comfortable way up high away from the poison.

What they are missing here is they will all die as well.  They will not survive and they are not leaving a world for the future of our children.  They are leaving a cataclysm for our children to fight to survive through to start again with NOTHING.  Nothing because these greedy mongrels who were our leaders lied to everyone.  This system that we are part of is something that was a brain wave of the Romans as well as the roots of the differing types of Law as we know law today all came from the Universal Church which went on to become better known as the Roman Catholic Church of Rome.

Images @ Melopopzdropz Flickr

Related articles

• Githabel Elder Arrested while performing Ceremony.
• Anti CSG group welcomes NSW ban
• Anti-CSG group welcomes NSW ban
• New rules for NSW Labor revealed
• ANZ hoax: why I fooled stock market
• Burke hands CSG deadline to NSW
• Premier Barry O'Farrell bows to coal gas pressure from Alan Jones and the public.
• ICAC to advise NSW govt on mining licences

DREW HUTTON Calls on the CRIMES and MISCONDUCT COMMISSION

Peter Drew Hutton is an activist, academic, campaigner and past political candidate for the Queensland Greens in elections in Queensland, Australia at all three levels of government. Hutton has been a social activist all his adult life. (wiki)

TRANSCRIPT of Interview by Kirren McKechnie ABC

JESSICA van VONDEREN: The Crime and Misconduct Commission is being asked to investigate whether the former Bligh Government broke the law, amid claims it rushed the approval of two major coal seam gas developments. Anti-CSG campaigner Drew Hutton is leading the charge; concerned green issues were overlooked at the expense of some Queensland communities. He'll take his case to the CMC on Tuesday. But the CSG industry insists the environmental reviews were thorough. Kirrin McKechnie reports.
(FOOTAGE OF PROTESTERS)
PROTESTERS: Hands off Tara, hands off Tara.
KIRRIN McKECHNIE: It's an industry that's been causing controversy ever since it arrived in Queensland. Now it's the approvals process for coal seam gas projects in the spotlight. And anti-CSG campaigners have the former Bligh Labor Government in their sights.
DREW HUTTON, LOCK THE GATE ALLIANCE: I think they broke the law. When they signed off on these approvals they broke the law.
(FOOTAGE FROM COURIER MAIL "DASH FOR GAS")
KIRRIN McKECHNIE: Drew Hutton suspects the Bligh Government breached the Environmental Protection Act after a report this week that public servants felt political pressure to quickly approve two gas projects, worth 34 billion dollars. It found bureaucrats complained they didn't have enough information about the projects and that environmental issues hadn't been properly analysed.
DREW HUTTON: What has occurred is a travesty. They simply short circuited the whole process for a development that they were absolutely anxious to get up and running. And along the way they just said well the people and the environment of Queensland are collateral damage.
(FOOTAGE OF THE TOWN TARA)
KIRRIN McKECHNIE: Many in the small western downs town of Tara feel they're one such community paying the price of a rush job. Mother of six Debbi Orr says she's collected the names of 26 families who have experienced a string of health problems since CSG companies started drilling in the area.
DEBBI ORR, TARA RESIDENT: We just don't know why. We don't know if it is the CSG industry but it's all happened since they've come to the area.
KIRRIN McKECHNIE: The very thought that environmental considerations could have been given the once over lightly leaves her horrified.
DEBBIE ORR: It's just unbelievable that they could do this. I mean there's just such a risk.
KERRIN McKECHNIE: The resource industry group APPEA insists the environmental reviews were thorough. But Drew Hutton is not convinced.
DREW HUTTON: I've been in public life for about 40 years in this State. I have never seen such a bad process. And I cut my teeth in the Bjelke-Petersen days. And everyone used to go on about Joh doing this and doing that for his mates. There was nothing like this.
CAMPBELL NEWMAN, PREMIER: It's very rare ladies and gentlemen that I would ever agree with anything that my former opponent in city hall days Mr Drew Hutton would say, but on this occasion I support what he has suggested. I should say that I believe that the companies concerned are companies that will do this right. We've put in place a Gas fields Commission to properly administer the industry. And I have no concerns at this time about anything that they're doing. But in terms of the process and what may or may not have happened, well Drew Hutton is right to raise those concerns, I share those concerns and I think the CMC should be looking at it.
KIRRIN McKECHNIE: But the State Opposition insists it's not at all ruffled by a possible probe saying the Right to Information documents don't uncover any directions from Bligh Ministers to rush the approvals process.
JACKIE TRAD, OPPOSITION ENVIRONMENT SPOKESWOMAN: The CSG issue approval under investigation here was the culmination of three and a half years of EIS. It had hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of environmental conditions placed on it and I'll let that speak for itself very happy for the CMC to have a look into it.
KIRRIN McKECHNIE: And look at it the CMC will, if Drew Hutton and Campbell Newman get their way. Not that the Premier's support for his cause has impressed the anti-CSG campaigner.
DREW HUTTON: Campbell is just simply trying to put the boot into the Labor Party and he can do that as much as he likes as far as I'm concerned because they deserve it. But that's just an easy shot. And if he's sincere then he'll do something about what's happened.
For more on this story go to : http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-02-15/anti-csg-campaigner-wants-cmc-investigation/4522528

Images @ Melonpopzdropz Flickr