Anne Thompson leading one of the Franklin Horses heading to Canberra *
Anne Thompson has worked tirelessly against the Gas coming into the Northern Rivers, she has been instrumental in organizing fund raising situations to fund studies on the water etc around Tara in Queensland where many families are just plain sick. We all know it is because of the Gas but we have to prove this with independent testing of the water and this is an expensive exercise to say the least. Our governments should be heading up this in the favor of the people but instead they favor the large corporations putting profit before people.
Anne said: "Some of you might have seen the following comment in Saturday's Weekend
Star, by someone who frequently uses the name 'Because Im Batman.'
In any
case I am sure you will be interested to read 'Batman's' query and my
letter of response to the Northern Star with a copy to the Echo
"This time last year the No Gas Rig Gig raised $10000 to test Brian Monk's children and grandchildren for the effects of CSG. Where are those results? What
happened to the money? It does not take one year for results. Gasgield
Free Northern Rivers please explain?
Because Im Batman, The Risk"
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| Batman as he was depicted in Batman: The Animated Series (1992–1995) (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Letter to the Editor.
In response to the query by
someone calling himself ‘BecauseimBatman’ (W/E Star 22/2/14)as to the
money raised for health testing of the people up in Tara and Kogan on
the Western Darling Downs where families are surrounded by gas fields, I
have just done a trip up there as part of a committee administering
these funds.
This is the 5th trip I have made for various
reasons and each time the situation gets more dire. People are getting
sicker and now they are mostly out of water. In desperation some have
used their dam water for bathing, but this causes rashes as does bore
water. Most drinking water has to be bought. When it rains some will
need reverse osmosis filters because of contaminants. Mysterious
substances cover surfaces and obviously get washed into water tanks. (As
per attachment which shows the substance on a corrugated roof and where
it has drained into the gutter and caused corrosion.)
Brian
Monk was unable to come to the meeting as he was too unwell, but he
tells me that all residents who have been tested to date, including
himself, have shown chemicals of concern in their urine, with the
exception of one. The samples contained Hippuric acid (the main
metabolite of Toluene)along with varying combinations of phenol, cresol,
PAH and methyl ethyl ketone. Tank water testing (which was funded from
another source)in some cases showed extremely acidic pH and concerning
levels of heavy metals as well as radio-activity. All these chemicals
Brian Monk says are linked to gas extraction and can clearly be linked
to the neurological condition that his little grandson suffers from. It
is also in keeping with other symptoms suffered by many of the children,
such as bleeding noses, eye irritation and breathing difficulties etc.
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Annette and Brian with GFK back
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The testing is ongoing and takes time. When people are sick, the last
thing they want to do is travel for hours to be tested, bearing in mind
the extreme distances out there. It was decided at last Tuesday’s
meeting that what funds are left should also be used for purchasing RO
filters for tank water and for the cost of testing the water. Funds
can also be used for buying tanked water from Chinchilla, although
there is resistance to this because gas industry produced water is
pumped into the weir – even if it is treated.
I hope this
information puts Mr Batman’s mind at rest, but if not, then please feel
free to continue some independent testing – something that the industry
and the Queensland Health Dept. do not seem keen to do.
Sincerely,
Anne Thompson,
Eltham.
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Franklin Horses
The Franklins set off from Sth Grafton with nine horses and rode to Canberra to tell the politicians Water is the most precious resource. Only the Greens and Bob Katter received them. It was a heroic effort by the entire team. It was hardly reported in the flat earth media. Orders from above no doubt. Yes I think they are told NOT TO REPORT!
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The Franklin's Woop Woop March arrives at Parliament House Canberra
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Images @ Eminpee Fotography
