Wollombi Valley

[Lock the Gate] Digest - 30 June 2011 - 22 Messages in 22 Topics

2011-06-30T20:40:00.001+10:00

Lock The Gate

Cougar Energy had been seeking legal advice after Eneabba Gas told the market an agreement between the two companies had ended. Eneabba accused Cougar of breaking its contractual obligations.

http://www.skynews.com.au/businessnews/article.aspx?id=632160&vId=

Topic: Feedback sought for new aquifer legislation

Lock The Gate

At Tuesday's public forum about coal seam gas the community was informed about new legislation regarding aquifers. Member for Barwon, Kevin Humphries said in the CSG industry things were happening too quickly without enough information.

http://www.moreechampion.com.au/news/local/news/general/feedback-sought-for-new-aquifer-legislation/2212076.aspx

Topic: Why High Oil Signals the Golden Age of Gas

Lock The Gate

Here's the problem we have with the whole Greek bailout thing. To put it simply, three groups benefited from the Greek spending: bankers, politicians and the Greek population.

http://www.moneymorning.com.au/20110630/why-high-oil-signals-the-golden-age-of-gas.html

Topic: Overseas and General Limited chief executive Jack Tan to discuss Rosewood coal mining plans with Ipswich City Council

Lock The Gate

THE MINING boss behind controversial plans for coalmining in the Rosewood region has arranged a personal meeting with Ipswich City Council. Overseas and General Limited (OGL) CEO Jack Tan will come to Ipswich to meet with Mayor Paul Pisasale and Councillor David Pahlke in August.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/questnews/ipswich/overseas-and-general-limited-chief-executive-jack-tan-to-discuss-rosewood-coal-mining-plans-with-ipswich-city-council/story-fn8m0yo2-1226084727097

Topic: (Audio) Coal seam gas mining

Lock The Gate

Alan Jones speaks to Jamie Bishop and Peter Shinton about coal seam gas mining.

http://www.2gb.com/index2.php?option=com_newsmanager&task=view&id=9284

Topic: Landholders claim snub in coal rail planning

Lock The Gate

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/06/30/3257449.htm

Topic: Dig up Harbour Bridge before farms: Joyce

Lock The Gate

It would be easier to demolish and rebuild the Sydney Harbour Bridge than restore prime agricultural land that has been sold for mining, Nationals Senate leader Barnaby Joyce says.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8267231/dig-up-harbour-bridge-before-farms-joyce

Topic: State's growth migrates to mining areas

Lock The Gate

QUEENSLAND'S mining boom is increasingly driving the state's property business, with population growth slowing in all areas except those close to new mines or processing plants. The Midwood Report on the outlook for the Queensland property industry, released yesterday, claimed that the number of people moving to Queensland from other states was at its lowest level since 1983.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/property/states-growth-migrates-to-mining-areas/story-fn9656lz-1226084432970

Topic: Seismic surveys on our doorstep

Lock The Gate

Feedback from the community shows there is lack of knowledge as to where seismic surveys are taking place throughout the Moree and neighbouring shires. Local farmer against coal seam gas exploration, Penny Blatchford, said a lot of people, particularly west of Moree, thought the matter was not an issue that would affect them but according to online maps it is in fact quite the opposite.

http://www.moreechampion.com.au/news/local/news/general/seismic-surveys-on-our-doorstep/2212073.aspx

Topic: Gas companies' response 'inadequate'

Lock The Gate

About 300 residents gathered to discuss coal seam gas exploration in the Moree shire but left saying the response from the gas companies was "inadequate". Jane Rohde, of "Koreen," Gurley, said her parents at "Noondoo," Biniguy were caught up in the centre of the dilemma.

http://www.moreechampion.com.au/news/local/news/general/gas-companies-response-inadequate/2212039.aspx

Topic: Selling off the farm - Heffernan

Lock The Gate

Alan Jones speaks to Senator Bill Heffernan and four women from Acland about selling off the farm.

http://www.2gb.com/index2.php?option=com_newsmanager&task=view&id=9269

Topic: (Audio) Coalition concerned about miners buying up farmland

Lock The Gate

The Coalition's spokesman on regional development, local government and water says he shares the concerns of others about foreign mining companies buying up prime farmland. Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce has joined others such as Greens Leader Bob Brown and independents Tony Windsor and Nick Xenophon who have all spoken out in the past few days calling for a review of foreign investment rules, citing concerns about food security.

Senator Barnaby Joyce is speaking here to Alexandra Kirk in Canberra.

http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2011/s3257183.htm

Topic: Value adding

Lock The Gate

The word biosphere does not resonate with most people. It's a woolly sort of term and many struggle to know what it means. The dictionary says it's any region of the Earth occupied by living organisms, and a UN-declared Biosphere Reserve is an area rich in biodiversity, granted special status because of its world significance.

http://www.tweedecho.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2862&Itemid=543

Topic: Gas pressure builds at St Peters

Lock The Gate

RESIDENTS against the proposed coal seam gas mine at St Peters are hoping to hold a series of community meetings with the operator of the mine in July.

They have also set up a petition in collaboration with the national campaign against coal seam gas Lock the Gate.

http://inner-west-courier.whereilive.com.au/news/story/gas-pressure-builds-at-st-peters/

Topic: Galilee Energy maiden CSG resource estimate at Galilee Gas Project with AGL Energy

Lock The Gate

Coal seam gas focused Galilee Energy (ASX: GLL) has reached an important milestone at the Galilee Gas Project joint venture with major player AGL Energy (ASX: AGK), with the projects maiden coal seam gas (CSG) resource estimation.

http://www.proactiveinvestors.com.au/companies/news/17523/galilee-energy-maiden-csg-resource-estimate-at-galilee-gas-project-with-agl-energy-17523.html

Topic: Sentry Petroleum completes drilling of first coal seam gas well

Lock The Gate

Sentry Petroleum Ltd a US energy company with oil, gas and coal seam gas rights in Queensland, Australia is pleased to announce that drilling of the Talundilly-CSG1 well in ATP 862 in Queensland was completed on the 24th of June.

http://www.steelguru.com/raw_material_news/Sentry_Petroleum_completes_drilling_of_first_coal_seam_gas_well/212097.html

Topic: Concern grows over foreign ownership of Australian farmland

Lock The Gate

WE'RE selling the farm. That's the fear - both literal and figurative - which has inflamed Australian political debate this week. It has been brewing for some time, but the revelation that Chinese state-owned company Shenhua Watermark Coal had spent about $200 million buying up 43 farms on prime agricultural land near Gunnedah in New South Wales has led to calls to halt the so-called foreign "land grab".

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/business/concern-grows-over-foreign-ownership-of-australian-farmland/story-e6frede3-1226084447622

Topic: Company looks for coal in Avondale

Lock The Gate

THE search for coal has begun in the Kolan area with exploration having started on a property at Avondale and with rumours of further investigations at Rosedale. Guildford Coal, a Newcastle-based company with interests in Hughenden and Monto, confirmed to the NewsMail yesterday they had two exploration permits for coal in the Kolan area, about 20km north-west of Bundaberg and 160km south of Gladstone.

http://www.news-mail.com.au/story/2011/06/30/company-looks-for-coal-in-avondale-kolan-guildford/

Topic: APPEA appoints Chief Operating Officer - Eastern Australia

Lock The Gate

The Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA) has appointed Rick Wilkinson to the new role of APPEA Chief Operating Officer - Eastern Australia.

Wilkinson began his career in the oil and gas industry more than three decades ago and has worked in Iraq, the USA, Egypt, Iran, Sudan and Australia. He has spent the past 14 years with Santos - Australia's largest domestic gas producer - where he has headed the company's world-leading coal seam gas (CSG) based LNG project

http://www.pacetoday.com.au/news/appea-appoints-chief-operating-officer---eastern-a

Topic: Greg Petty enters lord mayoral ring

Lock The Gate

Wollongong's latest nominee for lord mayor says it is what's missing from his political resume that makes him the best candidate for the city's top job.

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/greg-petty-enters-lord-mayoral-ring/2211388.aspx

Topic: Farmers call for long-term vision

Lock The Gate

THE future of farming across Moree is under threat from resources exploration, with farmers wanting a focus on long-term sustainability. At a forum in Moree on Tuesday, farmers raised the need for the government and mining companies to consider the next 100 years.

http://www.northerndailyleader.com.au/news/local/news/general/farmers-call-for-longterm-vision/2211418.aspx

Topic: We'll reap what we sow

Lock The Gate

INDEPENDENT member for New England Tony Windsor has warned he will invoke his deal with Prime Minister Julia Gillard in order to force Labor to protect "sensitive" farmland from mining and coal-seam gas projects. Mr Windsor reportedly told the media yesterday that he intended to introduce a private member's bill into parliament during the August sitting to push the federal government to declare certain areas - including the blacksoil in the Liverpool Plains of his New England electorate - off-limits to the controversial developments.

http://www.northerndailyleader.com.au/news/local/news/general/well-reap-what-we-sow/2211378.aspx

[Lock the Gate] Digest - 29 June 2011 - 16 Messages in 16 Topics

2011-06-30T17:27:00.003+10:00

Topic: (Audio) Shorten defends foreign ownership of farmland

Lock The Gate

David Gardiner, Herron Todd White land valuers, on the sale of NSW farmland to overseas miners like Shenhua Coal

Bill Shorten defends level of farmland ownership by foreign companies

http://www.abc.net.au/rural/news/content/201106/s3256593.htm?site=newcastle

Topic: Who's in the farmland spending spree?

Lock The Gate

As controversy continues to bubble over the latest big local farmland buy-up and what it means for food production, it's worth looking to see where these foreign raiders are coming from, who's backing them and how other countries are tightening their regulations to stop them.

http://www.businessspectator.com.au/bs.nsf/Article/agribusiness-farms-super-foreign-ownership-pension-pd20110629-JA6VX?OpenDocument&src=sph&src=rot

Topic: Sydney steamed up by coal seam gas

Lock The Gate

SYDNEY Council has told worried residents there is no connection between its trigeneration turbines plan and coal seam gas mining. "Trigeneration cannot run off coal seam methane as this contains damaging trace elements which would destroy the trigeneration engines," the council's energy and climate change chief Allan Jones said at a public forum. "The effect would be similar to filling up a petrol car with diesel fuel."

http://sydney-central.whereilive.com.au/news/story/steamed-up-by-seam-gas/

Topic: UCG project powers up

Lock The Gate

An underground coal gasification (UCG) project on the western Darling Downs will soon begin powering homes.

Carbon Energy says it is now producing Syngas for its five-megawatt power station at Bloodwood Creek and expects to be connected to Ergon Energy's power grid in October.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/06/29/3256485.htm

Topic: Coal seam gas industry boosts FKG

Lock The Gate

A TOOWOOMBA company has 130 job vacancies to fill and has branched out to find the right people.

FK Gardner and Sons has secured several major contracts with companies at the forefront of the Surat Basin's coal-seam-gas industry.

http://www.thechronicle.com.au/story/2011/06/29/coal-seam-gas-industry-boosts-fkg-jobs/

Topic: Santos speaks out over intimidation campaign

Lock The Gate

Gas giant Santos says it has never encountered such radical behaviour by a small group of people as it has the Upper Hunter town of Bunnan.

Santos is exploring for coal seam gas deposits in the region. Local Councillor Errol Bates says he has been threatened for permitting exploration on his land.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/06/29/3256097.htm

Topic: Independent MP Tony Windsor buys up NSW farms with prospects

Lock The Gate

Tony Windsor has spent almost $5.9 million in recent months buying three northern NSW farms in a region targeted for coal-seam gas exploration. The independent MP's family company, Cintra Investments, bought the properties in Coonamble, about 100km west of Gunnedah, between January and March.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/independent-mp-tony-windsor-buys-up-nsw-farms-with-prospects/story-fn59niix-1226083773219

Topic: Anti-coal-seam gas campaign heats up

Lock The Gate

A national day of action is planned to fight coal-seam gas (CSG) mining in Australia after the peak Australian group set up to fight it laid out battle plans at its inaugural annual general meeting in Murwillumbah last weekend. Blockades, rallies, forums, festivals and hard lobbying will be the backbone of the Lock the Gate (LTG) Alliance campaign after more than 160 people representing community, environmental and farming groups from around the country converged at Murwillumbah Civic Centre for the two-day meeting. Re-elected LTG president Drew Hutton said his organisation, made up of over 90 affiliated groups from almost every state with hundreds of members and thousands of supporters, had in a short space of time grown into a 'dynamic' new social movement.

http://www.tweedecho.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2835&Itemid=800

Topic: Residents let off steam over CSG

Lock The Gate

Tweed residents lashed out at the coal-seam gas (CSG) industry at a fiery public meeting in Murwillumbah last Thursday amid concerns over its potentially destructive impact on the environment.

A director of the industry's lobby group, the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (APPEA), bore the brunt of community anger after bravely fronting the meeting in response to concerns raised. Ross Dunn, APPEA's director of Queensland CSG, was heckled by the crowd throughout his presentation, with some storming out of the meeting.

http://www.tweedecho.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2834&Itemid=800

Topic: Investors rethink fracking interests

Lock The Gate

Fracking operations by energy company Origin have come under scrutiny by one of the country's biggest ethical investment companies, Australian Ethical Investments (AEI). AEI Chief Investment Officer James Jordan told The Echo this week that he believed the controversial gas extraction method 'poses significant environmental questions', and as a result the company's inclusion in its portfolio is under review.

Farmers and rural landowners, along with supporters of renewable energies have condemned the practice, which they claim involves hazardous chemicals that can potentiality poison water tables.

http://www.echo.net.au/newsitem/investors-rethink-fracking-interests

Topic: Burke gives Inpex thumbs up

Lock The Gate

The $12 billion Inpex project has been approved by the Federal Government under strict environmental guidelines.

The Japanese-owned project includes the building of a gas plant off the Kimberley coast, an 850 kilometre pipeline to Darwin, and a processing facility in the Territory as well. Environment Minister Tony Burke says the company must meet strict environmental guidelines for the project to develop further.

http://www.abc.net.au/rural/nt/content/201106/s3255680.htm

Topic: Coal find in Simpson Desert

Lock The Gate

Central Petroleum claim to have discovered a coal field in Simpson Desert about 300 kilometres from Alice Springs that could be one of the largest in the world. The company has since signed an agreement with Allied Resource Partners to work towards setting up a liquid to gas operation in the Great Artesian Basin. The partnership is seeking funding from investors to pay for a feasibility study.

http://www.abc.net.au/rural/nt/content/201106/s3255611.htm

Topic: NT Country Hour podcast 28/06/2011

Lock The Gate

...the Federal Government gives approval for the Inpex gas plant; and Central Petroleum pushes ahead with a study into a coal mine in the Simpson Desert.

http://www.abc.net.au/rural/nt/content/201106/s3255714.htm?site=darwin

Topic: Firms sitting on giant coal mine

Lock The Gate

TWO companies yesterday announced they were working towards building a $7.5 billion coal-to-liquid fuel mine and processing plant in the Territory. Explorer Central Petroleum has signed a deal with assets developer Allied Resource Partners to raise money for the project. The aim is to exploit what could be the world's biggest coal field.

Central Petroleum has exploration rights over a vast stretch of the Pedirka, Amadeus and Southern Georgina basins near Alice Springs.

http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2011/06/28/243761_ntnews.html

Topic: (Audio) 1730 ABC New England North West News 29/06/2011

Lock The Gate

The Minister for Resources and Energy says the Namoi Water Study is still seen as the cornerstone of coal mining developments in the Gunnedah Basin, farmers in Moree says they're still not convinced coal seam gas exploration won't effect underground aquifers...

http://blogs.abc.net.au/nsw/2011/06/1730-abc-new-england-north-west-news-29062011.html

Topic: Temperature rises on coal seam gas

Lock The Gate

Politically, this is going to be difficult task for the NSW government. They will have to balance their two major political party interests - farming and big business. Exactly the two sides lined up against each other on the CSG debate.

http://insidewater.ewater.com.au/2011/06/28/temperature-rises-on-coal-seam-gas/

RE: Website contact from John Henson

2010-11-15T21:15:00.005+11:00

Thanks for the completely non-constructive feedback - containing NO FACTS WHATSOEVER.

I just love GAS COMPANY MOLES!

Now your name is Peter Winch all of a sudden instead of John Henson... How fracking credible! How's that for a first casualty... or is it really Ms B, totally pissed off for other reasons?

At least I sign what I write and stand by my convictions.

Crawl back up the gas-hole from which you were farted.

Thanks for the laughs (by the way I have blogged this for my zealot friends to giggle at).

Peter

From: Peter Winch [mailto: [removed]@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, 15 November 2010 20:28
To: Peter Firminger
Subject: Re: Website contact from John Henson

Sorry Mr Firminger,

You didn't get my attention...only derision.

The hyped up film is full of distortions, emotive arguments, use of irrelevant material and straight out fabrication

Secondly, fracing is not used by most CSM people in Australia, those that do basically use water AND its water they already extracted . So its all a beat up. Nothing more nothing less.

The Non-Executive Chair of Macquarie Bank - who gives a. He is a bankster, used to grubbing and grasping. You don't get to those positions by being altruistic and johnny-goodfellow. He is a red-neck in the sense he has a bit more polish than most but in it for number one.

What is bitterly disappointing is that you promote something you don't understand, and yet you would be the first to complain about beat-ups.

The bottom-line, hidden, underlying, deeply buried,never spoken truth is...you are complaining purely out of self-interest to preserve your little hidey hole away from all the great un-washed. You are just upset because the real world caught up with you again.

..so yes, I know what you are doing, and you seem pretty smug about it. First casualty, as usual is truth and you probably don't care.

On Mon, Nov 8, 2010 at 10:14 AM, Peter Firminger <vice-chair@wage.org.au> wrote:

Thanks for your concern John.

Look at the dates on the WAGE website, we were fighting this (including
Hydraulic Fracturing) way before GASLAND was made. Yes we've watched it, of
course we have, we hosted two screenings in the Hunter Valley.

The Non-Executive Chair of Macquarie Bank looks like a redneck? I think not
John. That you didn't notice our fight before GASLAND is not really our
problem.

I really don't know what your point is! Are you saying Fracking is good or
bad, or not relevant to our fight? Not that I care that much... I know what
I'm doing and apparently I got your attention so it's all good.

Regards,

Peter Firminger
Vice-chair WAGE

-----Original Message-----
From: John Henson [mailto: [removed]@gmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, 7 November 2010 23:42
To: info@wage.org.au
Subject: Website contact from John Henson

Name: John Henson
Email: [removed]@gmail.com

Message:

You guys are crazy and will make complete fools of yourselves. Have you
even watched the GasLands movie? Did you know anything about this industry
before you saw it? And because its the first thing you heard and saw you
assume the movie is correct because it "taught" you new information. Right?
Or confirm your preconceptions and prejudices.

Well here is the bad news,

The movie railes against hydraulic fracturing, the technology that
introduces all those bad things.

Guess what.

Do your homework. Else you'll loook like a bunch of red necks.

Don't get mislead by zealots

This email was generated by the form at http://wage.org.au/contact.cfm by a
user with the IP address: 122.110.47.153

GASLAND: Meet Josh Fox TONIGHT or FRIDAY

2010-11-10T15:47:00.001+11:00

You and your friends have two opportunities this week in Sydney to see this incredible film that is making news all over the world, AND meet the film maker Josh Fox.

Tonight in Paddington and Friday in Leichhardt.

Be a part of history! This film has the Australian gas industry body APPEA reeling and lying their fracking heads off to dispel the truth about their filthy industry.

Please pass this on to anyone that may be interested

http://www.palacecinemas.com.au/events/gaslandqanda/

GASLAND PREVIEW + Q&A WITH DIRECTOR, JOSH FOX

Buy Tickets | Visit Website

Event Dates: 10 November, 2010 - 12 November, 2010
Participating Cinemas: Palace Verona, Palace Norton Street

Palace Cinemas is delighted to invite you and your friends to meet writer/director JOSH FOX at special Q&A screenings of his award-winning new film GASLAND: 6.30pm Wed 10 Nov at Verona or 6.30pm Fri 12 Nov at Norton Street.

Mr Fox will participate in a live Q&A after each screening - in Paddington moderated by ABC News Radio's John Barron, and in Leichhardt by Showtime's Neil Schofield.

GASLAND premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival where it won the Grand Jury Prize for Documentary and has since become one of the most talked about films of the year. Among many appearances, Josh Fox has featured on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and PBS Frontline and has spoken at US State and Federal Congress. He joins us in Australia direct from being awarded the 2010 John Lennon Peace Prize, and collecting the Best Documentary Award at the 'Green Oscars' the Environment Media Awards on October 16.

Part vérité travelogue, part ecological expose, part showdown, GASLAND is a first-person story of discovery and empowerment that began in September 2006 when Mr. Fox received a letter from a natural gas company, offering him $100 000 for permission to explore his upstate New York property. His curiosity led him to discover that in the race for 'cleaner', greener & more efficient energy sources, the largest natural gas drilling boom in history has resulted in an environmental disaster of shocking proportions, and the PR-spun US government has not only turned a blind eye, it has regulated itself out of the picture.

You may have seen The Sydney Morning Herald's recent in-depth coverage of the expanding Australian Coal Seam Gas (CSG) industry and worrying news stories linking cases of local water contamination to natural gas drilling GASLAND is a desperate plea for scrutiny of this powerful industry before it's too late.

We hope you can join us for what promise to be two fascinating (and potentially explosive!) events. Click here to see the official trailer.

"Do NOT miss this documentary"

Alice Tynan, THE PLOT THICKENS

Booking Information:

VERONA Q&A PREVIEW DETAILS:

Date: Wednesday 10 November

Time: 6.30pm screening, followed by Q&A forum with Mr. Fox and moderator John Barron

Venue: Palace Verona (17 Oxford St, Paddington)

Tickets: $18 Adult, $10 Movie Club (up to four tickets per cardholder)

Advance tickets now on sale: In person at the Verona box office or click here to purchase online securely

NORTON STREET Q&A PREVIEW DETAILS:

Date: Friday 12 November

Time: 6.30pm screening, followed by Q&A forum with Mr. Fox and moderator Nell Schofield

Venue: Palace Norton Street (99 Norton St, Leichhardt)

Tickets: $18 Adult, $10 Movie Club (up to four tickets per cardholder)

Advance tickets now on sale: In person at the Verona box office or click here to purchase online securely

What's on in Wollombi Valley - 2 November 2010

2010-11-02T11:52:00.002+11:00

This is the Email Newsletter sent almost weekly to Wollombi Valley Online members
To subscribe, join Wollombi Valley Online

A few things to note. The Wollombi Valley Country Fair is on this weekend, along with Folk in Broke so it's a pretty busy weekend in the valley. Let's hope for decent weather.
We have representatives from Hoofs2010 bringing a little Brumby along to the Fair to promote their rescued Brumby Adoption program (and apparently he does some very neat tricks). They gave out 23 application forms at the Mangrove Mountain fair.

The Lantern Parade has some wide interest with people as far away as Muswellbrook coming down, so if you have made a new lantern, or still have last years, please join in the parade through Wollombi Village on Saturday evening.

The Arts and Crafts Competition that was to be held with the Fair has been postponed to next year due to lack of sufficient entries by the due date.

See below for the details of Exisle Publishing's Literary Event at St John's on Saturday morning.

Two woodchops this weekend! Wollombi on Saturday and the postponed Paxton event on Sunday. See links below.

FYI: On Saturday, WAGE and Hunter Valley Protection Alliance have convened a Joint Strategy Forum of the "Coalition of Coal & Methane Gas Community Action Groups". This will be a remarkable event in Broke, bringing together a huge group of active people from NSW, Qld and Vic to work on the best methods to go forward and force Governments to make mining safe and equitable for the communities it affects right across Australia. HUGE thanks to Sean and Karyne Gough and John Thomson (and others) for all the work that has gone into getting this together rather quickly... a complete bummer that I am at the Fair.

Thanks to all that came to the AGL Energy AGM protest. It was sensational and made some great television news. We will win this!

Adult Jewellery Workshop Series 2010 at the Wollombi Cultural Centre
Date: Friday 05-Nov-10 at 1:00 pm
In this Friday series, students will experience an "organic and dynamic" method of learning. Local artist, Kes Harper leads students through basic jewellery skills and tools to create simple pieces of wearable jewellery.

Folk in Broke Festival
Date: 5 to 7 November 2010
2 days and 2 nights of music, food, wine and markets.
Paul Robert Burton - Feature Headliner
FIG - Feature Headliner + workshop convenor
Wheeze and Suck Band - Feature Headliner

Wollombi Tavern Wood Chop
Date: Saturday 06-Nov-10 at 11:00 am
The Wollombi Tavern Wood Chop is on again in November. Great family fun day, Bring a blanket or a chair, Bistro open all day, Live music Saturday night

Wollombi Valley Country Fair - Taste the History
Date: 6 and 7 November 2010
The 2010 Wollombi Valley Country Fair including the Wollombi Tavern Woodchop, Lantern Parade, Endeavour Museum Open Day, lots of games for kids of all ages and two days of local produce markets.

Literary Event - The life and art of Sir William Dobell
Date: Saturday 06-Nov-10 at 11:00 am
At 11am on Saturday morning in St John's Church Wollombi, join us for a special literary event, as local Hunter Author Elizabeth Donaldson talks about the life and art of Sir William Dobell.

Paintings, Mosaics & Masks - Kaye Lovie and Mary Francis Exhibition at WCC
Date: 6 to 14 November 2010
Mary has always had a fascination for masks from different countries/cultures but this year, she found that masks featured in many of her mosaics, even though she did not intentionally set out to achieve this - the masks just appeared!

Kaye's paintings of the outback and coast display her passion and love of the colours that uniquely depict Australia - the blues/greens of our rivers and oceans, the golden coastal sands, the red rocks of the interior - and the beauty, harshness and majestic size of nature itself.

Chicago, America and Peter Frampton at Hope Estate
Date: Saturday 06-Nov-10 at 4:30 pm
Andrew McManus Presents is proud to announce that America, Chicago and Peter Frampton will be touring Australia for an unforgettable night of classic rock'n'roll favourites this October and November.

Paxton Hotel Annual Charity Woodchop
Date: Sunday 07-Nov-10 at 8:00 am
Paxton Hotel's Annual Charity Woodchop has a new date due to rain in October. 07 November (day after Wollombi Woodchop) State Title Event, Car boot sale from 8am so bring your trash & treasure, make a $, grab a bargain!,. Family day with rides, amusements, face painting, novelty events, prizes. Read the event for details. All welcome.

Have a great weekend.

P

Over 100 Coal Seam Gas Mining stories in the past two months

2010-10-23T14:25:00.001+11:00

And these are not including the many many duplicates in affilliate newspapers etc. and are only what I have published on the WAGE website. There are many more on the HVPA Facebook page.

Where is AGL Energy? They cowered from the media and the protesters at their AGM and haven't put out a media release since 30 September on their poxy, amateur "Sharepoint" website.

What the hell are Tony Burke and the 'fracking gashole' Anna Bligh thinking.

Coal seam gas approvals: 'First day' of a dead-end industry

Sat, 23 Oct 2010 10:09
Christine Milne (The Greens)
"The first day of a new industry which stands to destroy farming jobs, prime agricultural land and farming communities, risks poisoning aquifers and will contribute to worsening climate change is no cause for celebration," Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.

Santos welcomes approval

Sat, 23 Oct 2010 08:54
Sky News
Environment Minister Tony Burke has given conditional environmental approvals for Gladstone Liquefied Natural Gas joint venture between Santos Malaysia's Petronas and France's Total and BG Group's Queensland Curtis LNG.

Queensland gas project to create 12,000 jobs

Sat, 23 Oct 2010 08:26
ABC News
The Queensland Resources Council says federal approval of two giant coal seam gas projects in Queensland will create more than 12,000 jobs and generate billions of dollars.

Gas Watch 96: Federal Government betrays Queensland. 'It has consumed us' - the people of the Surat Basin

Sat, 23 Oct 2010 06:59
Hunter Valley Protection Alliance
Seam Methane Gas projects in Queensland the go ahead. Takes the wind out of your sails. Shows you that Governments will do as they like at the whim of the fossil fuel industry without thought for the people, the future or the environment.

Gas Watch 95: 'We sell products that can kill people' - AGL Chairman - 21st October, 2010

Sat, 23 Oct 2010 06:55
Hunter Valley Protection Alliance
The Chairman of AGL Energy made this announcement at the Annual General Meeting of that Company on 21st October.

Gas Watch 94: AGL ENERGY dumps contaminated water - then calls the Police because we found out

Sat, 23 Oct 2010 06:52
Hunter Valley Protection Alliance
AGL Energy have admitted to dumping 120,000 of saline water onto pasture land. Why they did it we'll never know. They had already sent 280,000 of the same water away to a water treatment facility, but just decided, it seems, to dump the rest onto good pasture land. Were they trying to save money? Who knows? And there's no point in asking AGL.

Minister imposes conditions on projects

Sat, 23 Oct 2010 04:00
The Observer
'After rigorous assessments that included public consultation and the advice of experts, I consider that these projects can go ahead without unacceptable impacts on matters protected under national environment law,' Mr Burke said.

Councils happy with gas safeguards

Sat, 23 Oct 2010 00:00
Tony Moore (Brisbane Times)
Two Queensland councils say they are happy with environmental safeguards put in place yesterday by the federal government on coal seam gas projects worth $15 billion.

Maranoa and Western Downs councils, both to the west of Toowoomba and covering parts of the Surat Basin where the LNG projects are located, say they welcomed the 300 conditions put in place yesterday by federal Environment Minister Tony Burke.

Limits attached to green light for coal gas

Sat, 23 Oct 2010 00:00
Andrew Fraser and Roseanne Barrett (The Australian)
MINING giants British Gas and Santos were last night examining 300 conditions placed on them by the federal government.

The two companies were trying to decide whether their $30 billion coal seam gas projects will go ahead.
Environment Minister Tony Burke released the approval for the two projects late yesterday but the detailed list of conditions for the industry became available only after the close of business.

Major coal seam gas projects approved

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 19:51
AAP via SBS
Environment Minister Tony Burke told a media conference in Canberra on Friday his department had given conditional environmental approvals for Gladstone Liquefied Natural Gas (GLNG) - a joint venture between Santos, Malaysia's Petronas and France's Total - and BG Group's Queensland Curtis LNG.

Gas is powering ahead of science: farmers

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 18:34
AAP via SMH
Queensland farmers are maintaining their call for a moratorium on the coal seam gas industry in Queensland's southwest in the face of federal Environment Minister Tony Burke's approval for two major projects.

Broadacre farm lobby AgForce president Brent Finlay says more research was needed.

Conditional approval for gas projects

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 18:15
Sky News
'I have decided that these projects can go ahead without unacceptable impacts on matters protected under national environmental law,' Mr Burke said, revealing he had placed 300 conditions on each of the projects.

Anti-coal seam gas groups want moratorium

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 16:54
ABC News
The Caroona Coal Action Group (CCAG) has announced it is joining with every anti-Coal Seam Gas (CSG) group in New South Wales to form a new body called the New South Wales Gas Alliance.

The new organisation wants the New South Wales government to halt CSG exploration and extraction until independent scientific data is collected showing the process does not contaminate underground water, or damage farmland.

Farmers concerned by coal seam announcement

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 08:14
ABC - AM
Transcript to come but you can listen

It's all a gas

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 08:02
Kieran Moron (The Observer)
Gladstone's a go for gas.

The Federal Environmental Minister Tony Burke announced the long awaited environmental approvals today of two liquefied natural gas plants on Curtis Island.
The approvals signal a new era for Australian energy and a new era for Gladstone.

Banker joins noisy Hunter gas protest

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 00:01
Scott Rochfort (SMH)
Not all the arguments between the current and former directors of Macquarie Group relate just to making money and more money. They also involve wine and methane gas.

The wine-quaffing chairman of the silver doughnut, David Clarke, yesterday turned into a concerned citizen when he highlighted the evils of AGL's coal-seam gas drilling activities in the Hunter Valley.

AGL exploration in Hunter roasted by big and small

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 00:01
Philip Wen (Businessday)
AGL Energy has defended its coal seam gas exploration in the Hunter Valley after dozens of protesters vented their fury outside the company's annual meeting.

With police keeping a close watch, cries of "AGL go to hell" went up as the company's executives and shareholders arrived for the meeting in Sydney yesterday.

AGL Energy warming towards a rights issue

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 00:01
Michael Bennet (The Australian)
After promising "solid" guidance in August, AGL chief executive Michael Fraser yesterday said underlying full-year 2011 net profit after tax was expected to be $450 million to $480m, or growth of 5 per cent to 12 per cent on $429m in 2010.

The forecast fell short of consensus of a $453m-$488m prior to the energy giant's annual general meeting yesterday, which was marred by protesters, including Macquarie Group chairman David Clarke, concerned about AGL's drilling in the NSW Hunter Valley.

Hunter Valley Coal-Seam Gas Plan Sparks Protest at AGL Meeting in Sydney

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 18:26
James Paton (Bloomberg)
AGL Energy Ltd.'s plan for a coal- bed methane project in Australia's wine-growing and coal-mining Hunter Valley region sparked a protest outside its annual shareholders meeting in Sydney.

Dozens of protesters holding placards and chanting slogans handed flyers to shareholders arriving at the City Recital Hall for today's meeting. Two days ago, Origin Energy Ltd. said it found traces of chemical contaminants at eight coal-seam gas exploration wells in the state of Queensland.
Among the opponents was Macquarie Group Ltd. Non-Executive Chairman David Clarke, who owns a home and winery in the Hunter Valley community of Broke. "I became increasingly concerned the more I looked into this," he said by phone from Sydney. "Clearly there are environmental and health risks."

Burke to make call on gas projects

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 17:29
Lisa Martin and Steve Gray (AAP via SMH)
Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke will announce on Friday whether two Queensland gas projects worth $30 billion will get the green light.

Santos is seeking environmental approval for its Gladstone liquefied natural gas (LNG) project and British Gas is awaiting a decision on its Curtis LNG project.

Trust us to mine Hunter, says AGL

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 15:31
AAP via tradingroom.com.au
AGL Energy Ltd has defended its gas exploration program in NSW's Hunter Valley, saying the company has a culture that does not "kill people" and a long history of dealing in dangerous commodities.

Australia's largest energy retailer was met by protesters outside its annual general meeting in Sydney on Thursday, while shareholders also raised questions about the Hunter Valley coal seam gas project.
"Since 1837 we have been selling lethal products, products that can kill people, gas and electricity, and we don't kill people," AGL chairman Mark Johnson told the annual general meeting.

Macquarie chairman backs gas exploration protests

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 11:30
ABC Lateline Business
Here's a good yarn: Macquarie Group chairman David Clarke has put his personal power and influence behind a street protest against AGL, as the company's shareholders met in Sydney for its annual general meeting.

The demonstration was organised by residents of the NSW Hunter Valley, who are concerned about the impact of AGL's drilling for coal seam gas.
Andrew Robertson reports.

Former Macquarie Bank head joins AGL protest

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 11:29
ABC News
Dozens of people have protested outside gas company AGL's annual general meeting in Sydney to call for greater controls on coal-seam gas exploration in the Hunter Valley.

The Hunter Protection Alliance is concerned exploratory drilling by AGL near the Hunter Valley town of Broke will pollute local rivers, streams and aquifers.
Protesters want AGL to conduct an environmental impact assessment before the company expands its operations in the region.

MP urges independent testing of coal gas wells

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 08:28
ABC News
Queensland Opposition MP Ray Hopper says he has no faith in the self-regulation process used to assess water quality at coal seam gas (CSG) mines.

Environmentalists and residents have repeated calls to end CSG gas extraction after another water contamination scare at a mine west of Miles in Queensland's southern inland.

Wine growers and tourism operators oppose coal seam gas exploration in Hunter Valley

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 08:06
ABC - AM
TONY EASTLEY: One of Australia's leading business leaders has joined the campaign to put on hold the controversial process of coal seam gas exploration.

David Clarke is the Chairman of Macquarie Group and also runs a winery in the Hunter Valley region in New South Wales.
He says coal seam gas exploration and its extraction would spell the death of the wine and tourism industry in the Hunter.

Origin stops coal seam gas drilling after chemicals found in water

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 05:00
Ben Cubby (SMH)
Farmers near a coal seam gas ''fracking'' site in Queensland will have their water supplies tested for toxic benzene and other chemicals today after Origin Energy found contaminated water near drilling sites.

Drilling haunts the Broke cross-section

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 04:00
Stewart Ewen in The Herald
Coal seam exploration is no gas for locals, writes Stewart Ewen. THIS morning at 6.15 a band of Hunter Valley demonstrators will set out to protest at the AGL annual general meeting in Sydney about the secretive and unplanned drilling for gas in this wine and tourism area.

Claims of illnesses and cover-up as D-day looms for coal seam gas projects

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 00:01
John McCarthy and Sarah Vogler (The Courier-Mail)
A HEALTH scare and claims of a political cover-up have clouded coal seam gas projects a day before the Federal Government has to decide on two multibillion-dollar LNG schemes for Queensland.

Residents of Tara, near Dalby, yesterday released graphic images and accounts of rashes, illnesses and infections they claim occurred last year when coal seam gas project teams operating in the area used water from their extraction process to suppress dust.

Gas plants will feed discharge water into river system

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 00:01
Andrew Fraser, Rosanne Barrett (The Australian)
DISCHARGE water from coal-seam gas wells throughout southern Queensland will be released into the head of the Murray-Darling River system.

The gas well discharge is fuelling concerns about contamination following the discovery of more carcinogenic chemicals from exploration wells in the Surat Basin.
The discovery of BTEX chemicals in eight wells around Miles, about 700km west of Brisbane, adds pressure on Environment Minister Tony Burke, who will determine the fate of the controversial burgeoning industry in Queensland tomorrow.

Coal seam gas debate heats up

Wed, 20 Oct 2010 18:49
Steve Gray (AAP via SMH)
"It's time to stop the madness and put a halt on exploration until safeguards can be guaranteed," said Toby Hutcheon, executive director of Queensland Conservation.

Agforce president Brent Finlay said land and water were finite resources, labelling the resource sector as a hit-and-run industry.
"This is not about the inability for agriculture and mining to co-exist, it is about reaching a balance where the legislative power is not weighted towards one industry more than another," he said.

Coal seam gas debate turns toxic

Wed, 20 Oct 2010 09:10
Courtney Trenwith (Brisbane Times)
Environmentalists are calling for a moratorium on coal seam gas projects after another contamination at a Queensland site.

Australia Pacific LNG reported yesterday that chemicals had been detected in eight exploration wells in the Surat Basin in the state's west.

Government orders tests after coal gas contamination scare

Wed, 20 Oct 2010 07:45
Francis Tapim (ABC News)
The State Government has ordered immediate testing on a Coal Seam Gas (CSG) project in southern Queensland after another contamination scare.

Traces of banned carcinogenic chemicals have been found in eight exploration wells in the Surat basin during routine tests by Australia Pacific LNG.

Cancer chemical found at western Queensland gas site

Wed, 20 Oct 2010 01:00
John McCarthy (Courier Mail)
THE coal seam gas industry has been hit with an embarrassing discovery of minute traces of the cancer-causing substance Btex at eight drilling sites near Miles, in western Queensland.

Coal seam gas mining questioned

Tue, 19 Oct 2010 12:48
The World Today (ABC Radio)
ELEANOR HALL: Environmentalists are calling for more research into a controversial coal seam gas mining process before it's widely used in Australia.

The process - known as fraccing - is already being used in mines in Queensland and in mining exploration in New South Wales.

List reveals toxic chemicals used in coal seam mining

Tue, 19 Oct 2010 04:00
Joel Tozer and Ben Cubby (SMH)
AUSTRALIAN mining companies are using highly toxic chemicals to extract coal seam gas during the controversial process known as ''fracking'', documents obtained by the Herald show.

A government list of 36 chemicals used in coal seam gas extraction in Australia includes hydrochloric and acetic acid, and napthalene- an ingredient once used in napalm as well as more mundane items such as mothballs - and many other hydrocarbons.

CSG Documentary Trailer

Sun, 17 Oct 2010 22:49
ArtesianBasin
This documentary trailer gives a glimpse of the potential environmental, and community concerns. To voice your concerns, the appropriate contact addresses for relevant ministers and politicians are at the end of the trailer.

CSG Imagine If

Sun, 17 Oct 2010 22:49
ArtesianBasin
Imagine if an Energy Company came to your house to let you know they were going to put a gas well on your property. How would you feel?

Miners' water rights changes won't work

Fri, 15 Oct 2010 11:04
AAP via SMH
Coal seam gas (CSG) miners will be able to pump unlimited amounts of water from underground, despite proposed amendments to the law, the Queensland Conservation Council says.

Huge potential for CSG in Galilee basin concerns landholders

Wed, 13 Oct 2010 12:00
Amy Phillips, ABC Toowoomba
Mr Saul says there is a variety of things they can do to treat the water and its then becomes potable.

He says the companies have an obligation to safely dispose of the salt residue that's left behind.

Gas search sparks basin water questions

Wed, 13 Oct 2010 11:01
Chrissy Arthur and Amy Phillips (ABC News)
A western Queensland mayor says there are still questions that need to be answered about the development of a coal seam gas sector in the Galilee Basin.

Landholders meet to discuss coal seam gas impact on artesian water

Wed, 13 Oct 2010 09:00
ABC News
A company exploring for coal-seam gas in Queensland's central-west says the sector is doing all it can to ensure resources from the Great Artesian Basin aren't adversely affected.

Offshore drilling 'too risky'

Wed, 13 Oct 2010 04:00
Damon Cronshaw (The Herald)
An oil spill off Newcastle from offshore gas drilling would affect the east coast from NSW to Victoria, Lake Macquarie City Council has said.
The council made the comment in a submission to the NSW government about Advent Energy's plans to begin exploratory drilling next month for natural gas 55 kilometres off Newcastle.

Concerns over water wastage

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 05:00
The Observer
"WHEN most of the county is in drought, why is water being used as a waste product," Surat Basin Friends of the Earth environmental campaigner Drew Hutton said.

And it would seem he has a point as Santos (GLNG) and BG Group (QCLNG) have acknowledged that the emerging coal-seam gas (CSG) industry will affect underground water levels.

Up in the Air: Coal, Dust & Gloucester

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 12:09
Peter Firminger
Australia is in the midst of yet another mining boom. But just what are the implications for those living within the mining footprint?

Burke warned over coal-seam gas projects

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 00:05
Rosanne Barrett (The Australian)
TONY Burke is considering a report that warns the coal-seam gas industry could deplete groundwater in the Great Artesian Basin.

The federal Environment Minister is preparing to rule on several multi-billion-dollar projects and remains committed to a deadline of October 22, when he is expected to advise international energy giants Santos and BG Group whether he will grant environmental approvals for their projects converting coal-seam gas to liquefied natural gas, worth an estimated $22bn to the Queensland economy.

Burke signals coal-seam gas project approvals

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 00:01
Jennifer Hewett (The Australian)
THE government has given its clearest signal that it is likely to approve a $20 billion investment in Queensland's coal-seam gas industry.

But it is likely to be subjected to strict environmental conditions.
Environment Minister Tony Burke is due to give his ruling by October 22 on two major proposals, worth about $10bn each, from Santos and the BG Group.

Mining creep will engulf tourism, farms: conservationists

Sun, 10 Oct 2010 04:00
Kate Dennehy (Brisbane Times)
Queensland's latest tourism campaign might be drawing much attention but farmers and environmentalists say visitors will soon be viewing the state's attractions through a maze of mines.

Tourism Minister, Peter Lawlor said last week Tourism Queensland's new $4.6m advertising campaign, ''Queensland, Where Australia Shines" is proving a great success.

Queensland's latest tourism campaign might be drawing much attention but farmers and environmentalists say visitors will soon be viewing the state's attractions through a maze of mines.

Sun, 10 Oct 2010 04:00
Kate Dennehy (SMH)
Michael Bretherick and his family moved to Tara, about 400 kilometres west of Brisbane,four years ago for a tree change.

He said the mining company, BG Group - owners of QGC - moved into the area about 18 months ago and has been drilling night and day for coal-seam gas.

Regional centres safer than the mining towns

Sat, 09 Oct 2010 00:08
Tery Ryder (The Australian)
I ALWAYS try hard to convince people that mining towns aren't worth the risk.

Whenever I speak publicly I spend a lot of time showing people with graphs and slides how volatile markets can be when they're reliant on one industry or one major employer.

Market favours AGL over Origin

Fri, 08 Oct 2010 13:29
John Durie (The Australian)
AGL and Origin are short priced favourites to buy one of the NSW retail assets up for grabs early next month.

Mining at Warragamba Dam 'puts our water at risk': Greens

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 16:00
Caryn Metcalfe (Penrith Press)
GREENS campaigners are calling for the plan to mine coal seam gas around Warragamba Dam to be abandoned.

Sydney gas drilling company Apex Energy NL plans to use the controversial "fracking" technique to mine the coal seam gas.

Farmers unsure on gas exploration

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 05:00
Courtney Garnham (Whitsunday Times)
WHITSUNDAY cane growers and cattle farmers have shown mixed emotions about the possibility of a Queensland energy giant looking for gas on their land after Christmas.

Arrow Energy met with farmers last month to discuss their intentions of exploring for coal seam gas in the area which could potentially affect local cane growers.

End to Cessnock coal rigs urged

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 04:00
Donna Sharpe (The Herald)
Exploration for mining and gas could be removed from Cessnock City Council's Local Environment Plan following a unanimous decision by the council at a meeting last night.
In a rescission motion, Cr Dale Troy moved to amend the council's draft Local Environment Plan in an attempt to protect the city's booming tourism and vineyard industries against any possible damage from extractive industries.

Cessnock Council Unanimously Votes Against Coal Seam Gas

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 01:12
Peter Firminger
At the Cessnock Council Meeting last night, Councillor Dale Troy moved a rescission motion on part of the Cessnock LEP 2010 to put an amendment to exclude mining and extractive activities from the zone containing the vineyards.

Undersea pipe may take gas to Asia

Wed, 06 Oct 2010 11:09
Peter Weekes (The Northers Star)
A 30km undersea gas pipeline may be laid off the North Coast, allowinga specially-designed ship to drop anchor over it and extract gas pumped from Metgasco's fields near Casino.

The ship, estimated to cost $5 billion and bigger than an aircraft carrier, would then convert the gas into LNG before transferring it to another vessel for export.

Federal cash can help the Hunter help itself

Wed, 06 Oct 2010 04:00
Gaye Hart (The Herald)
REGIONAL Australia is on the federal government agenda and 55 Regional Development Australia (RDA) committees around the country are gearing up to take advantage of this new beginning for regional advocacy and development.

Gas 'could poison water'

Wed, 06 Oct 2010 01:00
Roderick Shaw (Penrith Star)
ENVIRONMENTALISTS fear that if gas extraction takes place at Lake Burragorang near Warragamba Dam, it could poison ground water.
Apex Energy is considering projects to extract gas from coal seams through fracking - a drilling operation which uses water and chemicals to fracture coal and pump escaping gas to the surface.

What's Yours is Mine..d

Tue, 05 Oct 2010 17:53
Eric Ingott
Join Eric Ingott in this tongue in cheek, faux mining promo as he tells the town of Gloucester NSW Australia what his company, Envira-Coal has in store for them and what the benefits of I mine surrounding the township would bring.

In real life Gloucester is under threat from possible mining around Gloucester.

Farmers worried over gas pipelines

Thu, 30 Sep 2010 09:00
Kieran Moran (The Observer)
FARMERS along the proposed coal seam gas (CSG) pipeline from Gladstone to the Surat Basin are warning of gas explosions, damaged agricultural land and contaminated water supplies.

Queensland gas bonanza 'in peril' over water row

Thu, 30 Sep 2010 09:00
John McCarthy (The Courier-Mail)
SENIOR Coalition frontbencher Ian Macfarlane has told one of the world's biggest resource companies that the coal seam gas industry was finished in Queensland if it did not resolve its issues over water.

Gas Field Concerns - Bob Hunter Interview

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 17:34
Kelly Fuller (ABC New England)
Bob Hunter and Robert Barry say the construction of a gas field in the Liverpool Plains will destroy the productivity of the region.

We caught up with Bob on the Morning Show today, and he talked about a recent visit he made to the Surat Gas Field in Queensland.

Coal seam gas explorers creep closer to Brisbane to meet growing Asian demand

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 00:01
John McCarthy (The Courier-Mail)
THE massive coal seam gas industry is knocking on the door of southeast Queensland with exploration now only 50km from Brisbane.

Water supply at risk says report

Sat, 25 Sep 2010 04:00
The Chronicle
ALARM bells have sounded out across the Darling Downs after an independent report found the coal seam gas industry has the potential to drain Queensland's largest freshwater aquifer.

The report, commissioned by industry group Central Downs Irrigators, found the Walloon Coal Measures - the area being targeted by coal seam gas producers - and the Condamine Alluvium are hydraulically connected.

Debate about gas drilling turns toxic

Sat, 25 Sep 2010 04:00
Debra Jopson and Ben Cubby (SMH)
Out in the Pilliga Scrub west of Narrabri, sheep farmer Tony Pickard weaves through the web of dirt roads, pointing out a used coal seam gas well here, a holding pond there and eventually, deep inside a state forest, a fully operational drill rig where helmeted men wrestle a pump within a shaft reaching one kilometre underground.

This is producing land - not just a pretty picture

Sat, 25 Sep 2010 04:00
Debra Jopson (SMH)
The nation's food bowl will soon be only a memory, farmers warn. Debra Jopson reports.

FARMERS are warning that plans to drill for coal seam gas beneath the nation's prime food bowl will end agriculture as we know it.

Campaigner 'fraccing' mad

Sat, 25 Sep 2010 04:00
John Farmer (The Chronicle)
A CONTROVERSIAL practice being outlawed in the US is adding to the great drain of Queensland's underground water supplies, an environmental campaigner claims.

Hydraulic fracturing, or "fraccing" as it is colloquially known, is used by coal seam gas companies to break up rock formations and release the natural gas trapped inside.

Apex stands firm on Sydney gas projects

Fri, 24 Sep 2010 16:52
Bigpond Business News
Gas company Apex Energy has refused to rule out plans to mine gas in Sydney using a controversial 'fracking' technique, despite potential dangers to the environment.

Australia to keep to coal seam gas approval timeline

Fri, 24 Sep 2010 08:14
Reuters
(Reuters) - Australia's Environment Minister Tony Burke intends to stick to an October 11 deadline for environmental approval for two Queensland coal seam gas projects, he said on Thursday.

Mine threatens city water

Fri, 24 Sep 2010 04:00
Ben Cubby (SMH)
THE company about to start coal seam gas drilling around southern Sydney and the Illawarra plans to use the controversial "fracking" technique to mine directly beside Warragamba Dam, which holds much of the city's drinking water.

Time Out for Coal Seam Gas Cowboys

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 10:44
Hunter Valley Protection Alliance
A group including Australian business leaders has called for a moratorium on coal seam gas exploration in one of the world's great wine producing areas saying the region is under threat from the scramble for energy resources.

Coal Seam Gas exploration hole in an industrial precinct in central Sydney

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 08:39
Peter Firminger
Following Ben Cubby's report in the SMH today, here's one we found earlier intimating that Sydney is about to get some of it's own medicine

NSW Government should enforce moratorium on high risk gas exploration

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 08:18
Braidwood Greens
Greens MP and mining spokesperson Cate Faehrmann is calling for a moratorium on coal seam gas exploration in NSW until a full examination of the environmental and social impacts has proven it safe.

"Documents revealed today by the Sydney Morning Herald show Peabody Gas is well aware that the high environmental impacts of coal seam gas exploration will be unacceptable to the community," said Ms Faehrmann.

Cover-up: secret plans to mine gas

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 04:00
Ben Cubby (SMH)
Billions of dollars worth of coal seam gas will be mined around Sydney and the profits split among giant coal companies, including Peabody Energy and Rio Tinto, leaked confidential company document reveals.

Why CSG is no leap of faith

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 16:07
Queensland Country Life
THE Queensland Government is not asking landholders and communities to take an "extraordinary leap of faith" in relation to the coal seam gas (CSG) industry.

That was the view expressed by Queensland Country Life correspondent James Nason last week in his comment piece entitled: 'Evidence supports CSG bans'.

Residents 'not told of gas risks'

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 04:00
Laurel-Lee Roderick (Illawarra Mercury)
NORTHERN suburbs residents fear they are being kept in the dark about plans to extract methane gas from coal seams between Helensburgh and Coledale.
In September last year, the NSW Department of Planning allowed gas exploration company Apex Energy NL to drill 15 bore holes around Darkes Forest, Helensburgh and south to Coledale.

All quiet on gas drilling plan

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 04:00
Damon Cronshaw (The Herald)
The NSW Government says an environment plan for an exploratory gas drilling project planned off Newcastle does not have to be made public.
The drilling project could lead to a massive offshore gas extraction project, with reserves in the area valued at $50 billion.

Billion-dollar boost in pipeline

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 04:00
Mathew Murphy (SMH)
MORE than $10 billion in pipeline infrastructure is expected to be spent in Queensland over the next decade, according to new figures released by the industry, which predicts that number could grow much higher once a Green-tinged Federal Parliament is sworn in.

Land degradation by AGL's Coal Seam Gas Exploration has started

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 17:28
Hunter Valley Protection Alliance
AGL Contractors had pumped over 120,000 litres of toxic drilling waste water on their land near Bulga, Hunter Valley.

Gas Watch 92 - AGL ENERGY Admits To Deliberately Polluting the Hunter - Government Inaction

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 17:16
Hunter Valley Protection Alliance
AGL ENERGY - pretends to by environmentally sensitive, but makes a conscious decision to dump hundreds of thousands of litres of contaminated water onto prime agricultural land rather than complying with environmental conditions and paying to have the water trucked and treated.

Gas concern - Voice of the Argus

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 12:11
Toni Ward (Singleton Argus)
PROTECTION of the water table at Broke has been one of the community's greatest concerns about the gas exploration project. Water is crucial and a very precious resource that must be protected. It should not be up to a community group to ask for an investigation when there is an obvious breach...

AGL - 120,000 litres of saline water onto land at Bulga

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 11:04
Sarah Lee (Singleton Argus)
AGL is required to provide a full report to the state government regarding the release of approximately 120,000 litres of saline water onto land at Bulga.

On August 17, the Hunter Valley Protection Alliance notified the Industry and Investment New South Wales of a potential breach of environmental conditions on AGL's 'Windermere' property.

Evidence supports CSG freeze on Downs

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 04:34
James Nason (Qld Country Life)
THE weight of scientific evidence fuelling landholder claims that coal seam gas extraction poses a real and serious threat to important freshwater aquifers is becoming harder for the Queensland Government to ignore.

Alliance, AGL in dispute over water discharge

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 04:00
Ian Kirkwood (The Herald)
ENERGY company AGL and environmentalists are at odds over the discharge of saline water near a coal-seam gas test site near Bulga.
Hunter Valley Protection Alliance spokesman John Thomson said AGL and the state government had "intentionally whitewashed" the community over the discharge of 120,000 litres of underground water that flooded and killed an adjoining pasture.

Time for a mining moratorium: LNP

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 11:34
Mark Phelps (Queensland Country Life)
LNP Member for Darling Downs Ray Hopper is on a mission to convince his Opposition colleagues that a moratorium should be placed on the development of coal seam gas mining within the Condamine alluvium on Queensland's highly productive Darling Downs.

Pollution incident by AGL Energy in the Hunter Valley - Whitewash by the Government - Community Protest

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 07:46
Hunter Valley Protection Alliance
AGL ENERGY has deliberately and intentionally pumped hundreds of thousands of litres of highly saline water onto pasture adjacent to the Wollombi Brook in the Hunter Valley to avoid trucking it away to a treatment plant, according to a report made to the Department of the Environment and the Department of Industry & Investment.

AGL accused of dumping tainted water in Hunter

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 07:15
Ben Cubby (SMH)
VINEYARD owners accuse the energy company AGL of dumping contaminated water in the Hunter Valley, where it is planning to extract coal seam gas.

The state government said it was concerned and had asked AGL to remediate a site near the town of Broke, after 120,000 litres from a groundwater monitoring program was expelled into a paddock the company owns.

Santos to address coal seam gas fears of Independents and Greens

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 08:09
Kerrie Sinclair (The Courier-Mail)
SANTOS says it will ''work constructively'' with the new Federal Government that includes key Independents and the Greens who have voiced concern over the farming and environmental impacts from mining.

Govt ramps up efforts to allay CSG concerns

Sat, 04 Sep 2010 04:00
Queensland Country Life
THE Bligh Government is ramping up its efforts to appease landholders worried about impacts associated with the coal seam gas (CSG) industry.
Natural Resources, Mines and Energy Minister Stephen Robertson, says its latest initiative is centered on a new, interactive online portal that aims to provide information on groundwater monitoring in the Surat and Bowen basins.

Greens pledge to honour farmland protection commitment

Sat, 04 Sep 2010 04:00
James Nason (Qld Country Life)
GREENS Senator-elect Larissa Waters has pledged to follow through on an election commitment to push for stronger protections of groundwater and quality agricultural land from mining when she takes her seat in Canberra from July next year.

Coal gas industry slams Greens

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 12:00
Rosanne Barrett and Sean Parnell (The Australian)
THE coal-seam gas industry has labelled the Greens' policy to seek a moratorium on CSG exploration as hypocritical... such moves would not be supported in the upper house, given that the Coalition will oppose any legislation that threatens the CSG industry

Govt CSG fourms highlight progress

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 11:05
Queensland Country Life
The Queensland Government's community CSG forums that have been rolling out across the Surat Basin the past week have highlighted the significant progress being made behind the scenes.

Tough CSG approval process will protect environment: Robertson

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 08:28
Queensland Country Life
THE Queensland Government has defended its policies surrounding Coal Seam Gas in the face of revelations that Queensland's largest freshwater aquifer is being placed at direct risk of being dewatered by CSG production on the Darling Downs.

Green camapigner wants coal seam gas moratorium

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 07:28
ABC Rural
An environmental campaigner has reneweded his calls for a moratorium on the coal seam gas industry in Queensland.

Drew Hutton, from Friends of the Earth, says a new report commissioned by farmers on the Darling Downs demonstrates underground water systems are interconnected.

Gas industry risks draining water

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:00
Bigpond Rural News
A new study has found Queensland's largest freshwater aquifer is at risk of being drained as a result of coal seam gas development.

Irrigators face water cuts while CSG pumps on

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:51
James Nason (Qld Country Life)
CENTRAL Downs irrigators remain frustrated by State Government policies that allow coal seam gas companies to extract millions of litres of water from underground sources while farmers face significant and uncompensated cutbacks to their own allocations from the same resource.

Well, well, well - report links CSG to aquifers

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:05
James Nason (Qld Country Life)
A SCIENTIFIC report to be released today confirms that Queensland's largest freshwater aquifer, the Condamine Alluvium, is at direct risk of being drained as a result of coal seam gas production on the Darling Downs.

CSG groundwater online portal to deliver transparency

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:00
PACE
A new interactive online portal set up by the Queensland Government provides the latest information on groundwater monitoring in the Surat and Bowen basins.

The portal also maps the locations of private water bores and springs along with gas production sites and exploration wells. It lists historic water levels and salinity records for the various local water sources.

Is Fracking Even Worse Than Drilling?

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 11:28
William Fisher (Common Dreams)
Although the natural gas industry rejects it, critics say fracking can poison water supplies. They also say it uses large amounts of fresh water and generates large amounts of wastewater with limited disposal options.

Farmers raise coal seam gas concerns

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 12:00
ABC News
A group of farmers from the far west say coal seam gas explorations in the region are not worth the damage they could cause to local aquifers.

Farmer calls for mining company to cease gas exploration

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 04:00
The Daily Liberal (Dubbo)
Irate farmer Heath Webb wants mining giant Santos to stop searching for coal seam gas in the Tooraweenah district.
The company has been carrying out a seismic study on prime agricultural land as part of a multi-million dollar project extending over 25,000 square kilometres in the Gunnedah basin.

If analysis proved positive the next step would involve drilling deep core holes.

Re: Removal of Part 3A Legislation and restore environmental,community and elected councils' author

2010-10-15T14:07:00.000+11:00

Response to me from Brad Hazzard MP on the Stop Part 3A Petition. Send them a message now!

Thanks for your email regarding Part 3A of the planning laws.

The State Liberal and Nationals Coalition committed to the removal of Part 3A two years ago.

If we are elected our promise will be delivered.

Regards,
Brad Hazzard MP
Member for Wakehurst
Shadow Minister for Infrastructure & Planning
Shadow Minister for Redfern/Waterloo.

AGL Energy Protest

2010-10-15T11:02:00.002+11:00

COMMUNITY PROTEST
AGAINST
COAL SEAM GAS MINING

REGISTER NOW

THURSDAY 21 OCTOBER 2010

AGL ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
ANGEL PLACE, SYDNEY CBD

PROTEST TO BEGIN AT 9:30 AM

RALLYING POINT:
George St Side of MARTIN PLACE

What's on around the Wollombi - 15 October 2010

2010-10-15T09:47:00.002+11:00

This is the Email Newsletter sent almost weekly to Wollombi Valley Online members
To subscribe, join Wollombi Valley Online

WAGE/HVPA PROTEST: AGL Energy Annual General Meeting
Date: Thursday 21-Oct-10 at 9:30 am
AGL has their Annual General Meeting at 10:30 am on Thursday, October 21st at the City Recital Hall, Angel Place, Sydney. WAGE and Hunter Valley Protection Alliance are arranging transport to get us all down there.

If you can, please register and come along to this peaceful protest against AGL's activities in the Hunter Valley, particularly, Broke and Pokolbin which will lead to Wollombi Valley, and the greater fight against CSG across eastern Australia.

If you can't make it, please tell anyone (here or in Sydney) that may be interested in participating. There will be media there (including 4 Corners who are doing a story on us) so we want a strong showing.

The issue is very big in the media at the moment. See details here and if you're on Facebook, join the HVPA Facebook page.

Come on hippies, let's stick it to the man!

We need to know numbers to book the transport. Please act now.

Julieanne Budgen and James Whitington @ Wollombi Cultural Centre
Date: 15 to 31 October 2010
Artist and writer, James Whitington, and ceramicist, Julieanne Budgen, are combining forces for this exhibition. James and Julieanne would like to invite all to come and enjoy opening night on the 15th with them, at the Wollombi Cultural Centre. There will be wine and nibbles PLUS members of the Cutaways will be performing live music to add to the celebration of the occasion.

Landcare plant propagation workshop
Date: Saturday 16-Oct-10 at 10:00 am
These workshops have proved popular in the past so we are running another one on Saturday 16th October from 10 AM to 1 PM at Wollombi House, 11 Canning Street, Wollombi.

Wollombi Tavern Rose Growers Competition
Date: Saturday 16-Oct-10 at 11:00 am
The June MacQueen Annual Rose Competition sponsored by Wollombi Tavern. Judging from 11am Sharp!

Wollombi Valley Landcare Group Meeting
Date: Saturday 16-Oct-10 at 2:00 pm
Our meeting on Saturday 16th October will be a Bugwatch to check the health of the Wollombi Brook. You have may have heard about the local schoolchildren undertaking such surveys and now it is your chance to get your hands wet.

Community Market Day - Laguna
Date: Sunday 17-Oct-10 at 9:30 am
Local produce: veggies, free range eggs, fruit, herbs, plants, tubestock, flowers, olives, olive oil, lavender products, hand made creams, soap, home made cakes, pickles, sauces, jams, etc... 3rd Sunday every month

Lantern Workshop
Date: Sunday 17-Oct-10 at 10:30 am
With the Wollombi Valley Country Fair just around the corner it's time to get started on Lantern Making for the Lantern Parade. There will be workshops every Sunday from 10.30 to 1.30 behind the General Store at Wollombi.

A Musical Journey for Cello and Soprano
Date: Sunday 17-Oct-10 at 2:00 pm
Rachel Scott, cello and Nicole Thomson, soprano, perform in the stunning Sisters of Mercy Chapel. Performance commencing at 2.00pm.Reservations are recommended. Limited tickets will be sold at the door.

Awabakal to Wanaruah @ Cessnock Regional Art Gallery
Date: Until October 2010 An exhibition of indigenous artworks that explore the culture, lives and stories of the original Hunter Valley inhabitants, informed by oral history, archaeological research and anecdotal evidence. The exhibition will be supported by a community forum, story telling and outreach programs.

Next weekend

Mangrove Mountain & Districts Country Fair
Date: Saturday 23 October 2010
The annual Mangrove Mountain & Districts Country Fair is the 'Jewel in the Crown' of the area's unique community life. It is a place to catch up with friends and neighbours, share some old-fashioned country customs and discover new local rural enterprise.

Spirit of the Vine
Date: 23 and 24 October 2010
Come to Broke - You are invited to come and meet our winemakers and taste award winning wines from the Broke Fordwich wine region.

Indigenous Arts Forum
Date: Saturday 23-Oct-10 at 2:00 pm
An exhibition of indigenous artworks that explore the culture, lives and stories of the original Hunter Valley inhabitants, informed by oral history, archaeological research and anecdotal evidence. The exhibition will be supported by a community forum, story telling and outreach programs.

Lantern Workshop
Date: Sunday 24-Oct-10 at 10:30 am
With the Wollombi Valley Country Fair just around the corner it's time to get started on Lantern Making for the Lantern Parade. There will be workshops every Sunday from 10.30 to 1.30 behind the General Store at Wollombi.

ADFAS: The Splendour of Hampton Court Palace - Ms Linda Collins BA (Hons), MA Dip Francais, NADFAS
Date: Monday 25-Oct-10 at 7:00 pm
At Cessnock Performing Arts Centre, corner of Aberdare Rd and Vincent St, Cessnock. Evening Lectures start promptly at 7 pm, followed by wine and sandwiches.

Regards,

Peter Firminger

Stop Part 3A

2010-10-13T09:01:00.001+11:00

Response from Greens MLC David Shoebridge on the Stop Part 3A Petition. Send them a message now!

Dear concerned citizen of NSW

Thank you so much for taking the time to give me your thoughts on Part 3A.

Over the past 5 years there have been few campaigns more important to The Greens than the repeal of Part 3A. I am proud to be a member of the only political party that opposed the introduction of Part 3A into the EP&A Act in the last Parliament. Part 3A's obvious faults of: excessive centralising of power, overriding of local planning laws and neutering of community consultation were obvious from the start, yet it was still enacted into law with the combined support of the ALP and the Liberal/National parties.

Beware of any party that speaks of the repeal of Part 3A without telling you what they will put in its place.
If there is a place for State significant development then it must be expressly limited to only genuine state infrastructure. For the record I said the following in my inaugural speech to Parliament last week:

"For people to have faith in government they must believe that when they interact with it, their opinions will be heard and their positions will be respected. The current planning system fails to deliver this. The last decade has seen the progressive gutting of community consultation and the marginalising of environmental considerations for most major planning decisions in this State. Part 3A of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act has delivered to the Minister for Planning untrammelled powers to approve a whole range of developments ignorant of the community’s opinion and blind to the local planning laws and the environmental effects. This must stop. While there is a place for development of genuine State significance, such as railways, ports and hospitals, to be decided at a State level after meaningful consultation, there simply is no warrant for the Minister for Planning to approve marinas, hotels and apartment blocks under the guise of State significant development."

Not only do I wish you the best of luck in your campaign, I am also pleased to offer my full support.

David Shoebridge
Greens MLC
NSW Parliament
PH: (02) 9230 3030
FX: (02) 9230 2159
http://www.davidshoebridge.org.au/

AGL, Arrow, Origin and QGC listed in Eco Investor?

2010-10-11T11:54:00.001+11:00

Dear Mr Bivell,

I notice that in your 2008 report you list AGL Energy, Origin Energy, Arrow
Energy and Queensland Gas Company Ltd as Environmentally Positive
Investments... http://tinyurl.com/env-2008

Have you not been reading about Halliburton's "Fracking" of Coal (and Shale)
Seams - a process that AGL, Arrow, Origin and QGC are most happy to
implement? Peter Garrett even put a hold on the practice in Queensland and
Tony Burke hasn't yet made a decision to proceed. The New York State Senate
stopped it.

I do hope that they have since been dropped from this list!

I suggest you read the news stories here: http://wage.org.au/news/ and see
the film GASLAND when it opens in Sydney next month
http://www.gasland.com.au/ and re-evaluate what you think "Environmental"
actually means.

Regards,

Peter Firminger
Vice-chair: WAGE

What's on in Wollombi Valley - 7 October 2010

2010-10-07T19:41:00.004+11:00

This is the Email Newsletter sent almost weekly to Wollombi Valley Online members
To subscribe, join Wollombi Valley Online

You may have read or heard today that we had a bit of a win at Cessnock Council last night with Dale Troy amending the LEP in the vineyards zones to exclude mining and extractive industry. This is in response to AGL Energy now working in Pokolbin along with their filthy work in Broke/Bulga.

While it is pretty much a token gesture, and will likely be overturned by Planning Minister Tony Kelly, it did give us more newspaper and radio coverage of the issue today.

A really busy weekend

Adult Jewellery Workshops
Date: Friday 08-Oct-10 at 1:00 pm
Local artist, Kes Harper leads students through basic jewellery skills and tools to create simple pieces of wearable jewellery. To be held on Fridays, 1pm to 4pm.

Jam Session and J9's Food wit' 'tude @ Laguna
Date: Friday 08-Oct-10 at 7:30 pm
Come along and rock to all your local favourites hangin' out with friends.

Second Hand Saturday
Date: Saturday 09-Oct-10 at 9:00 am
Free eWaste Collection Day at Coronation St Oval Kurri Kurri

Bushfire Safety Community Workshop
Date: Saturday 09-Oct-10 at 9:30 am
The aim of this workshop is to guide participants in the preparation of a personal BUSHFIRE SURVIVAL PLAN, as well as to provide the opportunity to learn practical bushfire preparation & protection skills.

Paxton Hotel Charity Woodchop
Date: Saturday 09-Oct-10 at 11:00 am
Paxton Hotel would like to invite you to their Charity Woodchop Event. Come along and support your local and visiting axemen. Untidy Sideys from 7PM

Wollombi Cattle Sales
Date: Saturday 09-Oct-10 at 1:00 pm
Cattle sales are held at the Wollombi Sale Yards at 1pm on the second Saturday each month.

Artist Talks: Awabakal to Wonaruah
Date: Saturday 09-Oct-10 at 2:00 pm
Les Elvin, Lesley Salem, Craig Layer and other artists in the Awabakal to Wonaruah exhibition discuss their work and artistic journey, 2- 4pm Saturday 9 October. Join us for coffee afterwards.

Driving Miss Daisy @ CPAC
Date: Saturday 09-Oct-10 at 8:00 pm
The relationship between Miss Daisy, a stubborn elderly Southern woman of privilege and Hoke, her loyal and patient chauffeur, makes this one of the best dramas of all time. This is a play of wonderful spirited characters, people who demonstrate sassiness, independence, tolerance, admiration and eventually, respect for one another.

Lantern Workshop
Date: Sunday 10-Oct-10 at 10:30 am
With the Wollombi Valley Country Fair just around the corner it's time to get started on Lantern Making for the Lantern Parade. There will be workshops every Sunday from 10.30 to 1.30 behind the General Store at Wollombi.

Theology in the Pub
Date: Sunday 10-Oct-10 at 4:00 pm
All Religions or no Religion... The second Sunday of the month at Laguna Wine Bar

Garden Group Meeting - The Barnsies!
Date: Monday 11-Oct-10 at 5:00 pm
Next meeting will be at Brian and Barbers Barnes at 5pm on the second Monday 11 October. Go south from Laguna to Blaxlands Arm. Go along 1 Km to Nichols Rd, then 3 Km up the hill. It's a 4WD track and no dogs please. Bring wine, nibbles and tea and stay on for a musical evening - should be fun!

Next Week

Julieanne Budgen and James Whitington @ WCC
Date: 15 to 31 October 2010
I am exhibiting my ceramic art along side James Whitington, October the 15th to the 30th. Friday night the 15th is opening night and am organising live music, great nibblies and wine. Please come one and all.

Movies by Moonlight - Singleton
Date: Friday 15-Oct-10 at 7:00 pm
Enjoy a night out like no other at Hunter Street this October. Stretch out on the grass and watch a family favourite on a massive six metre by three metre outdoor screen.

Landcare plant propagation workshop
Date: Saturday 16-Oct-10 at 10:00 am
These workshops have proved popular in the past so we are running another one on Saturday 16th October from 10 AM to 1 PM at Wollombi House, 11 Canning Street, Wollombi.

Wollombi Tavern Rose Growers Competition
Date: Saturday 16-Oct-10 at 11:00 am
The June MacQueen Annual Rose Competition sponsored by Wollombi Tavern. Judging from 11am Sharp!

Wollombi Valley Landcare Group Meeting
Date: Saturday 16-Oct-10 at 2:00 pm
Our meeting on Saturday 16th October will be a Bugwatch to check the health of the Wollombi Brook. You have may have heard about the local schoolchildren undertaking such surveys and now it is your chance to get your hands wet.

Community Market Day - Laguna
Date: Sunday 17-Oct-10 at 9:30 am
Local produce: veggies, free range eggs, fruit, herbs, plants, tubestock, flowers, olives, olive oil, lavender products, hand made creams, soap, home made cakes, pickles, sauces, jams, etc...

A Musical Journey for Cello and Soprano
Date: Sunday 17-Oct-10 at 2:00 pm
Rachel Scott, cello and Nicole Thomson, soprano, perform in the stunning Sisters of Mercy Chapel in Singleton. Performance commencing at 2.00pm. Reservations are recommended. Limited tickets will be sold at the door.

Have a great weekend.

P

What's on around Wollombi Valley - 30 September 2010

2010-09-30T09:15:00.003+10:00

This is the Email Newsletter sent almost weekly to Wollombi Valley Online members
To subscribe, join Wollombi Valley Online

Sorry, just a list of events this week, other than urging as many as possible to come to the GAS meeting in Pokolbin this afternoon.

Public meeting on Coal Seam Gas Mining in Pokolbin
Date: Thursday 30-Sep-10 at 5:30 pm
There will be a public meeting to explain what we believe AGL plans to do, the impact so far at Broke/Fordwich and in other CSGM regions are inviting all members and representatives from each of the Associations to attend a presentation on the effects of coal seam gas extraction.

Emerging Artist Awards 2010
Date: 1 to 10 October 2010
The Wollombi Valley Arts Council invites you to the Opening and Presentation of the 5th Emerging Artists Awards at the Wollombi Cultural Centre, with drinks and nibbles tomorrow (Friday) evening.

Simply Red at Bimbadgen Estate
Date: Saturday 02-Oct-10 at 2:00 pm
Simply Red's classic pop and elegant ballads have provided an uplifting and emotional soundtrack to our turbulent times. The band is saying their farewells all over the world this year after what has been a remarkable 25 years.

Wollombi Valley Short Film Festival
Date: Saturday 02-Oct-10 at 7:00 pm
Since 1998, the Film Festival has encouraged locals and the rest of the world to show their video activities to a most enthusiastic audience. NO BOOKINGS - First in at the box office.

Wollombi Markets - Labour Day Long Weekend
Date: Monday 04-Oct-10 at 8:00 am
Find those 'something special' Christmas presents and even more for yourself at Wollombi Markets this October Long Weekend.

Next Week

Jam Session @ Laguna
Date: Friday 08-Oct-10 at 7:30 pm
Come along and rock to all your local favourites hangin' out with friends, eating Janine's scrummy dinners!

Second Hand Saturday
Date: Saturday 09-Oct-10 at 9:00 am
Free eWaste Collection Day at Coronation St Oval Kurri Kurri

Artist Talks: Awabakal to Wonaruah
Date: Saturday 09-Oct-10 at 2:00 pm
An exhibition of indigenous artworks that explore the culture, lives and stories of the original Hunter Valley inhabitants, informed by oral history, archaeological research and anecdotal evidence. The exhibition will be supported by a community forum, story telling and outreach programs.

Driving Miss Daisy @ CPAC
Date: Saturday 09-Oct-10 at 8:00 pm
The relationship between Miss Daisy, a stubborn elderly Southern woman of privilege and Hoke, her loyal and patient chauffeur, makes this one of the best dramas of all time. This is a play of wonderful spirited characters, people who demonstrate sassiness, independence, tolerance, admiration and eventually, respect for one another.

Garden Group Meeting - The Barnsies!
Date: Monday 11-Oct-10 at 5:00 pm
Next meeting will be at Brian and Barbara Barnes at 5pm on the second Monday 11 October (due to the long weekend on the first weekend). It's a 4WD track and no dogs please. Bring wine, nibbles and tea and stay on for a musical evening - should be fun!

P

Wollombi RFS hosts Group 8 Blessing of the Fleet

2010-09-27T09:19:00.013+10:00

Wollombi Brigade hosted the 2010 'Blessing of the Fleet' for Group 8 of the Lower Hunter RFS on Saturday 25th September in Wollombi as part of their RFS Open Day activities.

Group 8 received permission for all tankers from Group 8 to attend but two vehicles from Wollombi were attending a fire in Narone Creek at the time of the parade, and the Millfield tanker had engine trouble and couldn't attend.

Father Graham Jackson led the fleet in the parade through Wollombi Village and blessed the fleet outside St. John's Anglican Church with the help of Laguna Captain Paul Milgate and mascot Jemma.

Blessing the crew

Graham, Paul and Jemma

Graham Jackson and Paul Milgate

Blessing of the Fleet 2010

Some current reading

2010-09-25T13:15:00.001+10:00

Water supply at risk says report

25 September 2010 | The Chronicle

ALARM bells have sounded out across the Darling Downs after an independent report found the coal seam gas industry has the potential to drain Queensland's largest freshwater aquifer. The report, commissioned by industry group Central Downs Irrigators, found the Walloon Coal Measures - the area being targeted by coal seam gas producers - and the Condamine Alluvium are hydraulically connected.

Debate about gas drilling turns toxic

25 September 2010 | Debra Jopson and Ben Cubby (SMH)

Out in the Pilliga Scrub west of Narrabri, sheep farmer Tony Pickard weaves through the web of dirt roads, pointing out a used coal seam gas well here, a holding pond there and eventually, deep inside a state forest, a fully operational drill rig where helmeted men wrestle a pump within a shaft reaching one kilometre underground.

This is producing land - not just a pretty picture

25 September 2010 | Debra Jopson (SMH)

The nation's food bowl will soon be only a memory, farmers warn. Debra Jopson reports. FARMERS are warning that plans to drill for coal seam gas beneath the nation's prime food bowl will end agriculture as we know it.

Campaigner 'fraccing' mad

25 September 2010 | John Farmer (The Chronicle)

A CONTROVERSIAL practice being outlawed in the US is adding to the great drain of Queensland's underground water supplies, an environmental campaigner claims. Hydraulic fracturing, or "fraccing" as it is colloquially known, is used by coal seam gas companies to break up rock formations and release the natural gas trapped inside.

Apex stands firm on Sydney gas projects

24 September 2010 | Bigpond Business News

Gas company Apex Energy has refused to rule out plans to mine gas in Sydney using a controversial 'fracking' technique, despite potential dangers to the environment.

Australia to keep to coal seam gas approval timeline

24 September 2010 | Reuters

(Reuters) - Australia's Environment Minister Tony Burke intends to stick to an October 11 deadline for environmental approval for two Queensland coal seam gas projects, he said on Thursday.

Mine threatens city water

24 September 2010 | Ben Cubby (SMH)

THE company about to start coal seam gas drilling around southern Sydney and the Illawarra plans to use the controversial "fracking" technique to mine directly beside Warragamba Dam, which holds much of the city's drinking water.

Time Out for Coal Seam Gas Cowboys

23 September 2010 | Hunter Valley Protection Alliance

A group including Australian business leaders has called for a moratorium on coal seam gas exploration in one of the world's great wine producing areas saying the region is under threat from the scramble for energy resources.

Coal Seam Gas exploration hole in an industrial precinct in central Sydney

23 September 2010 | Peter Firminger

Following Ben Cubby's report in the SMH today, here's one we found earlier intimating that Sydney is about to get some of it's own medicine

Cover-up: secret plans to mine gas

23 September 2010 | Ben Cubby (SMH)

Billions of dollars worth of coal seam gas will be mined around Sydney and the profits split among giant coal companies, including Peabody Energy and Rio Tinto, leaked confidential company document reveals.

Why CSG is no leap of faith

20 September 2010 | Queensland Country Life

THE Queensland Government is not asking landholders and communities to take an "extraordinary leap of faith" in relation to the coal seam gas (CSG) industry. That was the view expressed by Queensland Country Life correspondent James Nason last week in his comment piece entitled: 'Evidence supports CSG bans'.

Labor Planning Panel Will Please Developers

2010-09-24T09:02:00.003+10:00

The NSW Labor Government appointed Planning Panel got off to an ominous start in Cessnock yesterday afternoon.

The Panel approved all developments on the agenda barring one which it deferred in order to approve later with amendments.

'Developers should be very pleased with this panel.' said Greens Councillor James Ryan who addressed the Panel on a 14 unit development in Chidgey St.

'The Panel is doing exactly what the Labor Party wanted, that is to approve developments the local community does not want.' said Councillor Ryan. 'The Chidgey St Units seriously overshadow the neighboring property and during winter the tiny yards will get hardly any sun. The size, scale and design of the units has certainly upset local residents and I feel certain the Cessnock Councillors would have rejected these units as out of character with the local area and not in the public interest.'

Councillor Chris Parker, also a Greens Councillor and who also addressed the meeting, said 'In my opinion the Panel was inconsistent. On one hand they allowed a subdivision and set of units to go through at East Branxton which did not comply with Councils planning rules and on the other hand they wanted fewer units on a block at Weston supposedly because of the draft LEP that will not permit them in the future.'

'It seems to me.' said Councillor Parker 'That the Panel members were not familiar with the Cessnock area and had no empathy for the local character of Cessnock at all.'

'This was a very sad day for Cessnock.' said Councillor Ryan 'Individuals who have no accountability to the local community, and who don't live here, are being paid by ratepayers of Cessnock to make decisions which will have a serious impact on our community. And the community can't even vote to get rid of them!'

Cessnock Kurri Greens

James Ryan 0414 922 591
Chris Parker 0434 332217

Coal Seam Gas on the SMH Front Page

2010-09-24T07:49:00.001+10:00

I was uncharacteristically overjoyed to wake at 7 this morning when the wonderful people at 2RPH (Radio for the Print Handicapped - Newcastle repeater FM 100.5) read Ben Cubby's front page story on proposed Fraccing beside Warragamba Dam.

How stupid are these companys?

It's great timing with the Hunter Valley Protection Alliance push in the Hunter and the Josh Fox film GASLAND about to be released in Australia.

The NSW State Election MUST bring this issue to the top - the pressure has to force it out of the State's hands and bring forth Federal Legislation.

I've written to Tony Burke and Joel Fitzgibbon has also put my letter in front of him. Let's see if Tony progresses with the hold that Peter Garrett put on CSG and UCG in Queensland.

What's On In Wollombi - 22 September 2010

2010-09-22T14:16:00.006+10:00

This is the Email Newsletter sent almost weekly to Wollombi Valley Online members
To subscribe, join Wollombi Valley Online

A lot on in the coming fortnight...

I urge as many as possible so come to this event NEXT THURSDAY in Pokolbin. We MUST stop AGL or the entire valley comes into play. The state election in just 185 days gives us a great opportunity to upset the balance.

Their work now in Broke and Pokolbin will set up the infrastructure so that at least as far south as Paynes Crossing (and maybe further) will be back on the agenda. Please read this important briefing document and PLEASE tell your friends around the region, especially those in Pokolbin who may not yet be aware of their fate.

We now have the full support of the NSW Farmers Federation, The Hunter Thoroughbred Breeders Association, Hunter Valley Wine Country Tourism and the Hunter Valley Vineyards Association.

Public meeting on Coal Seam Gas Mining in Pokolbin
Date: Thursday 30-Sep-10 at 5:30 pm
There will be a public meeting to explain what we believe AGL plans to do, the impact so far at Broke/Fordwich and in other CSGM regions are inviting all members and representatives from each of the Associations to attend a presentation on the effects of coal seam gas extraction.

If you really want to get into it, put this in your diary and contact me - we'll join with other affected areas and organisations and arrange appropriate transport and media...

AGL Energy Annual General Meeting
Date: Thursday 21-Oct-10 at 10:30 am
AGL has their Annual General Meeting at 10:30 am on Thursday, October 21st at the City Recital Hall, Angel Place, Sydney. The new chairman will be announced at this meeting.

This is a prime opportunity to protest AGL given the shareholders, directors, etc. will all be attending. While it will not likely be possible to get inside the meeting (unless you are a shareholder), it will be a great opportunity to make the cause visible to those who are behind the company. Ideally, the protest will be quite visible (e.g., costumes, signs) and be designed to draw media attention to the event.

STOP PRESS

Following on from last evening's meeting at the Broke Hall, it was decided that a community protest would be held in Sydney on the last Friday of the school holidays - 8 October. There is much work to be done to coordinate this event. In the meantime, we are looking for a show of hands to get involved in this important activity.

It is only 6 months until the State election. To achieve our goals of obtaining legislative change from the State Government to protect our region we need to get the message out to the broader electorate. I spoke today with a gentleman who was a former Chief of Staff for a previous premier. His advice is that public protest that gets Sydney media attention is critical to our goals.
Please let me know if you can participate. Also, if you have specific ideas and thoughts, please send them to me. You can write back through this forum or email / call me directly at the contact information provided below.

John C Thomson
Executive Officer
Hunter Valley Protection Alliance
email: johnct@huntervalleyprotectionalliance.com
mobile: 0428 439 586

This Weekend

The Dennis Boys Band @ Laguna
Date: Friday 24-Sep-10 at 7:30 pm
They play country music the way it's meant to be played - gritty and aggressive with tight arrangements, great chops and beautiful singing. The result owes as much to Led Zeppelin as it does to Hank Williams and Elvis, its unmistakable country twang tempered by vicious guitars and a solid groove that's flipped wigs in city venues as righteously as in the Laguna Wine Bar.

RFS Open Day and Blessing of the Fleet 2010
Date: 25 September 2010
2010 is Wollombi's turn to host blessing of the fleet for Group 8. This will take place Saturday 25th September - meeting at the shed at 2pm for the parade through Wollombi culminating in the ceremony in Negro Street at 3pm. Also on this coming weekend is RFS Open Day - we will have a presence in the village in the morning of Saturday 25th in the Police driveway. Come and say hello or give us a hand if you can.

Cessnock-Kurri Greens Meeting with John Kaye MLC
Date: Sunday 26-Sep-10 at 3:00 pm
Our next meeting is at Greg and Rhonda's - 8 Hickey St Cessnock on Sunday 26th September - 3pm with guest speaker John Kaye MLC. Stay for Pumpkin Soup!

Singleton Show
Date: 24 to 26 September 2010
Sideshows, Rodeo, Demolition Derby, Ring Events and Competition, Craft Pavilions, Animal Nursery and ALL Agricultural Activities.

A touch of Class - Louise Crosdale @ CPAC
Date: Friday 24-Sep-10 at 7:30 pm
Enjoy the delightful music of Purcell, Schubert, Faure, Chausson, Brahms and many more! Performed by the Hunters rising star Louise Crosdale. With supporting artist Kate Marskell, a talented pianist performing works by Debussy and Brahms.

Wollombi Valley Progress Association Meeting
Date: Saturday 25-Sep-10 at 10:00 am
Wollombi Valley Progress Association meets at 10am on the last Saturday of the month at Wollombi Hall (excluding December)

Wollombi Fire Brigade Annual training Session
Date: Sunday 26-Sep-10 at 9:00 am
The Annual training session is on Sunday morning kicking off at 9am - those who attended last weekend session had a good time. The lunch was worth it alone.

Ellalong Hotel September Jam Session
Date: Sunday 26-Sep-10 at 5:00 pm
Ellalong Hotel Jam Session is a musical event that happens on the last Sunday of each month. Musicians and singers are encouraged to perform in the relaxed atmosphere of Ellalong Hotel. A professional PA is provided.

Lore of the Wollombi Valley - Peter Williams Exhibition at Wollombi Cultural Centre
Date: Until 26 September 2010
Peter's 5th exhibition at the Wollombi Cultural Centre should be of great interest to Wollombi Valley residents as his works represent the unique cave and engraving lore of the art-rich Wollombi, using acrylics or charcoal on canvas, some capturing a stone feel and look (as if in a cave situation). September 18th to 26th.

Next week

ADFAS: Cooking for Kings (Napoleon, The Prince Regent and Tsar of Russia) - Mr Ian Kelly
Date: Monday 27-Sep-10 at 7:00 pm
At Cessnock Performing Arts Centre, corner of Aberdare Rd and Vincent St, Cessnock. Evening Lectures start promptly at 7 pm, followed by wine and sandwiches.

Emerging Artist Awards 2010
Date: 1 to 10 October 2010
The Wollombi Valley Arts Council (WVAC) invites entries from all emerging artists of any age in any medium! This award is open to all artists who haven't had a solo exhibition in a commercial gallery (not-for-profit galleries including artist-run spaces not included).

Wollombi Valley Short Film Festival
Date: Saturday 02-Oct-10 at 7:00 pm
Since 1998, the Film Festival has encouraged locals and the rest of the world to show their video activities to a most enthusiastic audience.

Wollombi Markets - Labour Day Long Weekend
Date: Monday 04-Oct-10 at 8:00 am
Find those 'something special' Christmas presents and even more for yourself at Wollombi Markets this October Long Weekend.

Have a great weekend!

Peter Firminger

Coal Seam Gas

2010-09-20T13:19:00.004+10:00

TO: Tony Burke - Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
CC: Joel Fitzgibbon - Member for Hunter

Dear Minister,

Congratulations on your re-election and new role. I sincerely hope that the government can steer a steady course for your full term and that Regional and Rural Australia can achieve equality with the urban areas over this exciting time - which I'm sure both you and Mr Fitzgibbon will agree.

I'm pleading with you as not only the former Minister for Agriculture, but now as the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water and Communities, to step in over your State Premiers and STOP Hydro Fraccing of coal seams in areas where there are people and farming - at a Federal level.

The New York Senate has placed a moratorium on the practise in that state (in Shale Gas but it makes no difference) as they have serious concerns about the unpredictable effects of this very dangerous process.

There are thousands of documented cases of uncontrollable gas migration after fraccing a seam ending up in ground water and drinking water and the chemicals used in this process are an incredible cocktail of toxins. The very dangerous water taken from the ground prior to and during the process is of huge concerns to rural people, especially when stored in above-ground ponds as is being planned in Broke and, believe it or not (there are photos), when sprayed onto the ground surface as is happening in Broke now. This is saline water with other toxins.

When is the Federal Government going to regulate this with spot checks by a federal body and immediate cessation orders and loss of license for non-compliance?

While I know none of you will ever have the guts to allow people to completely own their property and have a say in what happens below their home and productive land, but at least we can agree that this process has had enough proven failures to make sure it doesn't happen in and around Broke and Gloucester in NSW and around the Tara Residential Estate in Qld and the multitude of other places in the Hunter and Central coast, Victoria etc. where it is being rolled out in prime agricultural land with people living right there amongst the wells.

AGL Energy are now invading Pokolbin, one of NSW greatest tourism assets and an historic and huge producer of Australian wines for domestic and export markets. This is just crazy!

Please stand up and protect peoples lives and livelihoods above the financial needs of bad state governments.

Tony, Joel. Please respond with your thoughts on Coal Seam Gas and Hydraulic Fracturing in Australia. Please talk to Peter Garrett who seemed to be finally on the right track with this - or was that why he was replaced?

Joel, I know you care about the whole Hunter Wine Country region. It's time for some common sense.

Please read the attached briefing and if you can, please attend the meeting in Pokolbin on September 30. Details at http://wage.org.au/events/display/1871

Thanks for your time,

Peter Firminger
Wollombi NSW 2325

Wollombi Update - 17 September 2010

2010-09-17T10:51:00.006+10:00

This is the Email Newsletter sent almost weekly to Wollombi Valley Online members
To subscribe, join Wollombi Valley Online

The Cessnock LEP debacle is nearly over. Unless the Planning Minister Tony Kelly intervenes, Wollombi Valley will be an Ru2 zone with no Significant Lands overlays (pending a Land Use Study) and the Village Heritage Zone remains as it currently is - the smaller and far more reasonable version.

This is a good outcome, though unfortunately, due to council politics, some very blocked ears and closed minds (and a state election in the wind), we don't have the protections offered by Clause 10 in the old LEP.

Both sides of the argument locally (E3 and RU2 supporters) came together to fight desperately for the re-inclusion of the Clause 10 provisions in the Wollombi Valley Working Party (Draft LEP) but the chair of that panel (Cessnock Planner Bo Moshage) flatly refused to act on anything the group came up with and the meetings went un-minuted - meaning that the councillors never heard what happened in those meetings.

Submissions to council were summarised (edited) in the report and didn't fully represent the opinions of the people in the valley (though the councillors should have read them in full as many people copied all 13 councillors on their submissions).

The council meeting was a circus. The planning department (the circus elephants in the room) were a joke as the councillors finally started to question them (and even the outgoing General Manager asked them some curly questions showing just how far they had strayed from the pack). As normal, the planners couldn't give a straight answer and chose to confuse the chamber and gallery with ridiculous answers and double negatives. The incompetent Cessnock Planning Department is the reason we no longer have a voice in planning matters.

I hold my head high for fighting for the right outcome with a group of 19 other people that put their local differences aside and worked together for a significantly better outcome, but failed to be heard (until the 11th hour when it was too late).

I want to personally thank the following people (and there are others as well) for their tireless work over the past few years - literally thousands of unpaid hours between them. Steve and Ray Annis-Brown, Paul and Priscilla Flemming, Simone Smith, Steve Sullivan, Paul Adams, Alan Hunt and Jim Hutchison. Add to that the rest of the Working Party who, on most occasions, had to travel to Cessnock during business hours without compensation for their time or travel expenses rather than two paid council staff travelling out to us in a Council vehicle - a huge waste of time and petrol that resulted in absolutely nothing anyway.

This is a win for Wollombi Valley, tainted by personal politics and systemic failure which are a dominant feature of Cessnock Council. Let's see if we can't still get a local provision added to include the dropped or flattened protections from the old Clause 10. Let's do it WITHOUT politics.

Read the Greens Media Release here and feel free to comment.

This Weekend

Lore of the Wollombi Valley - Peter Williams Exhibition at Wollombi Cultural Centre
Date: 18 to 26 September 2010
Peter's 5th exhibition at the Wollombi Cultural Centre should be of great interest to Wollombi Valley residents as his works represent the unique cave and engraving lore of the art-rich Wollombi, using acrylics or charcoal on canvas, some capturing a stone feel and look (as if in a cave situation). September 18th to 26th. Opens 5pm tonight

A Lunch Inspired by The Very Hungry Caterpillar Date: Saturday 18 September 2010
A Lunch Inspired by The Very Hungry Caterpillar invites guests to munch and crunch their way through seven tasting dishes prepared by exciting chefs using in-season produce from throughout the Hunter Valley. The event will be in a marquee at Wollombi Tennis Club and there will be sittings at noon and 1.30pm

Spring Green Gig at Laguna Hall
Date: Saturday 18-Sep-10 at 6:00 pm
A fundraiser for the Cessnock Kurri Greens - Dinner, Raffles, Live music, Dancing etc. $5 for adults - BYO

Bushfire Safety Community Meeting at Laguna Hall
Date: Sunday 19-Sep-10 at 10:00 am
Your local volunteer Rural Fire Service will be holding a Bushfire Safety Community Meeting to help you prepare for the upcoming Bushfire Season

Awabakal to Wonaruah @ Cessnock Regional Art Gallery
Date: Until 31 October 2010
An exhibition of indigenous artworks that explore the culture, lives and stories of the original Hunter Valley inhabitants, informed by oral history, archaeological research and anecdotal evidence. The exhibition will be supported by a community forum, story telling and outreach programs. This exhibition follows on from the very successful exhibition story.art.history.place, and will include works by Les Elvin, Leslie Salem and other artists.

Maitland Repertory Society Presents - Kid Stakes
Date: Until 2 October 2010
Kid Stakes by Ray Lawler, Directed by Noel Grivas - The first part of the Doll Trilogy. A joyful portrait of the summer of the first doll, in which a chance encounter brings Olive and Emma, Roo and Barney, into the shabby Carlton terrace to begin a seventeen year journey of seasonal love and argument. Kid Stakes introduces the fun-loving Nancy, who has left the scene by the seventeenth summer, adding a new poignancy to the story.

Community Market Day - Laguna
Date: Sunday 19-Sep-10 at 9:30 am
Local produce: veggies, free range eggs, fruit, herbs, plants, tubestock, flowers, olives, olive oil, lavender products, hand made creams, soap, home made cakes, pickles, sauces, jams, etc... 3rd Sunday every month

Next week

The Kelly Gang - Cessnock Council Planning Panel Meeting
Date: Thursday 23-Sep-10 at 3:30 pm
The panel's second meeting will be held Thursday September 23 at 3:30pm in the upstairs ante room. Planning panel meetings will be open to the public and meetings and applications will be advertised and appear on council's website.

Singleton Show
Date: 24 to 26 September 2010
Sideshows, Rodeo, Demolition Derby, Ring Events and Competition, Craft Pavilions, Animal Nursery and ALL Agricultural Activities.

A touch of Class - Louise Crosdale @ Cessnock Performing Arts Centre
Date: Friday 24-Sep-10 at 7:30 pm
Enjoy the delightful music of Purcell, Schubert, Faure, Chausson, Brahms and many more! Performed by the Hunters rising star Louise Crosdale. With supporting artist Kate Marskell, a talented pianist performing works by Debussy and Brahms.

The Dennis Boys Band @ Laguna
Date: Friday 24-Sep-10 at 7:30 pm
They play country music the way it's meant to be played - gritty and aggressive with tight arrangements, great chops and beautiful singing. The result owes as much to Led Zeppelin as it does to Hank Williams and Elvis, its unmistakable country twang tempered by vicious guitars and a solid groove that's flipped wigs in city venues as righteously as in the Laguna Wine Bar.

Wollombi Valley Progress Association Meeting
Date: Saturday 25-Sep-10 at 10:00 am
Wollombi Valley Progress Association meets at 10am on the last Saturday of the month at Wollombi Hall

Peter Firminger

Rural Blogging

2010-09-11T10:28:00.005+10:00

I have been reading Jim Belshaw's blogs for quite a while now and only recently got to meet and talk to him face to face at the first New State Movement meeting in Hamilton.

One that initially caught my interest was his Regional Living Australia - Information about work, life and play in Regional Australia.

I have also recently been reading the American blog The Art of the Rural - considering rural arts and culture in the twenty-first century - which I find to be a fascinating look at a multitude of rural and regional cultural topics. The story that got me in was Remembering the High Lonesome - which led me to the wonderful short film itself - well worth a watch to music lovers. I'll also add The Rural Blog to this.

Spinning off from a recent regional radio story also on that site, I found a American blog called Legal Ruralism - a little (legal) realism about the rural - which happens to have four Australian stories.

In the current "Three Amigos" or "Country Independents" era of political theatre, being someone passionate about rural Australia doing my best to publish about my corner of the world, I have been looking around for other Australian blogs, not particularly about a region, but about regional and rural issues.

Three I have found of interest (in no particular order) are:

ABC Rural Blog (a bit obvious I guess)
Rural Australia
Biting the Dust - A view of pharmacy and health from a very remote pharmacist

Apart from the ABC Rural one I haven't spent a lot of time reading these, but look forward to them now popping up in my reading list, inspiring me to do more along these lines as Rural Australia continues to be better connected. The Art of the Rural is a real inspiration to me.

Gas Watch 92 - AGL ENERGY Admits To Deliberately Polluting the Hunter - Government Inaction

2010-09-10T17:35:00.001+10:00

AGL ENERGY - pretends to by environmentally sensitive, but makes a conscious decision to dump hundreds of thousands of litres of contaminated water onto prime agricultural land rather than complying with environmental conditions and paying to have the water trucked and treated... Gas Watch 92 - AGL ENERGY Admits To Deliberately Polluting the Hunter - Government Inaction

AGL accused of dumping tainted water in Hunter

2010-09-09T13:28:00.005+10:00

Environmental Rapists AGL Energy do exactly what we expected them (and their previous partners Sydney Gas) to do. Wilfully pollute with their "Produced Water".

Cut corners to save money, dis-respect the environment they are in, both agricultural and an already fragile area due to many years of drought, and use the NSW State Government's lack of environmental concern in balance of potential money for their donors and future royalties.

"It's too difficult" to create legislation for this filthy practise, so they sneak it in under the Petroleum Onshore Act which doesn't cover the methodology used nor the corners that can be cut.

It needs to be changed NOW.

See the full story here

I've been writing to Libs and Nats as well as the Govt. but what a waste of time that is...

Political Donations

Year	Electorate	Candidate	Type	Party ^	Category	Donor	Amount
Total Records: 15
2003 - 2007	NSW Branch	NSW Branch	Donation	Labor NSW	Energy Companies	AGL Energy Ltd	$2,750
Apr07-Jun08	NSW Branch	NSW Branch,	Donation	Labor NSW	Energy Companies	AGL Energy	$13,200
2003 - 2007	NSW Branch	NSW Branch	Donation	Labor NSW	Energy Companies	AGL Energy Ltd	$5,500
Jul08-Dec08	NSW Branch	NSW Branch,	Donation	Labor NSW	Energy Companies	AGL Energy	$13,750
2003 - 2007	NSW Branch	NSW Branch	Donation	Labor NSW	Energy Companies	AGL Energy Ltd	$2,200
2003 - 2007	NSW Branch	NSW Branch	Donation	Labor NSW	Energy Companies	Actew DistributionLtd T/A ActewAGL Distribution Partnership	$3,600
2003 - 2007	Monaro	Whan, Steven	Donation	Labor NSW	Energy Companies	Actew DistributionLtd T/A ActewAGL Distribution Partnership	$1,000
$42,000

2003 - 2007	NSW Branch	NSW Branch	Donation	Liberal NSW	Energy Companies	AGL Energy Ltd	$2,975
Apr07-Jun08	NSW Branch	NSW Branch,	Donation	Liberal NSW	Energy Companies	AGL	$11,000
Apr07-Jun08	NSW Branch	NSW Branch,	Donation	Liberal NSW	Energy Companies	AGL	$550
Jan09-Jun09	NSW Branch	,	Donation	Liberal NSW	Energy Companies	AGL	$11,000
Apr07-Jun08	NSW Branch	NSW Branch,	Donation	Liberal NSW	Energy Companies	AGL Energy	$1,500
2003 - 2007	NSW Branch	NSW Branch	Donation	Liberal NSW	Energy Companies	AGL Energy Ltd	$2,200
2003 - 2007	NSW Branch	NSW Branch	Donation	Liberal NSW	Energy Companies	AGL Energy Ltd	$5,000
$34,225

2003 - 2007	NSW Branch	NSW Branch	Donation	National NSW	Energy Companies	AGL Energy Ltd	$2,196
							$2,196

						Total:	$78,421

Pollution incident by AGL Energy in the Hunter Valley - Whitewash by the Government - Community Protest

2010-09-09T08:16:00.002+10:00

AGL ENERGY has deliberately and intentionally pumped hundreds of thousands of litres of highly saline water onto pasture adjacent to the Wollombi Brook in the Hunter Valley to avoid trucking it away to a treatment plant, according to a report made to the Department of the Environment and the Department of Industry & Investment.

This blatant disrespect for both the environment and the community means quality agricultural land has been contaminated in AGL's quest for coal seam methane gas and, possibly, the Wollombi Brook and the Hunter River itself.

Site photographs show the flooded pasture, the pumping equipment and the dying vegetation. AGL's reaction to these allegations has been to bury the evidence by having the pasture quickly plowed under.

Independent analysis of the contaminated water shows it to be "Class 6 Extremely High Salinity - not suitable for irrigation."

The Department of Industry & Investment verbally indicates they are willing to accept AGL ENERGY's explanation that it had pumped 120,000 litres of "brackish" water onto pasture; that AGL ENERGY "knew they shouldn't have done it"; that AGL ENERGY "recognized that they have done the wrong thing" and that AGL ENERGY's plowing up the evidence is their form of remediation.

The Department, in accepting AGL's explanation, refused to interview the eye witnesses, refused to obtain soil samples, refused to undertake its own water tests. The Government was asked to take the allegations seriously and investigate them thoroughly and objectively with a view to protection the environment. To date the Government has not done that. It smacks of a total whitewash by a Government which is both regulator of the industry and beneficiary of the eventual royalties from the same industry.

AGL did not deny the allegation, merely stating the "allegations are unsubstantiated and unproven." The evidence, the water analysis, and the dead pasture both substantiate and prove the allegations. AGL's hurried attempts to bury the evidence further put claim to the allegations.

The residents of the Hunter Valley are calling for a full and urgent investigation into the allegation.

Community protests are scheduled against AGL at the Broke Village Fair Sunday September 12th, attended by about 10,000 people annually.

MEDIA CONTACT: John Thomson, Executive Officer. 0428 439586

Kelly Club Meetings - Cessnock Planning and Communication Failures

2010-09-08T16:52:00.005+10:00

According to The Advertiser - a weekly paper, the Planning Minister Tony Kelly's Cessnock Council Planning Panel meetings commence tomorrow afternoon.

In the article, it states:

Planning panel meetings will be open to the public and meetings and applications will be advertised and appear on council’s website.

and

The pane’s [sic] first meeting will be held tomorrow (Thursday) at 4pm in the upstairs ante room, followed by another on September 23 at 3.30pm.

Yet the two meetings mentioned don't appear anywhere I can see on Council's website.

In fact, I can't find any mention of the Planning Panel on the Council website at all. One would think that it would at least make the News Section!

Get it together Council! No wonder people complain.

The Rat in the Hat

2010-09-07T14:43:00.005+10:00

One down... As predicted, Bob Katter has split ranks for whatever reason, his own ego and to underline his sense of independence presumably.

Don't get me wrong... I love him. He's so passionate about his causes and yet so on the edge that it becomes addictive to watch him.

I can't understand his love of mining in Queensland when agriculture in the Darling Downs is being decimated by coal mining, underground coal gassification and coal seam methane. I guess it doesn't matter in Southern Queensland...

Political Climate Change

2010-09-05T11:43:00.009+10:00

Climate change really did affect the outcome of the 2010 Australian Federal Election, not on the lack of environmental action by either side, but a change in the Political Climate and the perception of Government representation by the Australian People.

There have been polls that suggest that some percentage of people (around 10% from memory) would change their vote if we went to another election. How disingenuous! The ONLY people that should be changing their vote are those that accidentally voted informal, by numbering only one candidate on the green ballot or similar technical errors.

Update 6 Sept: In a survey of 1000 people, asked if they'd prefer a hung parliament or go back to the polls, 54% said they'd go back to the polls. I'm sick of hearing that the Government is being held to ransom by the three Independents. Frankly this is the most pleasant the Government has been in many many years. The Coalition continues to whinge... boo hoo, it's not fair, we didn't win :( Time to take a good hard look at the candidates. If I'd voted for the Coalition, I'd probably want a second vote too, to put them out of a job.

It wasn't really a surprise that a Hung Parliament was in the wind. Don Burke predicted it in May and Kevin Rudd was questioning Rob Oakeshott and Bob Katter on their likely direction in a hung situation the evening before and the night he was knifed.

We need to put Optional Preferential Voting into the Federal ballot. Here in the Hunter, voters were forced to preference either Joel Fitzgibbon (ALP) or Michael Johnsen (Nats) because the other three candidates were never really in the running for a win. This is of course the same in about 140 other electorates.

Given that unfair scenario, I chose to preference Michael Johnsen simply because I want to lower the margin that Labor has for the next election, meaning that Joel may have to come out and actually campaign for something and offer some real policies to the people of the Hunter, and so that some of the financial benefits that Patterson got, happen across the Hunter which is in great need of reform.

The ONLY thing that the sitting member did was turn the sod on the F3 extension, curiously timed during the election campaign, but nowhere near being an election issue. What about health? Especially health issues due to mining and coal seam gas. The Labor Party (I don't care what branch) closed Gulgong Hospital during the election campaign!

The bottom line on voting (though you'd hardly know if from the last election or the 10 previous) is that you vote for the best candidate in your electorate. That's what the people in the "Country Independents" electorates did and look where it has got them now.

You DO NOT vote for a Government or a Prime Minister.

Every one of the 150 people elected to the House have to be accountable to ALL the people and do their best personally to represent the views of their local constituents. ALL votes on the floor of the house should not be encumbered by party room directions and the Cabinet should be made up of the best people in the House, not the best they can manage in the majority party.

I'm not saying that Adam Bandt should be a minister, I don't know that he's qualified in any field to be the best, but in a Labor Government, Malcolm Turnbull is far better at a number of portfolios than most of the Labor cabinet. Kevin Rudd should certainly also play a part, but Joe Hockey, Chris Pyne and Tony Abbott are done - they simply don't play well with others. To the back bench gentlemen.

Bob Brown should however, replace Peter Garrett and maybe Adam Bandt comes in as Parliamentary Secretary and can be Bob's voice in the House.

The real question is who will be the Speaker? "The Independents" have made it clear that this person must be independent (or have independence) of the parties, but if the parliament is split 76/74 as I predict, Labor isn't going to give up such a slim majority by dedicating (as much as I love him as Speaker) Harry Jenkins to the speakership making the floor balance on a 1 seat lead, especially when the three Rural Independents, Wilkie and Bandt have all said that they'll guarantee supply and confidence but won't neccessarily support them in voting.

Making either Rob Oakeshott or Tony Windsor Speaker would be a waste of a good mind and part of the essential power balance, same with Bandt, and Bob Katter is too much of a loose cannon. Wilke?

I doubt that the Coalition will want to let go of a possible voting majority either.

This is the most exciting time in politics that I have ever seen, the hung Parliament is the beginning of getting back to a real democracy, and we need to take advantage of the next three years to reform campaign funding, parliamentary behaviour, throw out the dominance of the Two Party Preferred system and make voting across the country one simple system.

Allowing people to exhaust their vote after their preferred candidate (if they don't win) is fundamental to a democratic vote. Why should I have to choose between whether I hate One Nation more than the Fred Nile Group. The racists against the porn kings!

Had I had a choice, my vote would have been 1 Green and nothing else with neither Michael or Joel getting the use of my vote after Chris was eliminated. Still counted as a Primary vote with no flow-on.

The outcome of this election would have been vastly different, and my guess (based on reports from scrutineers who saw the informal ballots) is that half of the informal votes would have counted and both the Greens and Labor would have had a higher Primary vote. That's about 3% more across the Hunter.

And change doesn't have to end with the federal system. NSW needs serious reform as well. I seriously hope that the same situation occurs in NSW though it virtually impossible that Labor will get anywhere near it. The Coalition will be almost as bad if they dominate in Macquarie Street as Labor have been. We need a wide range of independents and smaller parties to carry a large balance to keep the system clean.

It's not going to work. Even though the bush is in the spotlight at the moment, the Sydney Government will always side on where they can make big money, be it Poker Machines or Mining Royalties, and they will always spend the vast majority of that money in Sydney and I mean in a non-proportionate way. Of course more people live in urban areas than do in the rural and regional areas - two thirds, but do they really need to waste millions of dollars on a V8 Super Car race at Homebush over decent roads in one of the states major tourist regions?

Time for a change, for self-determination and for a split for the North of the state. Agitation for a New State is not a new thing, and the agitation is more than a distant rumble, both in Northern NSW and Northern Queensland. The constitution very clearly affords the people to decide, and while it may be slightly sad for the sake of the history of the state on NSW, it will be a defining moment in the written history for hundreds of years to come.

Bring it on!

I said it last week and I remain convinced that Katter will vote alone for the Coalition and Oakeshott and Windsor will go with Labor. A dream outcome for democracy.

Peter Firminger

Wollombi Valley Update - 3 September 2010

2010-09-03T11:23:00.010+10:00

Hi all,

We (will) have a new General Manager at Cessnock City Council. Ms. Lee Rosser is a former General Manager of Canada Bay and Auburn City Councils and has worked in local government in varying roles for more than 30 years.

Ms. Rosser will thankfully commence duties at CCC on Tuesday October 5. More at the end...

The following taken from various sources (RFS Website and notice in OON)

Bushfire Danger Period
Date: September 2010 to March 2011
Bushfire Danger Period runs from 1 September 2010 to 31 March 2011 in the Hunter
To carry out a Bush Fire Hazard Reduction Burn, you may need:

a Fire Permit and/or
an Environmental Approval (Bush Fire Hazard Reduction Certificate (BFHRC)). If you need a BFHRC you must gain this before applying for a separate Fire Permit, to burn.

Who do you call? Your local BFB Fire Permit Officer:

Laguna
Trevor Winn 02 4998 8381

Wollombi
Tony Hawkins 0438 492 133
Grahame Maclean 0402 424 242
Ian Bawden 0427 983 226

Millfield
Des Kaminsky 4998 1723
Luke Crump 0417 067 007
Robert Baer 02 4998 1346

Bucketty
Les Stewart 0400 113 247
David Finnie 02 4998 8191

If you are uncertain about which area you are in, or for other advice, call Cessnock Fire Control on 4991 1733 (ask for Ian Bell) to arrange an inspection and fire permit.

See the RFS website for further details

Bushfire Safety Community Meeting at Laguna Hall
Date: Sunday 19-Sep-2010 at 10:00 am
Your local volunteer Rural Fire Service will be holding a Bushfire Safety Community Meeting to help you prepare for the upcoming Bushfire Season

This weekend

Land Forms - Lorna Wall Exhibition at Wollombi Cultural Centre
Date: 3 to 12 September 2010
Lorna presents a Contemporary Exhibition of a collection of recent works on paper and canvas, using various media and collage, comprising waterscapes and landscapes which explore shapes, line and colour. Opening drinks at 6pm tonight

Jam Session and J9's Food wit' 'tude @ Laguna
Date: TONIGHT
J9's Famous Food wit' 'tude is back on band nights! BBQ marinated steak with spud & fresh garden salad $20, J9's famous curry $15, Nini's Vego Pasta $15 plus our Home made pizzas and nachos.

Wollombi Wild Ride
Date: Saturday 04-Sep-10 at 10:00 am
Come and test yourself on one of the three Mountain Bike courses for Novice, Regular or Serious riders. Make a day of it and bring the family to beautiful Wollombi. This exciting new event promises to be a challenging mountain bike race in and around Wollombi, Hunter Valley and Yango National Park. The Wollombi Wild Ride will be raising funds for and awareness of the Hunter Prostate Cancer Alliance.

Remember: this will affect traffic in Wollombi Village, Yango Creek, Dry Arm and Moores Road on Saturday... Plan ahead

Theatrefest Hunter 2010
Date: 4 September 2010
This fun and exciting unique event, brings together Theatre Groups and Students from Year 9, 10, 11 and 12 throughout the region, in a competition to be held at the Cessnock Performing Arts Centre on Saturday 4th of September 2010.

Fancy Dress Night with Kellie Cain at Paxton Hotel
Date: Saturday 04-Sep-10 at 7:30 pm
Country and Western theme, spit roast dinner, tickets from Michelle or Paxton Hotel. Bookings required for dinner. Courtesy bus pickup from Wollombi at 7pm

End of Days at Ellalong Hotel
Date: Saturday 04-Sep-10 at 7:30 pm
End of Days - a Hard Rock Band, consisting of 5 members located near Newcastle.

Next Week

Garden Group Meeting
Date: Monday 06-Sep-10 at 1:00 pm
The Garden Group will meet at Lynette, Alyssa, Chris and Dirk's place - Corrected Directions here

Coalfields Rock the Ages @ CPAC
Date: 7 and 8 September 2010
Join the Cessnock Community of Great Public Schools for a night of Power Rock, Rock and Roll, Hip Hop Rock, Hippy Rock, Rock that will make you shake your tail feather, twist and shout! Have a Rockin' Good Time as we show you how the Schools of the Coalfields ROCK THE AGES!

Next Weekend

A huge weekend starting with AlanG and Judas... ending with PeterM and Jesus :)

Alan Glover's 2010 Comedy Night at Laughuna Hall
Date: Friday 10-Sep-10 at 8:00 pm
Featuring the comedy stars of the new Australian Movie "Up the Aisle" Alan Glover, Garry Who, Judas Falling, Stef Torok and Matt Okine. Book now at Laguna Wine Bar

Wollombi Music Festival
Date: 11 September 2010
11 September 2010 is the funky, definitely groovy, high energy Wollombi Music Festival. Located at 2758 Wollombi Rd, 2 minutes outside of Wollombi - be there! Line-up: Deep Street Soul - Tijuana Cartel - King Tide - The Rhythm Hunters - Street Warriors - A French Butler Called Smith - Chase The Sun - Grandmaster Monk - The Dennis Boys Band - Wollombi Radio - Ngurra Bu Dancers

Wollombi Cattle Sales
Date: Saturday 11-Sep-10 at 1:00 pm
Cattle sales are held at the Wollombi Sale Yards at 1pm on the second Saturday each month.

The Broke Village Fair
Date: 12 September 2010
Sunday 12th September 2010 will be the biggest day of the year for the village of Broke with the annual Broke Village Fair. This long running annual event is a market day for local produce, a display of classic vintage farm machinery - all still operating! Hundreds of classic and vintage cars, motorbikes, trucks and tractors will converge on McNamara Park in Broke to show off for the day. Woodchopping - food & wine - animals and reptiles - all to raise funds for the local school, RFS, Village Hall and churches.

The Cutaways at Wollombi Tavern
Date: Sunday 12-Sep-10 at 11:00 am
The Cutaways live on Sunday at the Tavern

Awabakal to Wonaruah @ CRAG
Date: 12 September to 31 October 2010
An exhibition of indigenous artworks that explore the culture, lives and stories of the original Hunter Valley inhabitants, informed by oral history, archaeological research and anecdotal evidence. The exhibition will be supported by community forum, story telling and outreach program. This exhibition follows on from the very successful exhibition story.art.history.place, and will include works by Les Elvin and Leslie Salem.

Theology in the Pub
Date: Sunday 12-Sep-10 at 4:00 pm
All Religions or no Religion... The second Sunday of the month at Laguna Wine Bar

Heads Up

A Lunch Inspired by The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Date: 18 September 2010
A favourite children's book is the inspiration behind a wonderful fundraising lunch being hosted by Hunter Mobile Preschool in Wollombi on Saturday, September 18. The event is being supported by "foodies" from the area who have a reputation for their innovative and exciting dishes.

Spring Green Gig at Laguna Hall
Date: Saturday 18-Sep-10 at 6:00 pm
A fundraiser for the Cessnock Kurri Greens - Dinner, Raffles, Live music, Dancing etc. $5 for adults - BYOG

Council

A very colourful council meeting on Wednesday night, with the Mayor siding with the 4 Labor Councillors to lose a vote on a motion put by Clr. James Ryan to spend a maximum $5,000 to get legal advice on the Sydney Government Planning Minister Tony Kelly's actions. The motion was won 6/5 in the absence of Clr. Burcham and Clr. McCudden.

This common-sense victory was short-lived as Labor Clr. Smith foreshadowed a rescission motion at the next meeting.

Outgoing General Manager Bernie Mortimore then said he would not act on the successful motion until the rescission motion had been voted on in two weeks. Good work Bernie! Screw us one more time before you go. The motion carried... get on with it.

If the GM had sacked the second most incompetent planning department in the history of civilisation (the planners of Pisa beating them by a whisker to the right), this whole debacle would never have happened. The Councillors can't sack them, and they have put in new practices to vastly improve the system. As James Ryan says "...in the current financial year, most development applications at Cessnock were being approved in 29 days or under, making Cessnock council one of the best performing councils in NSW".

Hats off to Clr. Ryan and Deputy Mayor Clr. Ian Olsen for their honesty and to the other four who supported it for having a backbone and a conscience against Labor's deals-for-donors.

There were only five (plus two press) in the gallery. In speaking to four of those outside, I was in the vast minority in thinking that Kelly's actions were undemocratic and wrong, and that this is all to do with Labor donors like Hardie Holdings and their developments like Sanctuary Villages getting pushed through by the Labor machine. They seem to think that if this all goes to plan, that the "mum and dad" DAs over $100k but less than $1m should sail through in under 90 days and the panel won't touch them.

Point taken. But notice the specificity of the order. It's for the over $1m projects - the (Labor Donor) Hardies Holdings projects. $5,000 to try and stop this against $100,000 pa plus expenses that the Council has to pay the Panel - a gamble I think is worth pursuing even though the Sydney Labor Government previously removed "Natural Justice" as a defence.

Story in the Herald here - not one of Donna Sharpe's best efforts :(

204 days to go! Barry O'Farrell has said that he will restore council planning powers across the state and disband the Planning Panels, but he won't comment on this particular case.

I hope the new GM rides in on a big broom and she puts it to good use in the CCC Planning Department.

For those interested and sick to death of being abused by Sydney Politics, the Northern (New England) New State Movement has been reformed with a general Steering Committee and the first branch (Hunter) was also formed at a meeting in Newcastle on 7 August 2010. A Hunter Branch meeting will take place tomorrow at Sydney Junction Hotel in Hamilton starting at 1pm. Read about the reformation here and see the Facebook page here.

Peter Firminger
webboy@wollombi.nsw.au

These are just highlights - see the full event list and local news updated (almost) daily on Wollombi Valley Online, and if you receive this email forwarded from someone else (or via Facebook etc.), please consider joining so you're on the list and participating with the other 381 current Wollombi members and 30 Broke members. Disclaimer: I am a member of Cessnock-Kurri Greens.

New England, Australia: A new state for New England

2010-09-03T10:48:00.001+10:00

New England, Australia: A new state for New England

36 Months of Wollombi Valley Online - GWCA News

2010-09-01T09:33:00.001+10:00

36 Months of Wollombi Valley Online - GWCA News

Wollombi Update - 27 August 2010 (late edition)

2010-08-27T16:27:00.010+10:00

What an interesting week this has been! Mr Rabbit must have stopped the boats as he hasn't mentioned that massive invasion of diseased terrorists since last Saturday! Whew... Lucky we had an election to sort that threat out. It's amazing what can get fixed over a weekend every few of years (or weeks maybe).

Sorry... Let me first remind you that next Saturday 4th September will see Wollombi Village and Yango Creek Road flooded with pushbikes for the Wollombi Wild Ride. Plan ahead (or just shut your eyes and aim down the middle). See their website below for details.

ALP challenged in Cessnock - Clr. Dale Troy stands as an independent for the state seat of Cessnock against Kerry "Of course I lied" Hickey
Media release from Planning Minister Tony Kelly - An explanation (of sorts) of his actions against Cessnock Council
Cessnock Council must resist Labor Government's imposition of Planning Panel - A response from Sylvia Hale MLC (Greens spokesperson on Planning and Local Government)
See also Kitchener land zoning revisited after stuff up another embarrassing blunder by State Labor that they used (and are STILL using) as an excuse for stripping the powers from Council

Tonight

Laguna Public School P&C Art Show
Date: 28 and 29 August 2010
19th Annual Art Exhibition This year's art show will begin with a Gala Opening Night TONIGHT. The exhibition will be open to the public all weekend from 10am to 4pm. Great food, lovingly crafted local raffle prizes and always a wonderful art exhibition.

This Weekend

Wollombi Valley Progress Association AGM Tomorrow
Date: Saturday 28-Aug-10 at 10:00 am

GASLAND - A film by Josh Fox at BROKE HALL Tomorrow
Date: Saturday 28-Aug-10 at 4:00 pm
Hunter Valley Protection Alliance is pleased to invite you and your friends to a special preview screening of Josh Fox's controversial & award-winning documentary GASLAND followed by a community BBQ

Governor Macquarie's Favourites: the Music of Scotland
Date: Sunday 29-Aug-10 at 2:00 pm
Chris Duncan - renowned Scottish fiddler, Catherine Strutt - piano and Jennifer Strutt - Cape Breton Step Dancer, present an afternoon of Scottish music in the Reception Room of the Sisters of Mercy Convent in Singleton.

Ellalong Hotel August Jam Session
Date: Sunday 29-Aug-10 at 5:00 pm
Ellalong Hotel Jam Session is a musical event that happens on the last Sunday of each month. Musicians and singers are encouraged to perform in the relaxed atmosphere of Ellalong Hotel. A professional PA is provided.

Next Week

Bushfire Danger Period starts
Date: September 2010 to March 2011
Bushfire Danger Period runs from 1 September 2010 to 31 March 2011 - See a list of local RFS contacts that can issue permits.

Wollombi Wild Ride
Date: Saturday 04-Sep-10 at 10:00 am
Come and test yourself on one of the three Mountain Bike courses for Novice, Regular or Serious riders. This exciting event promises to be a challenging mountain bike race in and around Wollombi and Yango National Park.

Heads Up

Maitland Repertory Society Presents - Kid Stakes
Date: 15 September to 2 October 2010
Kid Stakes by Ray Lawler, Directed by Noel Grivas

The first part of the Doll Trilogy. A joyful portrait of the summer of the first doll, in which a chance encounter brings Olive and Emma, Roo and Barney, into the shabby Carlton terrace to begin a seventeen year journey of seasonal love and argument. Kid Stakes introduces the fun-loving Nancy, who has left the scene by the seventeenth summer, adding a new poignancy to the story.

A Lunch Inspired by The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Date: 18 September 2010
A favourite children's book is the inspiration behind a wonderful fundraising lunch being hosted by Hunter Mobile Preschool in Wollombi on Saturday, September 18. The event is being supported by "foodies" from the area who have a reputation for their innovative and exciting dishes.

They include Sacha Kidd and Lesley Bloomer of Cafe Wollombi; Jane Young of Capers Guesthouse; Armando Percuoco of Buon Ricordo; Linda Booth from Yango Bend; Bruno Giagu of Panino; Joe Pereira of Millfield General Store; Sheryl Thomas of the Gate Cafe; and Michael Noyce of Noyce Brothers Wines.

These are just highlights - see the full event list and local news updated (almost) daily on Wollombi Valley Online, and if you receive this email forwarded from someone else (or via Facebook etc.), please consider joining so you're on the list and participating with the other 379 current members (and if you want off the list, please reply and let me know). If you don't want to go through the join process, email me and I'll add you manually.

You can then add your own events and news, photos, poetry etc. and a business listing in the Wollombi Valley Business Directory, soon to be reprinted and made available at local retail outlets. ALL FOR FREE!

If you have an event (or a business) that isn't listed, please either add it yourself or email me the details and I'll add it for you.

See you tonight?

Peter Firminger
webboy@wollombi.nsw.au

Tony Kelly makes up his own reasons to help Labor Contributors

2010-08-24T12:08:00.012+10:00

NSW Planning Minister Tony Kelly's reasons for appointing an Independent Planning Panel are simply ludicrous, apportioning blame to the Council for delays in referrals instead of the NSW Government Departments that hold up DA Processing.

When referring to LEP hold ups , he separates issues as separate LEPs when the (Draft) Comprehensive LEP (2010) is a SINGLE PROCESS that has been modified over time (in the right direction) with a lot of hard work and lobbying from the ratepayers, particularly those in and around Wollombi Valley, at least 20 of which helped at their own considerable expense.

He says "The panel will not, however, take on the role of preparing Cessnock’s new council-wide LEP. This responsibility will remain with the Council, although the Minister has asked the Department of Planning to closely monitor the progress of this important plan."

The best example of Kelly's total incompetence in this is:

DA referrals

Cessnock Council has one of the highest rates of DA referrals to State Government agencies, with 52% of applications requiring referral in 2008/09 (up from 43% in 07/08), compared to an average of 16% for similar councils and a State-wide average of just 11%.
Moreover, the average referral time for Cessnock Council in 2008/09 was 70 days (up from 55 days in 07/08), compared to 42 days for similar councils and a State-wide average of 54 days.
Despite referrals having a significant impact on its gross DA processing times, Council’s response did not seek to explain why there are so many referrals or why it takes longer to resolve referrals than the rest of the State.
Similarly, Council’s response does not provide any information on what, if anything, it is doing about the referral process which is clearly causing such delays in its DA processing.

Greens spokesperson on Planning and Local Government, Sylvia Hale says:

"Minister Kelly's failure to revoke a Part 5.5 Direction issued to Cessnock Council until 18 June 2010 has effectively tied the Council's hands in dealing with Cessnock's Draft LEP.

"The direction required the Council not to prepare any planning document that was inconsistent with an agreement between the Minister for Planning and Hardie Holdings in December 2006.

"But the Land and Environment Court in August 2009 considered the agreement amounted to a 'land bribe'. Council has been between a rock and a hard place. If it complied with the Minister's direction, it would be acting illegally. But not complying has resulted in the Minister removing the Council's planning powers."

See also Kitchener land zoning revisited after stuff up another embarrassing blunder by State Labor that they used (and are STILL using) as an excuse for stripping the powers from the 13 people we elected to our Council.

This is a NSW Government failure, not a Cessnock Council failure. How can Cessnock Council comment on why the incompetent Sydney Government can't process issues referred to them without simply saying that the departments, including Kelly's are incompetent. The people will decide on March 26.

Most of the complaints he refers to occurred in the previous Labor-dominant elected council, not the current one which have strived to clean up the filthy Labor legacy in Cessnock Council.

This is clearly a political decision from Sussex Street to control a council that Labor have lost to Independants, Greens and Liberals and to make sure their party contributors Hardie Holdings get some value from their purchased Government, in the Government's remaining 7 months in power.

Cessnock City Council have my full support in this regard. This Government has to go, especially Kerry "Of course I lied" Hickey.

It is also a perfect example of why the Hunter and New England need to form a new Northern State and separate from Sydney interests.

See "Political Storm Surrounding Cessnock Council" on NBN - with Kerry Hickey, James Ryan and Alison Davey
Download Tony Kelly's Media Release here
See the story in The Herald here
See The Greens' planning spokesperson Sylvia Hale's Media Release here
See the original story here

Sylvia Hale: Cessnock Council must resist Labor Government's imposition of Planning Panel

2010-08-24T09:48:00.001+10:00

Cessnock Council must resist Labor Government's imposition of Planning Panel - Wollombi Valley Online News

Fwd: Appointment of Planning Panel - Wollombi Valley Online News

2010-08-23T17:40:00.004+10:00

Fwd: Appointment of Planning Panel - Wollombi Valley Online News

Today this notification of the removal of Council's planning powers arrived from the Planning Minister Tony Kelly.

It is with utter disgust and palpable frustration I inform the wider community of the obvious implications and impact of a decision like this will have on all sides of opinion.

Those of you who took so much time and consideration in your submissions to Council regarding the LEP, will in effect, have your voices and your wishes removed.

I believe as we watch the Federal Labor Government tear itself apart, and the knives so quickly and easily drawn by State Labor toward their own, we are in for the same treatment at a Local level.

So the headway we have made as a working Council, as your representatives is taken away and a faceless panel installed to determine our futures.

Kind regards,

Clr. Cordelia Burcham

Full details including the letter from Tony Kelly here

Media Release from Tony Kelly here

Cessnock City Council Loses Planning Powers

2010-08-23T16:57:00.013+10:00

I have been informed that the Sydney (NSW) Government has stripped Cessnock City Council of its planning powers.

The NSW Labor Party has decided to do this amidst the confusion of the outcome of the Federal Election.

The Planning Minister, Tony Kelly has appointed a Planning Panel which will consist of three people, Tim Rogers (Chair) paid $40,000 pa, Alison McCabe and Vince Berkhout at $30,000 pa each. The Council are responsible for paying the Director-General (NSW Dept Planning) the "remuneration and costs and expenses" [sic] of the panel. The panel has been appointed for a period of five years (with a review after two years), which means Cessnock Ratepayers just lost $500,000 plus expenses from their budget, due to a "closet" of politically endangered and incompetent arseholes in Sussex and Macquarie Streets, headed by Tony Kelly.

215 DAYS TO GO

The Order was written on 11 August and Minister Kelly's letter carries a date stamp of 16 August, recieved in Cessnock on 23 August 2010 - held over to let the Federal Election pass for their little cut-throat mate Mark Arbib no doubt. It was also signed before local member Kerry Hicky's "Why I Lied" (the milkman did it) moment.

My guess is that the Labor-owned panel will make it pretty easy for huge developments like Huntlee near Branxton and Sanctuary Villages at Paxton/Millfield etc. to get up without worrying about the required infrastructure and who's funding it, nor the needs of the current community and ability of the environment to cope with the outfall (into Wollombi Brook). This seems to me to be a final bid to help out their political donors like Hardie Holdings before they get their fat arses kicked out of office in 215 days time.

Update: Sylvia Hale agrees!

Full details and the Letter from Tony Kelly here

Media Release from Tony Kelly here

Wollombi/Broke Update - 18 August 2010

2010-08-18T11:24:00.004+10:00

A busy time coming up around the valley... Click the links for details

Of major note for your diary:

GASLAND - A film by Josh Fox at BROKE HALL
Date:Saturday 28-Aug-10 at 4:00 pm
Hunter Valley Protection Alliance is pleased to invite you and your friends to a special preview screening of Josh Fox's controversial & award-winning documentary GASLAND followed by a community BBQ

Tickets available at Broke Store and will also be at Wollombi Store later today or tomorrow. $10 including BBQ. We can arrange car-pooling or a bus from Wollombi if required.

More at the bottom (breaking news!)...

Friday night

Jam Session and J9's Food wit' 'tude @ Laguna
Date:Friday 20-Aug-10 at 7:30 pm
Forget Master Chef, we've got HRH J9's Food wit' 'tude!! BBQ marinated steak with spud & fresh garden salad $20, J9's famous curry $15, Nini's Vego Pasta $15 plus home-made pizzas and nachos. All that and the now famous Laguna Jam Session!

Rob Wilson at Ellalong Hotel
Date:Friday 20-Aug-10 at 7:30 pm
Rob Wilson won the Tamworth Independent Artists Recognition Award (TIARA) for Best Male Vocalist in 2008 and his vocal harmony skills are in great demand throughout the industry.

This weekend

An election!
Local booths, electorate and candidate information (Broke details here)

Milbrodale Mountain Classic
Date:21 and 22 August 2010
State Off Road Championship Round for Buggies, 2wd & 4wd cars. Run over two days - 21 and 22 August. The course has many jumps, making good viewing for spectators.

Wollombi Valley Landcare Group Meeting
Date:Saturday 21-Aug-10 at 2:00 pm
The next Landcare meeting will be held at the Sue & Graham Taylor's property "Belalla" at 224 Dry Arm Track and the discussion will be on Land for Wildlife.

Tony Wells, Land for Wildlife Regional Coordinator with the Community Environment Network (CEN), based at Ourimbah, has agreed to provide an update on Land for Wildlife, talk us through the Property Assessment he prepared for Sue & Graham, and then follow that with a walk through their property.

The Big Shivoo
Date:Saturday 21-Aug-10 at 7:00 pm
While votes are counted in Canberra, the Putty Hall will be reverberating with the sounds of Gleny Rae and The Playboys with special guest Mic Conway, at The Big Shivoo (Putty Valley Ball).

John Denver - Just a Country Boy - A Tribute at Cessnock Performing Arts Centre
Date:Saturday 21-Aug-10 at 8:00 pm
Take a journey to discover the man behind the songs that the world loves to sing along to, including Thank God I'm a Country Boy, Country Roads and Leaving on a Jet Plane. Australian-born Graham Toole's interpretation of John Denver, accompanied by his seven piece band, is remarkable. Toole creates the magic of Denver's music that clearly reflects Denver as a concerned citizen who worked to improve the environment and quality of life for all.

Continuing

Inspired by the Landscape at the Wollombi Cultural Centre
Date:Until 29 August 2010
Fiona Bateman, Ron Royes and Julia Francis exhibiting landscape-inspired, new works.

Our Place at Cessnock Regional Art Gallery
Date:Until 29 August 2010
Our Place is an exhibiton of prints, paintings and textile pieces created by five local artists in response to their engagement with the landscape of the Hunter Valley including Jaqui White, Linda Greedy, Pamela Ireland, Amanda Davies and Pamela Fitzsimmons.

Next Week

ADFAS: Architectural Trompe L'oeil ('Trick the Eye') - Mr Stephen Taylor, NADFAS
Date:Monday 23-Aug-10 at 7:00 pm
At Cessnock Performing Arts Centre, corner of Aberdare Rd and Vincent St, Cessnock. Evening Lectures start promptly at 7 pm, followed by wine and sandwiches.

Laguna Public School P&C Art Show
Date:28 and 29 August 2010
19th Annual Art Exhibition
This year's art show will begin, as always, with a gala Opening Night on Friday 27 August. The exhibition will be open to the public all weekend (28 and 29 August) from 10am to 4pm.

Heads up

Theatrefest Hunter 2010
Date:3 and 4 September 2010
This fun and exciting unique event, brings together Theatre Groups and Students from Year 9, 10, 11 and 12 throughout the region, in a competition to be held at the Cessnock Performing Arts Centre on Friday 3rd and Saturday 4th of September 2010.

Awabakal to Wonarua at Cessnock Regional Art Gallery
Date:4 September to 17 October 2010
An exhibition of indigenous artworks that explore the culture, lives and stories of the original Hunter Valley inhabitants, informed by oral history, archaeological research and anecdotal evidence. The exhibition will be supported by community forum, story telling and outreach program.

This exhibition follows on from the very successful exhibition story.art.history.place, and will include works by Les Elvin and Leslie Salem.

Wollombi Wild Ride
Date:Saturday 04-Sep-10 at 10:00 am
Come and test yourself on one of the three Mountain Bike courses for Novice, Regular or Serious riders. This exciting event promises to be a challenging mountain bike race in and around Wollombi and Yango National Park.

Fancy Dress Party with Kellie Cain at Paxton Hotel
Date:Saturday 04-Sep-10 at 7:30 pm
Country and Western theme, spit roast dinner, tickets from Michelle or Paxton Hotel. Bookings required for dinner. Courtesy bus pickup from Wollombi at 7pm

Alan Glover's 2010 Comedy Night at Laughuna Hall
Date:Friday 10-Sep-10 at 8:00 pm
Featuring the comedy stars of the new Australian Movie "Up the Aisle" Alan Glover, Garry Who, Judas Falling, Stef Torok and Matt Okine. Book at Laguna Store.

Wollombi Music Festival
Date:11 September 2010
Coming 11 September 2010 is the funky, definitely groovy, high energy Wollombi Music Festival. Located at 2758 Wollombi Rd Wollombi NSW, 2 minutes out of Wollombi. Tickets at Wollombi Store (and other places, see link for details).

The Broke Village Fair
Date:12 September 2010
Sunday 12th September 2010 will be the biggest day of the year for the village of Broke with the annual Broke Village Fair.

This long running annual event is a market day for local produce, a display of classic vintage farm machinery - all still operating! Hundreds of classic and vintage cars, motorbikes, trucks and tractors will converge on McNamara Park in Broke to show off for the day. Woodchopping - food & wine - animals and reptiles - all to raise funds for the local school, RFS, Village Hall and churches.

Wollombi Valley Country Fair
Date:6 and 7 November 2010
The 2010 Wollombi Valley Country Fair including the Wollombi Tavern Woodchop, Lantern Parade, Endeavour Museum Open Day and two days of local produce markets and street entertainment. New this year: Bush Poets, Speakers Corner and the Wollombi Valley Arts, Crafts and Cooking Competition "Framed, Free-standing and Jarred" curated by me on behalf of the Wollombi Valley Country Fair Committee, to be shown in Wollombi Hall (details to come soon).

Book your stall now at Wollombi General Store.

New facts on Coal Seam Gas

Coal Seam Gas activities are not covered by the Protection of the Environment Operations (POEO) Act as it is not listed in Schedule 1 of that act. As such, CSG mining is exempt from the Environmental Protection Acts of this state!

No CSG bore licenses are required under the (NSW) Water Management Act and no approvals are required for any CSG exploration activities under the (Commonwealth) Water Act, 2007.

Don't say you weren't warned when it turns up at Cedar Creek or Paynes Crossing... Get the message out and stop people from signing up with AGL.

Further news to come very soon on this issue and some very nasty (alleged) activities in Broke that have brought this to the surface (literally, and sprayed it there like a horny tom cat).

I wanted this to be a Federal Election issue, and it just became one!

The Australian Greens have called for a moratorium on Coal Seam Gas projects and will move to amend federal laws to add climate and coal seam gas triggers to the Environment Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act, so the cumulative impacts of this new industry are properly considered before approval is given.

See http://greensmps.org.au/minister-garrett-moratorium-coal-seam-gas to send Peter Garrett a message.

Have a great weekend... vote early, vote often...

Peter Firminger

New England, Australia: Hunter Valley 1st New State lunch

2010-08-09T12:47:00.002+10:00

New England, Australia: Hunter Valley 1st New State lunch: "Hunter Valley 1st New State lunch"

Coal Seam Methane Update

2010-08-08T11:06:00.004+10:00

Many of you may not be aware that AGL Energy has moved into the Hermitage Road area of Pokolbin as well as being very active in and around Broke.

While we seem to have scared the former Sydney Gas, now AGL Energy away from Paynes Crossing and Wollombi, the significant threat to the Hunter Valley exists and the Petroleum Exploration License (PEL 267) remains. Please see facebook.com/Hunter.Valley.Protection.Alliance to keep up to date.

The "Fracking" process (hydraulic fracturing of the coal seam) is causing great concern across the planet. The New York Senate has just placed a moratorium on the process, and you probably saw the protest in Brisbane during the week calling for the protection of Queensland farming land against this practice as well as the "Underground Coal Gasification" (UCG) process which equally contaminates ground water. See the above FaceBook link for details of these current stories.

Next Wednesday evening, there will be a special preview of the acclaimed documentary film GASLAND that is taking the US by storm. The film will be released in Australian cinemas later this year but you can see this preview this week in Singleton.

I urge you to book a ticket and come to Singleton on Wednesday to see this film and learn about the real effects of "Fracking". It will shock and anger you that this practice is allowed to go on anywhere, let alone within 250 metres from Broke School or far less from farm homesteads in southern Queensland.

See the trailer of the film here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZe1AeH0Qz8

7:15pm 11 August 2010
Majestic Cinemas
21 Ryan Ave Singleton

Tickets $10 each (plus $1 booking fee)
Purchase at www.gasland.com.au/huntervalley

Limited tickets available - on sale now and selling fast

Please note: as classification on this film is pending, this screening is presently open only to persons aged 18 & over

Why Gas Leaks Matter in the Hydraulic Fracturing Debate by Abrahm Lustgarten ProPublica

2010-08-05T16:02:00.002+10:00

Why Gas Leaks Matter in the Hydraulic Fracturing Debate

by Abrahm Lustgarten ProPublica, Aug. 2, 3:56 p.m.

Last week's article about a hydraulic fracturing clause that was included in the Senate's drilling accountability bill sparked a lively debate on ProPublica's website about why methane contamination from drilling is relevant to a discussion of environmental risks of fracturing. In response:

Methane migration is a critical part of the discussions of underground contamination risks from drilling and hydraulic fracturing because it demonstrates that a pathway exists for contaminants to move through the substrata to the surface or into water supplies. In many of the cases described in ProPublica's articles, methane -- which was proved to be thermogenic and not from biological decay -- is believed to have moved from thousands of feet underground, or travelled several miles laterally, sometimes from the same layer of gas being exploited for energy.

Fracturing consists of injecting water and (usually secret) concoctions of chemicals deep underground, where it fractures the rock and releases the natural gas deposits. One of the most influential explanations why fracturing presents no risk hinges on the assertion that the deep isolation and many layers of rock and earth effectively seal off the fracture zone from the surface -- that it is impossible for chemicals, water, gas or anything else to move from thousands of feet below into shallow aquifers.

But the consistent and widespread detection of methane migration from unnatural causes -- in places including Colorado, Wyoming, Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York -- shows that it is not impossible, that in fact there are underground pathways for such movement. And if methane can move, it's an indicator of other substances' ability to migrate as well.

Many of the methane migration cases have been traced to flaws in the cementing and casing of the wells, as many of our articles have explicitly explained. Research shows that others may have migrated directly through underground faults and fissures.

Scientists we ask about these issues consistently make two points:

1. The pressure of hydraulic fracturing inside a well structure exerts great force that can exploit cementing problems. In other words, a crack in the cement or casing might be fine until the pressure of hydraulic fracturing forces substances through it.
2. It doesn't matter whether contaminants reach aquifers through a spider web of geologic cracks created by hydraulic fracturing, or in the spaces alongside the well bore that was pushed through the earth. Contaminants are reaching water supplies as a result of the processes and pressures being exerted underground.

The question of whether hydraulic fracturing is responsible for this contamination, and whether it is causing other contamination, remains unanswered. Neither our articles, nor anyone we have spoken with, has claimed to have reached a conclusion on that point. That is why the Environmental Protection Agency conducting two simultaneous studies of these issues -- one in Pinedale, Wyo., which will attempt to assess a specific pattern of contamination there, and another broad national study meant to evaluate the potential risks of fracturing. These are the first studies we are aware of that have engaged a scientific process to study these issues.

Two things are clear now, however:

1. Hydraulic fracturing is the only aspect of the complicated drilling process where basic standards for safe operations are not set by the federal government.
2. If fracturing were regulated, for instance, under the Safe Drinking Water Act -- the federal law that regulates every other type of underground chemical injection -- the law would likely require the sort of well integrity tests and localized pre-drilling geologic analysis to ensure that underground faults and fractures could not reach water supplies. It would also likely require that well casing and cementing be solid enough to withstand the pressures exerted by the fracturing process, and thus prevent the well from leaking methane, or chemicals, or anything else.

Gas Watch 91: AGL ENERGY awarded Green Globe Awards - by NSW Government

2010-07-30T20:47:00.001+10:00

Gas Watch 91: AGL ENERGY awarded Green Globe Awards - by NSW Government

The NSW Government has awarded two Green Globe Awards to AGL Energy, as it aids and abets the sacrifice of the beauty, the agriculture, the health and the environment of the Upper Hunter Valley to the fossil fuel industry.

Anyone who has earned such awards in the past, has had the worth of those awards undermined by this disgraceful act by the State Government.

Read Gas Watch 91

Chris Parker: My idea of the future for the Hunter

2010-07-27T22:20:00.001+10:00

Chris Parker is the Greens Candidate for the seat of Hunter in the 2010 Federal Election

Read his idea of the future for the Hunter

Sweetwater Action Group Short-changed

2010-07-27T21:09:00.001+10:00

On October 19 2009 the Land and Environment Court quashed the approval of the massive Huntlee development.

Chris parker, President of the Sweetwater Action Group expressed his concern at the time of the decision that the failure of the Minister for Planning to defend the case meant the the residents group were denied the opportunity to have the Court hear all their arguments against the development.

Referring to comments in the Sydney Morning Herald on Monday 26th July, Mr Parker said "How can the developer make the claim that the merits of the proposal were never in question when the court was denied the opportunity of hearing our concerns?'

Mr. Parker said that since the decision in October last year another Environmentally Endangered community has been recognized by the Federal Government. This Community comprises a large part of the new application.

Further the approval of the F3 does not address the serious problem of the development being totally reliant on vehicular transport. Current applications by the Australian Rail and Track Corporation do not include any addition to passenger services, yet will see an increase in coal freight and associated vibration through the proposed residential development with the associated increase in diesel and dust emissions.

Chris Parker
President
Sweetwater Action Group
0434332217

Gas Watch 90: Liberal/National or Labour? Who will protect the Upper Hunter?

2010-07-23T20:44:00.002+10:00

Gas Watch 90: Liberal/National or Labour? Who will protect the Upper Hunter?

The Hunter Valley Protection Alliance, the Singleton Council, community groups, local doctors and the people of the Hunter Valley want to know the answer to this question.

We currently have next to no protection from the invasion of the fossil fuel industry in the Hunter Valley and the sacrifice by the Government of the beauty of the Hunter Valley to the fossil fuel industry.

Read Gas Watch 90

Federal Election - 21 August 2010 - Wollombi Valley Online

2010-07-19T12:36:00.000+10:00

Federal Election - 21 August 2010 - Wollombi Valley Online

Details of the Hunter Electorate, candidates, events and polling places for the upcoming Federal Election

Gas Watch 89 - AGL Energy - Access to your property

2010-07-05T16:34:00.000+10:00

AGL Energy has a Petroleum Exploration Lease over land surrounding Broke and Bulga (except the coal mining leases), including over the Broke and Bulga villages.

AGL will knock on your door, tell you they have the lease and that they want onto your land. Read more

Gas Watch 88 - AGL Energy - Noise Complaints

2010-07-05T16:29:00.003+10:00

The noise from the generators used by AGL on their property next to the Broke village is now affecting the village of Broke.

And this is only exploration. Read more

Update 25 June 2010

2010-06-25T12:45:00.007+10:00

Hi all,

The Cessnock LEP 2010 will be put on exhibition for 28 days from (I'm told - to be confirmed) 7 July 2010. See news story here.

Councillor Graham Smith tried to have the Significant Lands overlay map removed from Wollombi and Mulbring (quite a surprise to everyone) but failed to gather support. Some of the Heritage items were removed. I'll be getting a list of exactly which of these affected items were and I'll publish it when I get it but I believe at least one of our churches may be involved.

Following a long discussion with Bo Moshage (along with Paul and Priscilla who will report to Progress tomorrow), I believe that this will simply mean a process of having any Heritage Items that have been dropped (for the sake of some unwanted items) re-included by submission in the exhibition period. I don't have a problem with this approach as some listed items in the schedules that were excluded were inappropriate to the owners. This was a simple way to get it through to re-exhibition - in a very complex environment of councillors having to leave the room repeatedly during discussion and voting on a document that was split into 24 parts to allow it to pass in this way. Otherwise it would never have been able to pass.

Bo said that there will be two meetings held in Wollombi, one with the Wollombi Working Party and one public meeting, so these and any other issues can be discussed.

Overall, this is all good and we can look forward to having this period of stress and bitterness put behind us. Some of the Wollombi BANANAS (Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything) will still bleat like the pre-historic goats they emulate - but you can't please everyone!

Now there is a proposal from the "Traffic Committee" about making the Great North Road at Ramsay's Leap Bucketty a single lane (with a Stop Sign etc.) to apparently make way for parking for tourists and koalas who want to gaze over the edge. I asked the Director of Infrastructure (Acting General Manager - David Pavey) about this and he said that it had been sent back to the Traffic Committee for further discussion and has not been approved. A recommendation from the Traffic Committee is not automatically adopted by Council - it will still have to go through the process, so take a look at the proposal and have your say to your Ward Councillors. See below (after the events list) for some details.

I'm not going to comment much further on this as I really don't care that much. I rarely go to Sydney any more and I have far more interesting things to do. I DO care greatly about the speed of bikes (and cars) down that hill and along that road generally, and the need for RFS volunteers to have to cope with the aftermath. Some say this will be a head-on collision waiting to happen... Yep, if you go through a Stop Sign while another vehicle is approaching with the right of way, you will likely come to grief!

If you don't like it, feel free to write up what you want about it and post it on the Wollombi Community Website, send it to me and I'll post it on your behalf, or get your ass into action, write to the Councillors, get into a Progress meeting and do something about it for yourself.

Progress is the appropriate local body to deal with this and I'm sure it will be discussed fervently tommorrow morning.

The proposed destruction of the (Endangered Ecological Community) Warkworth Sands Woodland, the wiping of Wallaby Gully Road (c 1830 - a Sir Thomas Mitchell-surveyed GNR carraigeway) from the map and the very likely total loss of the village of Bulga - all for the sake of an extended Open Cut Coal Mine are far more important! Singleton Council have unanymously opposed this (calling it a watershed moment on mining in the shire) but the rats in Macquarie Street still have Part 3A at their disposal - "If there is a resource there, we will harvest it". 274 days to go!

Sorry, I'm putting this up front, even though (or because) I'm involved :)

David Williamson's Money and Friends
Date: 2-4, 7-10 July 2010
A revealing clash between materialism and ideals, it is David Williamson at his best demonstrating as always his acute observation of the Australian character.

Peter, a mathematician who is niceness itself, is in financial trouble because of his brother's bankruptcy. His neighbour Margaret, decides that he needs help from his friends, who are all wealthy. What happens is funny and confronting.

First performed in 1991 this play is found to be every bit as relevant to us in 2010. Great characters and superb comedy - Don't miss it!

All performances at 8pm (and Laguna Hall will be heated!)

Friday 2 July
Saturday 3 July
Sunday 4 July
Wednesday 7 July
Thursday 8 July
Friday 9 July
Saturday 10 July

Tickets available now from Wollombi and Laguna Stores

TONIGHT

The Cutaways, The Untidy Sideys and The Camel Tones @ Laguna
Date: Friday 25-Jun-10 at 8:00 pm
The Cutaways, The Untidy Sideys and The Camel Tones will be appearing at the Laguna Wine Bar for a bon-voyage/birthday band bonanza! All welcome!

TOMORROW

Wollombi Valley Progress Association Meeting
Date: Saturday 26-Jun-10 at 10:00 am
Wollombi Valley Progress Association meets at 10am on the last Saturday of the month at Wollombi Hall (excluding December)

Olive long table luncheon at Whispering Brook
Date: 26 June 2010
Susan Frazier & Adam Bell at Whispering Brook in Rodd Street Broke will be hosting an olive long table luncheon at Whispering Brook on the 26th June 2010.

Artist Talk: Kristin Wright @ CRAG
Date: Saturday 26-Jun-10 at 2:30 pm
Please join us at the Gallery for a talk by Kristin Wright who will be discussing the making of her photographic series titled Looking for Love... In all the wrong places currently on exhibition in Love from Beijing at Cessnock Regional Art Gallery.

NEXT WEEK

ADFAS: Darwin in Australia - Mr Paul Brunton
Date: Monday 28-Jun-10 at 7:00 pm
Mr Paul Brunton is the Senior Curator of the State Library of NSW and the talk centres on Charles Darwin. At Cessnock Performing Arts Centre, corner of Aberdare Rd and Vincent St, Cessnock. Evening Lectures start promptly at 7 pm, followed by wine and sandwiches.

Organic Viticulture, Is it for you?
Date: Tuesday 29-Jun-10 at 9:00 am
By Tim Marshall and TMOrganics. This is a FarmReady approved course and is therefore 100% refundable for eligible producers and managers.

'Until Now' - Janelle McCloy Exhibition at Wollombi Cultural Centre
Date: 3 to 11 July 2010
'Until Now' brings together her works on various subjects and uses various mediums - oil on canvas, acrylics on canvas and board, pastels on paper, charcoal on paper and different printing processes, including collagraphs and screen printing finished with acrylic paint. Her subjects include portraits, landscapes and still life. 'Until Now' opens on Friday July 2 at 5:30pm, with drinks and finger food, at the WCC.

Jazz at Catherine Vale Wines
Date: Sunday 04-Jul-10 at 12:00 pm
Enjoy Jazz with the Newcastle based Presevation Jazz Band Old Style Dixieland/New Orleans 12:00pm - 3:00pm Bring a picnic or enjoy a steak & sausage sizzle. No BYO - Catherine Vale Wines 656 Milbrodale Rd Bulga

OTHER STUFF

Love From Beijing @ CRAG
Date: 5 June to 18 July 2010
Recent work by photographers Johanna Trainor who has recently returned from a residency in Beijing, and Kristin Wright whose series 'Looking for Love in all the Wrong Places, explores the issues of identity a young woman can encounter - and not just in a country town.

The Wedding Singer
Date: 11 to 26 June 2010
Singleton Theatrical Society is producing The Wedding Singer. Based on the Adam Sandler film with original 80's style music.

Mangrove Mountain Markets
Date: Sunday 27 June 2010
Attention - Belinda Neal MP for Robinson will be making a speech regarding Solar Panel for the Community Hall! - she will be at the markets from 10am - 12.00pm

Cessnock Regional Art Gallery School Holiday Programs
Date: 5 to 14 July 2010
All programs are held at 27 Vincent Street, Cessnock. For bookings please contact the Education and Public Programs Manager Robina Booth at Cessnock Regional Art Gallery.

...and interestingly, the same play - twice!

The Witches - Maitland Repertory Society
Date: 18 June to 4 July 2010
"The Witches" by Roald Dahl and David Wood, Directed by Lesley Coombes.

The Witches - Hunter Region Drama School @ CPAC
Date: Friday 09-Jul-10 at 10:00 am
Come and see one of Dahl's best loved classics live on stage at the Cessnock Performing Arts Centre.

ITEM NO: 10/037 GREAT NORTH ROAD BUCKETTY - PERMANENT TRAFFIC CONDITIONS AT RAMSAYS LEAP

REFERENCE: ID 09/10/:5060

Traffic Committee approval of proposed signposting and pavement markings associated with proposed one lane carriageway conditions at Ramsays Leap, to provide additional clearance between the proposed raised concrete barrier and the rear edge of the existing sandstone retaining wall.

The proposed design plan incorporates a proposal to narrow the carriageway at Ramsays Leap, to permit a proposed concrete barrier to be located at a greater distance from the top of the sandstone retaining wall.

The proposed treatment incorporates similar measures to those at narrow bridges, including:-

"Stop" sign on the northbound approach;
"No Overtaking Or Passing" on the southbound approach;
Advance warning W3-1 "Stop Sign Ahead" on the northbound approach;
"No Stopping" restrictions opposite the proposed concrete barriers;
Barrier (BB) centreline markings on the approaches (where pavement widths permit) and edgeline (E1) markings, with C1 continuity markings at the location of the proposed three (3) parking spaces on a widened shoulder, opposite the retaining wall (designed to allow visitors to stand clear of the active carriageway).

Implementation of the proposed signage and pavement markings will require the removal of the "Give Way", "Give Way To Heavy Vehicles On Curve" and "Prepare To Stop" signs on the southbound approach (measures which were considered by the Traffic Committee on 16 November 2009 and implemented recently).

At the Traffic Committee meeting, the Committee was advised that the restoration of the sandstone wall and culvert is being funded from Federal Government Grants and that the project is scheduled for completion in the current financial year.

See page 30 of the attachments for the 9 June 2010 Council Meeting for a plan (5.42MB PDF).

Ward A Councillors

Clr Cordelia Burcham (Lib)
Mobile: 0413 912 650
Email: cordeliaburcham@gmail.com

Clr James Hawkins (ALP)
Phone: 02 4990 3647
Mobile: 0428 414 724
Email: james.hawkins@bigpond.com

Clr Rachel Main (Ind)
Phone: 02 4991 5850
Mobile: 0408 222 826
Email: rachelmain@live.com.au

Update 27 May 2010

2010-05-27T11:59:00.002+10:00

Hi All,

Comments at the end relating to Cessnock Planning powers. This post also available online here where you can comment.

Short Dance Films and talk at Cessnock Performing Arts Centre
Date: Friday 28-May-10 at 5:00 pm
Category: Film
In conjunction with the exhibition Reading The Body (closing this weekend), Cessnock Regional Art Gallery and Cessnock Performing Arts Centre present a screening of a selection of recent short dance films by the award-winning artist and choreographer Sue Healey, followed by a talk by the artist in which she discusses her development from choreographer to film-maker to installation artist.

The Wizard of Oz at Maitland Town Hall
Date: Continues Friday and Saturday at 8pm - closing Sunday May 30 at 2pm
DIRECTOR - Jeanette Massey
MUSICAL DIRECTOR - Daniel Dow
Maitland Gilbert & Sullivan & Musical Society Inc.

Cupcakes for Cancer
Date: Saturday 29-May-10 at 8:00 am
Come down to Wollombi Village between 8am and 1pm on Saturday (on your way to the Wollombi Valley Progress Association Meeting at 10am) and buy a decorated cup cake or three or a dozen to have with your coffee and tea, as part of The Cancer Council's Biggest Morning Tea in the valley. They will be set up in the Museum grounds, or if raining, in the Cultural Centre. Can't make it? Please go to Wollombi Cupcakes for Cancer on the Cancer Council website & donate.

Wood Chop and End of Days at Ellalong Hotel
Date: Saturday 29-May-10 at 11:00 am
Category: Sport/Music
Some of the best woodchoppers in NSW will feature at the Ellalong Hotel Wood Chop on Saturday 29 May.Along with the competition there will be a sponsors contest, face painting, a jumping castle and a BBQ lunch in the grounds of the hotel, along with lunch and dinner at the Fork 'n' View Restaurant. In the evening, live entertainment from young rockers - End of Days

Biodynamics - an introduction to regenerative farm and environment practices
Date: 29 and 30 May 2010
Biodynamics is a cost effective method of producing high quality plants, food and fibre with regenerative ecological outcomes.

This two-day workshop at Krinklewood Vineyard in Broke will explain how biodynamic preparations contribute to the soil food web, creating fertility and balance in soils.

Next week

The Dennis Boys Band ALBUM LAUNCH! @ Laguna
Date: Friday 04-Jun-10 at 7:30 pm
Category: Music
They play country music the way it's meant to be played - gritty and aggressive with tight arrangements, great chops and beautiful singing. The result owes as much to Led Zeppelin as it does to Hank Williams and Elvis, its unmistakable country twang tempered by vicious guitars and a solid groove that's flipped wigs in city venues as righteously as in the Laguna Wine Bar.

Love From Beijing at Cessnock Regional Art Gallery
Date: Opens 5 June to 11 July 2010
Category: Exhibitions
Recent work by photographers Johanna Trainor - who has recently returned from a residency in Beijing, and Kristin Wright - whose series 'Looking for Love in all the Wrong Places, explores the issues of identity a young woman can encounter - and not just in a country town.

And tomorrow...

65 Roses Day
Date: Friday 28 May 2010
65 Roses Day is the annual national awareness day for Cystic Fibrosis (CF) in Australia. This special day was named after the folklore story of a little boy who could not pronounce his sister's condition, Cystic Fibrosis, and instead called it "65 Roses".

It seems very likely that the Planning Minister Tony Kelly WILL remove planning powers from Cessnock Council (the elected Councillors, not the arguably incompetent Council Planners).

Tony Kelly has demanded a response from Council (due tomorrow) as to why he shouldn't appoint a regional planning panel, yet refuses to tell the Council what the issues are and what they are responding to - or anything in fact - not answering emails and letters nor phone calls. He has said more to The Herald (letter to the editor) than he has to Council! The only mechanism he needs is to give 21 days notice. That's democracy? We vote for a Council that we (as a wider community) trust so we can have input on development and the Sydney Government takes them away and cuts us out of the process without showing cause!

The meeting (rally) on Monday chaired by Deputy Mayor, Clr Ian Olsen, was not attended by ANY of the Labor councillors (nor Kerry Hicky), and Mayor Alison Davey and her (very pregnant) Ward A side-kick Clr Rachael Main were also conspicuously absent (though Clr Main made it to last night's Council meeting ok so I'm taking pregnancy out of the equation).

Clr Cordelia Burcham (Liberal) is proving to be the star of Ward A as far as democracy and transparency is concerned, and (as she's on this list) I thank her openly. Clr Neil Gorman (Nationals) and James Ryan (Greens) also spoke along with Imants Magrics, Roger Lewis and Lance Beckett from the community and Sylvia Hale MLC, the Greens spokesperson on Planning in the NSW Upper House.

The Upper House has given the Minister 14 days to produce the complaints in relation to this (which funnily enough seem to date back to the last Labor-dominated council term), but that deadline falls after this one, so he can do it before responding. It is assumed that he will take the powers from the council on Monday - leaving the Cessnock Community with no access to comment on planning issues. Huge NSW Labor Party contributors will again have a clearer path to planning approval without local scrutiny, even though the council has a Labor minority.

The Opposition Leader will be asked if they will return the planning powers to Cessnock Council when elected in March.

More here: http://tinyurl.com/save-cessnock-2

303 days to go until NSW frees itself from tyranny

For the record, I am a member of Cessnock-Kurri Greens. Have a great weekend!

Peter Firminger

Save Cessnock Rally

2010-05-24T23:29:00.001+10:00

Photos from the Save Cessnock Rally on 24 May 2010

Gallery here

Wollombi update - 21 May 2010 - Wollombi Valley Online News

2010-05-21T15:58:00.001+10:00

Hi folks,

Lots of stuff happening around the place (and Wollombi Valley Online has 349 members! Thanks for your support).

One of the big things facing us is the Planning Minister Tony Kelly proposing replacing the Council with an independant Planning Panel. This does not mean the planners are sacked (as desirable as that may be), they remain. It means that the elected Councillors don't get to approve or question Development Applications. Representatives of the Sydney (State) Government take this role with NO local knowledge and this takes away your access to discuss and lobby your elected councillors on these matters. It means the Sydney Government gets what it wants in the Cessnock LGA and you - as a rate payer - have no say.

It's bad - very bad.

So, on Monday evening there is a meeting at CPAC at which Sylvia Hale MLC (among others and not just the Greens) will speak. I urge you to attend:

Cessnock Planning Threat Rally
Date: Monday 24-May-10 at 6:30 pm
Members of the Cessnock community along with Coalition and Greens representatives will rally at Cessnock Performing Arts Centre on Monday evening to oppose the NSW Planning Minister - Tony Kelly's proposal to strip planning powers from Cessnock City Council.

There is a lot more going on with the Sydney Government taking away the rights of landholders. Some of you may remember the Caroona (Liverpool Plains) victory in the Supreme Court a while back. Well the State Labor Party and the Coalition passed a bill in the upper house that overturns that decision so they can keep raping the land for coal and methane against the wishes of the owners of the land. See story here

An example of this is beautifully illustrated in a documentary about Gloucester. We have embedded the 4 parts of the 17 minute video together here. Please take a look. I don't have a clue how we can help... writing to the Sydney Government is a waste of time.

Also, please support our brothers and sisters in Queensland by reading the story and taking the poll on this Toowoomba Chronical story about Coal Seam Gas calling for a moratorium on coal seam gas exploration and production in the area.

In other local news

It is coming up to that time of year when the Laguna Public School Art Show committee send out entry forms to all of the Wollombi Valley's talented artists. Details here

If you have always wanted to dabble in filmmaking then Valley Artists can help you! Valley Artists are holding a film making workshop on 16, 17, 18^th July, 2010. Details here

It you're on FaceBook (and you're not getting caught up in all the rubbish about FaceBook safety - don't get me started on stupid people... shut up Peter no-one cares), please consider joining the following groups and pages.

Last Chance

DrumMUSTER End of Season Cleanup
Date: Until 25 May 2010
Bring All Clean and Dry containers with lids removed to Cessnock Landfill (Waste and Reuse Centre). Bookings are essential and can be made by calling 02 4993 4307.

The DrumMUSTER program was initiated in 1998 to reduce the amount of chemical containers and associated risk of contamination going into landfill or being dumped on private properties.

Council has been involved in the collection of suitable containers since the inception of the program, with the first collection being run in 1999. A compound has been established at Council's waste facility where containers suitable for recycling can be dropped off. The containers are then transported to a recycling facility.

To entertainment

Musos Jam Night @ Laguna - TONIGHT
Date: Friday 21-May-10 at 7:30 pm
Come along and rock to all your local favourites hangin' out with friends at Laguna Wine Bar. Dinner available so make a night of it!

Cessnock Country Music Festival
Date: 21 to 23 May 2010
The 2010 Festival, our forth, will run over the weekend of May 21st, 22nd and 23rd at East Cessnock Bowling Club.

Friday 8pm 21st - Paul Costa & Band with support from Victoria Baillie
Saturday 8pm 22nd -The Wolverines

The Wizard of Oz at Maitland Town Hall
Date: 21 to 30 May 2010
DIRECTOR - Jeanette Massey
MUSICAL DIRECTOR - Daniel Dow
Maitland Gilbert & Sullivan & Musical Society Inc.

Come join Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tinman and the Cowardly Lion as they travel the universe of Dorothy's imagination.

Performing at Maitland Town Hall
May 21, 22, 26, 28, 29 at 8pm
May 23, 30 at 2pm

Bizet's CARMEN @ Cessnock Performing Arts Centre
Date: 21 to 23 May 2010
Presented by Opera Hunter in association with the Lake Maquarie Orchestra

The Antipodean Mandolin Ensemble at Putty Hall
Date: Sunday 23-May-10 at 2:00 pm
The Antipodean Mandolin Ensemble (AME) will perform at the Putty Hall on Sunday 23 May at 2pm. Tickets cost $20 and include a glass of wine or beer and nibbles at interval.

The Wedding Singer
Date: 11 to 26 June 2010
Singleton Theatrical Society is producing The Wedding Singer. Based on the Adam Sandler film with original 80's style music.

It's 1985 and rock-star wannabe Robbie Hart is New Jersey's favorite wedding singer. He's the life of the party - until his own fiancé leaves him at the altar. Shot through the heart, Robbie makes every wedding as disastrous as his own. Enter Julia, a winsome waitress who wins his affection. Only trouble is Julia is about to be married to a Wall Street shark, and unless Robbie can pull off the performance of the decade, the girl of his dreams will be gone forever.

Next week

Mega Book Sale at Cessnock Library
Date: 24th - 28th May 2010
Ex library books, magazines, and jigsaws for sale at low low prices! In the front foyer of Cessnock Library during normal opening hours. Lots of great buys. Bring a shopping bag and fill it up for $5.00!!!

Cessnock Security and Safety Expo
Date: Wednesday 26-May-10 at 1:00 pm
Cessnock City Council as part of its Crime Prevention Plan is hosting a Security and Safety Expo. The aim of the day is to highlight Crime Prevention strategies and to promote to residents and the community that we all have a role in the prevention of crime.

Cessnock Council Ordinary Meeting
Date: Moved to 26 May 2010
This meeting to be held on 26 May due to the Mayor and General Manager attending a conference.

Council meetings are held from 6.30pm the first and third Wednesday of the month in the Council Chambers, 62-78 Vincent Street, Cessnock. Agendas generally posted the Monday before the meeting.

National Sorry Day
Date: Tuesday 26 May 2010
The Bringing them home report (BTH Report) recommended (Recommendation No 7.a) that a National Sorry Day be held each year on 26 May "to commemorate the history of forcible removals and its effects."

Other things to note

Cupcakes for Cancer
Date: Saturday 29-May-10 at 8:00 am
Get out your diaries, mark off Saturday 29 May 2010, come down to Wollombi Village between 8am and 1pm and buy a decorated cup cake or three or a dozen to have with your coffee and tea, as part of The Cancer Council's Biggest Morning Tea in the valley.

This two-day workshop at Krinklewood Vineyard in Broke will explain how biodynamic preparations contribute to the soil food web, creating fertility and balance in soils.

Personal note: If you wonder why I refer to the Sydney Government... look here. Off my soapbox for now.

Have a great National Mathematics Day!

Peter Firminger

SAVE CESSNOCK RALLY - Wollombi Valley Online News

2010-05-21T15:47:00.004+10:00

A coalition of political parties and community members are joining forces to stage a rally in support of the local community of Cessnock retaining its planning powers.

Representatives from The Greens, Liberal and Nationals along with independent Councillors and residents from North Cessnock, Abernethy and Ellalong will address the rally next Monday at the Cessnock Performing Arts Centre from 6-30pm til 8-30pm. The political parties, which traditionally have different views on many issues, are all concerned that the ALP is playing politics with Cessnock Council... more on Wollombi Valley Online News

Government's Land Access Bill delivers hefty concessions for mining industry — No New Coal

2010-05-20T13:37:00.004+10:00

Government's Land Access Bill delivers hefty concessions for mining industry — No New Coal

Absolutely disgusting that the opposition worked with the Sydney Labor Government on this. NSW landholders have NO rights - no matter whether you bought the property or inherited it from previous generations, the Labor Party and the Liberal Party just don't care - they want the coal or gas or whatever and you have no right to stop them, just for the royalties and foreign trade - f##k you very much Keneally!

Secede from NSW

The Bill is available here (443kb PDF)

Abolition of States

2010-05-11T16:26:00.000+10:00

Here are some links to support the abolition of the states.

Abolishing state govs would save $30bn - The Australian - 28-Aug-2007
"Howard's intervention over Queensland's council amalgamations and grab for power from the states raises a bigger issue: do we really need three very expensive layers of government? The answer is no."

Commonwealth Parliamentarians Who Have Publicly Supported the Abolition of State Governments or Similar Reforms - Mark Drummond PhD Thesis and Public Policy Website
"This page provides links to media reports and other websites that show that numerous Commonwealth Parliamentarians support the abolition of State governments or related reforms."

Abolish state governments: Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon - The Australian - 3-Jul-2008
"AUSTRALIA is the most over-governed nation on Earth and reforms should include abolishing the states, Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon says."

Abolish Australian States - Eclipse Now blog
"Former Prime Minister’s Bob Hawke and John Howard agree!"

Abolish Australian States - From John August - Homepage Daily
"NSW Ex-Treasurer Michael Costa has dumped on Australian State Governments - we're better off without them. As a Beyond Federation member, I agree."

2010 Valley Artists Sponsors Night

2010-05-09T20:55:00.003+10:00

Photos from the 2010 Valley Artists Sponsors Night - The Fabulous Tivoli

Gas Watch 84 - Local AGL employees treat community and CCC with contempt

2010-05-01T15:42:00.002+10:00

Looks like AGL Energy has given up consulting with the community, if it ever really did! says the Hunter Valley Protection Alliance.

Why the Hunter wants out from NSW

2010-04-29T22:42:00.005+10:00

A post from Jim Belshaw's New England Australia. See also the New England New State Movement page on FaceBook

Demand a Coal Health Study for the Upper Hunter Now!

2010-04-16T12:58:00.001+10:00

The government is refusing to respond to calls from Upper Hunter coal communities for a comprehensive population study into the health impacts of the coal and power industries.

Gas Watch 83 - Minister Ian Macdonald hides behind the Minister for Planning

2010-04-14T13:25:00.002+10:00

Minister Macdonald claims that our allegation that he has aided and abetted the sacrifice of the agriculture, horticulture, viticulture and beauty of the Hunter Valley to the fossil fuel industry is "over the top and inappropriate." says the Hunter Valley Protection Alliance...

Gas Watch 82 - Queensland Government embarrasses NSW Government with $3.8 million water study

2010-04-13T12:16:00.001+10:00

NSW GOVERNMENT dawdles behind Queensland in regulating the coal seam methane gas industry

"What is wrong with our Minister for Mineral Resources, Ian Macdonald" asks the Hunter Valley Protection Alliance...

Gas Watch 81 - The rape of the Hunter Valley

2010-04-13T12:13:00.000+10:00

NSW GOVERNMENT

Sacrifices the Hunter Valley to the fossil fuel industry;
Perpetuates the resource rape of the Hunter Valley;
Ignores the health and well-being of the families of the Hunter Valley;

Hunter Valley Protection Alliance follows up on Four Corners...

Another Telstra Scam!

2010-04-12T17:15:00.012+10:00

Telstra/Bigpond sent me an email telling me I had been infected by a Trojan (see below) and that they had detected it due to "unusual activity".

I am not using the account in question at the moment (as I am house sitting elsewhere) and I turned off the other computers before I left about 30 hours before this email arrived.

This is yet another filthy Telstra Bigpond scam to scare customers into using their "BigPond Security" ripoff.

Given that I don't use their poxy bigpond email address (I have it redirected to a real email address and this would be the only way they could detect it as they can't detect it remotely in the boot sector of my hard drive), how the hell would they know if I have been infected and by what - especially when no computers are connected to that account! All my computers are completely up to date with anti-virus software.

Update: I have now been home and tested all three computers and they are free of this trojan.

SCAM SCAM SCAM!

Here is an email I received this afternoon.

Dear BigPond® Member,

Ref Service ID: [removed]@bigpond.net.au.

Going online should be a safe and secure experience for you and your family. We've recently noticed some unusual activity on your BigPond account and have some ideas for you on how to protect it.

Here's what we've noticed:

You have been infected with the Trojan&RootKit (mebroot) malware.

Here's what you can do:

Ensure your anti-virus and anti-spyware software is kept up-to-date. Close all applications and run a manual scan using the software to detect and remove any viruses or spyware.
Ensure your Firewall is operating correctly.
To help protect you and your computer from viruses, malware, spyware, phishing attacks and other threats you should consider a software solution such as BigPond Security.

For any questions in relation to your BigPond account, or to acquire BigPond Security, please contact 13 POND (13 7663). Alternatively if you already have security software, please contact your vendor with any technical support questions.

You can also get more advice on how to be safe online at telstra.com.au/cyber-safety

Kind regards,

The BigPond Team

	Privacy \| Terms of Use


	® BigPond is a Registered trade mark of Telstra Corporation Limited. ABN 33 051 775 556.


	This communication may contain CONFIDENTIAL information of Telstra Corporation Limited (ABN 33 051 775 556). If you are not an intended recipient, you MUST NOT keep, forward, copy, use, save or rely on this communication, and any such action is unauthorised and prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please reply to this e-mail to notify the sender of its incorrect delivery, and then delete both it and your reply.

As for the disclaimer, I was the "intended recipient", it seems I am free to do what I like with the email!

Gas Watch 80 - Danger to ground water in Hunter Valley

2010-04-10T10:57:00.002+10:00

AGL Energy - unable to provide proof - Danger to ground water in Hunter Valley... writes Graeme Gibson from the Hunter Valley Protection Alliance

Wollombi Valley Update - 9 April 2010

2010-04-09T13:28:00.001+10:00

School holiday and National Youth Week events are listed for those interested along with other events this weekend and coming Arts attractions

Wollombi Valley

[Lock the Gate] Digest - 30 June 2011 - 22 Messages in 22 Topics

[Lock the Gate] Digest - 29 June 2011 - 16 Messages in 16 Topics

RE: Website contact from John Henson

GASLAND: Meet Josh Fox TONIGHT or FRIDAY

What's on in Wollombi Valley - 2 November 2010

Over 100 Coal Seam Gas Mining stories in the past two months

Re: Removal of Part 3A Legislation and restore environmental,community and elected councils' author

AGL Energy Protest

COMMUNITY PROTESTAGAINSTCOAL SEAM GAS MINING

THURSDAY 21 OCTOBER 2010

AGL ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGANGEL PLACE, SYDNEY CBD

PROTEST TO BEGIN AT 9:30 AM

RALLYING POINT:George St Side of MARTIN PLACE

What's on around the Wollombi - 15 October 2010

Stop Part 3A

AGL, Arrow, Origin and QGC listed in Eco Investor?

What's on in Wollombi Valley - 7 October 2010

What's on around Wollombi Valley - 30 September 2010

Wollombi RFS hosts Group 8 Blessing of the Fleet

Some current reading

Labor Planning Panel Will Please Developers

Coal Seam Gas on the SMH Front Page

What's On In Wollombi - 22 September 2010

STOP PRESS

This Weekend

Next week

Coal Seam Gas

Wollombi Update - 17 September 2010

This Weekend

Next week

Rural Blogging

Gas Watch 92 - AGL ENERGY Admits To Deliberately Polluting the Hunter - Government Inaction

AGL accused of dumping tainted water in Hunter

Political Donations

Pollution incident by AGL Energy in the Hunter Valley - Whitewash by the Government - Community Protest

Kelly Club Meetings - Cessnock Planning and Communication Failures

The Rat in the Hat

COMMUNITY PROTEST
AGAINST
COAL SEAM GAS MINING

AGL ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
ANGEL PLACE, SYDNEY CBD

RALLYING POINT:
George St Side of MARTIN PLACE