Activists watch as ‘frustration boils over’ at Metgasco AGM Mr Ian Gaillard, Northern Rivers regional coordinator for Lock The Gate and several other gasfield-free activists attended today’s Metgasco AGM in North Sydney. Mr Gaillard says the mood in the meeting was one of ‘frustration boiling over’. Mr Gaillard reported that “The CEO had told the meeting that the last 2 years had been frustrating and difficult and he also revealed that the company had expected community concern would subside after March 2011 state election but it didn’t, it escalated.” “CEO Peter Henderson also told the meeting that the investment climate for our industry in NSW is zero and that no one wants to come into our acreage.” Mr Gaillard said. Mr Gaillard says the CEO is still understating the company’s problems “Its time Mr Henderson disclosed to the investment community about the 85% who voted against gasfields in Lismore in 2012 and the latest University research that shows 65% of the Richmond Valley where Metgascos field operations are based are also opposed to his proposals,” Mr Gaillard said. “ It is sad that Mr Henderson still believes that a few mining jobs trump the community’s concern about the impact of industrialised gasfields and he continues to dismiss the evidence of overwhelming public opposition in the region,” Mr Gaillard said. “As a community we are thinking about our grandchildren, while he is just thinking about the balance sheets of a speculative exploration company. Every piece of economic research shows it is the export gas sector that is driving up the price of domestic gas and threatening existing jobs in manufacturing and tourism.”?Mr Gaillard added. The meeting was also told that the company intends to return to the Northern Rivers and drill its Rosella-1 well near Casino in in the first half of 2014. Metgasco is expecting the environmental approval for this within the next month. But Mr Gaillard says “It’s time for Metgasco to prepare an exit strategy from the Northern Rivers. He may call the proposed Rosella-1 mine ‘conventional’ but the community knows its an industrial gasfield by any other name.” “The gas industry has no social licence in NSW, yet despite community opposition the state government is pushing ahead with plans to impose this industry on unwilling communities from the Pilliga in the North West to Gloucester and the Northern Rivers by force. This issue has now become a real test for local democracy to have this gasfield invasion stopped once and for all.
Posted on: Wed, 30 Oct 2013 06:14:42 +0000
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