released the statement below on November 23.
* * *
This week the Planning Assessment Commission granted approval to a 16th coal seam gas (CSG) borehole in the Illawarra.
Stop CSG Illawarra spokesperson Jess Moore responded: 鈥淚t is now abundantly clear who [Premier Barry] O鈥橣arrell represents. It鈥檚 not communities, and the concern we express for our water, environment and health; it鈥檚 the CSG industry.
Wollongong
Stop CSG Illawarra鈥檚 Jess Moore gave the speech below at the 3000-strong rally against coal seam gas mining that took place in Clifton, north of Wollongong, on October 16. * * * Like so many people who live in the north Illawarra, there is a creek that flows through my backyard. Most of those creeks come from aquifers: the Hawkesbury Sandstone Aquifer System that the coal seam gas companies want to drill through to get the gas. This campaign is about our future and our right to protect this area 鈥 to protect our drinking water, our food and our future.
More than 3000 people walked across the iconic Sea Cliff Bridge today in opposition to coal seam gas (CSG) mining. Simultaneously, abseilers lowered a banner from the escarpment that said: "This community has spoken. Stop CSG". Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery, and councillors George Takacs, Lee Colacino, Bede Crasnich, Vicki Curran, Jill Merrin and Greg Petty attended the walk.
Students from the University of Wollongong have campaigned over the past three years for the university to switch to 100% renewable energy by 2015.
They have collected more than 3000 signatures from students in support of the plan.
The university administration has instead begun plans to build a trigeneration plant on the campus, which would generate electricity through burning natural gas.
The announcement by BlueScope that 1100 workers will be sacked from the local steel industry has sent shockwaves through the community and much of the country.
Another 200 people could be sacked from the Port Kembla wharves and at least 100 more local workplaces will be seriously affected.
Many of the sacked workers have been at the steelworks for decades. They are now being told to get out of town, to move to Queensland or Western Australia, to forget about their ties to Wollongong, because other corporations may need them somewhere else.
Wollongong鈥檚 city centre experienced something special on August 25: an explosion of art, culture and youth talent.
During Community Voice's public launch of its cultural policy, a crowd of more than 200 people swelled around the mall's amphitheatre.
As young musicians performed, graffiti artists Adam Rizvik and Josh Harris produced an amazing piece in real time that simply said 鈥渃reate art鈥 on stage.
For two hours the mall 鈥 not known for its social atmosphere 鈥 was filled with beautiful music, inspired speeches, happy people and the smell of spray paint.
The leader of the National Party, Senator Barnaby Joyce, held and anti-carbon tax rally at Wollongong鈥檚 Crown St Mall on July 13. The self-professed climate change denier drew quite a crowd, but not the kind he was hoping for.
A small number of his supporters, perhaps 30, were present. But more than half the crowd noisily protested against Joyce.
They included Socialist Alliance activists, several Greens members and people from various trade unions. The placards of Greens, Socialist Alliance and unionists visually dominated the scene.
Community Voice 鈥 a united grassroots ticket to contest Wollongong City Council elections 鈥 was officially launched on July 8 at Wollongong Town Hall.聽
More than 40 people attended a meeting on May 22 in the Wollongong suburb of Corrimal titled, 鈥淭he future of local government in Wollongong; can it be community driven and democratic鈥?
More than 3000 people turned out to Austinmer beach in the Illawarra on May 29 to form a 鈥淪TOP COAL SEAM GAS!鈥 human sign.
Three helicopters, each from a big media outlet, circled above the cheering and waving crowd to film the historic event.
Check out all the pictures and media coverage by visiting Stop CSG Illawarra's website: stop-csg-illawarra.org.
A big team of more than 40 volunteers from Stop CSG Illawarra helped make the day such a success.
More than 3000 people turned out to Austinmer Beach in the Illawarra on May 29 to form the "STOP COAL SEAM GAS!" human sign. Three helicopters, each from a major media outlet, circled above the cheering and waving crowd to film the historic event. Check out all the pictures and media coverage by visiting Stop CSG Illawarra's . A big team of more than 40 volunteers from Stop CSG Illawarra helped make the day such a success.
The Illawarra community plans to take action on May 29 to press their case for a moratorium on coal seam gas mining in the area.
A mass human sign to spell the words 鈥淪top Coal Seam Gas!鈥 is organised at 11am that day on Austinmer beach, north of Wollongong.
The organiser, Stop CSG Illawarra, is confident of a large turnout. The group鈥檚 regular organising meetings have attracted 100 or more people.
The group has letterboxed 30,000 leaflets publicising the event and outlining the dangers of coal seam gas.
- Previous page
- Page 4
- Next page