Residents say gas bad for Kyogle

Concerned Kyogle people meet to discuss coal seam gas mining.

The coal seam gas controversy will not go away.

A crowd of 150 Kyogle area residents turned up at a meeting last Thursday, organised by the newly formed Group Against Gas (GAG).

The local’s concern is the proposed gas pipeline to run through the township of Kyogle, straight through the Lynchs Creek farming community, up through the Border Ranges into Queensland.

Guest speakers included lawyers from the Environmental Defender’s Office in Lismore, who advised landholders on their rights to land access. Lawyer Sue Higginson said it required a community effort if they wished to raise their objections to the project.

“Individual voices will not work,” she said.

Also speaking was Kyogle councillor Bob Dwyer. He told the audience that “Council as yet does not have a view on the pipeline or wells in its area”. But he said he was very concerned.

“I am particularly worried about the 30-metre easement these pipeline companies require,” he said. “The gas companies state that they will deem what is suitable activity over this easement.”

Lynchs Creek resident Leah Hobbs is concerned about property values.

“I was speaking to a Queensland real estate agent of 35 years who said he was finding it very hard to sell real estate in his area that had either a pipeline or wells on them,” she told the meeting. “He said, ‘Tell your farmers that they need to factor in at least an immediate 30% decrease in land value as soon as they sign up for one of these things’.”

She, along with many others at the meeting, were worried about water quality.

“We have some of the best water in the world,” she said. “We are a dry country and we are risking contamination through this process which will be impossible to reverse.”

Organisers agreed that the most important message to come from the meeting was for all landowners to seek legal advice if approached by the gas companies.

Metgasco was invited to the meeting to answer questions, however, they were unable to attend.