Gas has no future here

METGASCO CEO Peter Henderson has a problem.

His company has found enormous reserves of coal seam and conventional gas in the Northern Rivers and he can’t understand why local residents are upset at the proposals to mine it, use some of it for a local power station, sell some of it to local businesses and pipe the rest of it up through the Border Ranges so it can be processed for export and shipped off to China at a massive profit.

He believes that gas is good for the community and that it’s simply a matter of time before the community falls into line and believes it too.

I reckon he’s got just about as much chance of winning the cancelled Stars and Smiles kiddie pageant that was due to be held in Lismore this week (see story page 4).

His argument, that gas is an essential part of Australia’s transition to a low-carbon economy just isn’t good enough to convince those of us who believe the way to a sustainable future is to concentrate on renewable energy sources.

But it might be enough to convince governments.

There is a NSW Government Inquiry into CSG so if you care about the issue then make a submission.