Convoy heads north to fight CSG

Last week Wanda Halden was in the news for informing Lismore City Council they had approved seismic testing by Metgasco in Rock Valley. This week, she and other anti-CSG campaigners are co-ordinating a convoy to the LNG Limited shareholder meeting in Brisbane and setting up a presence in Gladstone Harbour protesting the gas processing plant.

Wanda and the Nimbin Environment Centre are calling for people to join them at a mass rally outside the Sofitel in Brisbane next Thursday, November 24, where LNG Limited is holding its AGM. They will be calling for a halt to all dredging works in Gladstone Harbour until a full independent environmental impact assessment has been carried out on the apparent ecosystem collapse in the harbour and impacts to the Great Barrier Reef.

"UNESCO has already recommended this… the government is in breach of the World Health Organisation's precautionary principle, which clearly states that; 'in cases of serious or irreversible threats to the health of humans or ecosystems, acknowledged scientific uncertainty should not be used as a reason to postpone preventive measures.' The reality is there are dead fish washing up, reports of dugongs, turtles and sharks dying in the harbour. This is marine genocide," Wanda said. "They are dumping the spoils of dredging just 1km from the reef. This is madness and we need to keep pushing for local, national and global media coverage until the government listens."

Wanda has recently had interest from a documentary maker from Blue Moon Screen and Media in Brisbane who now plans to document the convoy's journey in the film Fracking Australia.

Following the AGM the local convoy will set up a protest on the Gladstone port and begin collecting signatures for a petition. Wanda said they also plan to support Friends of the Earth protestor Derec Davies at his court appearance on November 29 in the Gladstone Magistrates Court. Mr Davies is facing charges after chaining himself to a Gladstone Port Corporation dredge on November 9.

He said he was compelled to do something as combatting climate change will become impossible if the gas processing plant goes ahead.

"Australia is the largest exporter of coal in the world and Queensland is the main producer of coal and Gladstone as it stands is Queensland main export terminal. It's due to expand 10-fold and globally we're trying to reduce our emissions… there's no way we can stop runaway climate change with this expansion," Mr Davies said. "The dredging has been responsible for the toxification of Gladstone Harbour… and they have only done three percent of the dredging planned. The World Heritage Committee have said to the Australian Government 'please explain' - this is clearly an infringement of the World Heritage declaration."

All enquiries or offers of support can be directed to the Nimbin Environment Centre on 6689 1441. Convoy details are also at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=298747060149744.