I’m planning to post later today, or perhaps tomorrow, a post on the environmental issues associated with the coal seam gas (CSG) industry in Queensland’s Darling Downs food growing area. Of interest should be a segment on Landline (12 noon Sunday) which has been advertised on ABC radio.
I understand the program segment will focus on Peter Thompson from Roma who farms a property “Echo Hills” NE of Roma which has been affected by the Spring Gully gas field. Peter was one of the speakers at a recent meeting of concerned citizens in Dalby.
We also know that 60 Minutes filmed a meeting in Chinchilla recently and is thought to be about to broadcast a story on CSG shortly, perhaps tonight.
I plan to finalise the post tonight whether or not the segment goes to air.
I will be interested in the environmental issues facing Roma district farmers. In the Hunter Valley the concern is what CSG extraction will do to fragile aquifers. Landowners have seen what underground mining can do to land subsidence and surface creeks disappearing. Saline underground water is common and may become the norm.
BraveNewClimate has exposed the economic spruiking that goes with the rush for this new resource.
I will be interested in the environmental issues facing Roma district farmers. In the Hunter Valley the concern is what CSG extraction will do to fragile aquifers. Landowners have seen what underground mining can do to land subsidence and surface creeks disappearing. Saline underground water is common and may become the norm.
BraveNewClimate has exposed the economic spruiking that goes with the rush for this new resource.
Water and aquifers are a huge issue in the Darling Downs also, which the program is going to address next week in Pt 2.
I thought she did a good job. I’m told that it must have been filmed in late January at the latest from the condition of the country, ie before the good rain they had this summer.
Water and aquifers are a huge issue in the Darling Downs also, which the program is going to address next week in Pt 2.
I thought she did a good job. I’m told that it must have been filmed in late January at the latest from the condition of the country, ie before the good rain they had this summer.
It’s nice to get back to old-fashion, unadorned ABC journalism. Landline shows just how far some aspects of the ABC elsewhere, regarding quality and output, have deteriorated over the last decade.
It’s nice to get back to old-fashion, unadorned ABC journalism. Landline shows just how far some aspects of the ABC elsewhere, regarding quality and output, have deteriorated over the last decade.
BTW, transcript and video should be up on Tuesday.
BTW, transcript and video should be up on Tuesday.
pablo #1
The area impacted by this coal seam gas feilds is much larger than Roma & surrounds. Dalby in the east to Roma in the west & Wandoan in the north. It also sits overs some very good productive agricultural lands.
Water is an issue, the day after the Dalby meeting the Qld Govt. typically dragging it’s feet, brought in the 5 metere rule. If a landowners bore into underground water drops by more than 5 metres then the gas company must either pay for extracting the water from a greater depth or find an alternative source of water. At the Dalby meeting Peter Thompson who was on today’s Landline program could tell the audiance that his bores have already dropped 10 metres.
Water & the salts brought up with the water are emerging as a major problem. no doubt Brian will have more in his next post he is promising us.
pablo #1
The area impacted by this coal seam gas feilds is much larger than Roma & surrounds. Dalby in the east to Roma in the west & Wandoan in the north. It also sits overs some very good productive agricultural lands.
Water is an issue, the day after the Dalby meeting the Qld Govt. typically dragging it’s feet, brought in the 5 metere rule. If a landowners bore into underground water drops by more than 5 metres then the gas company must either pay for extracting the water from a greater depth or find an alternative source of water. At the Dalby meeting Peter Thompson who was on today’s Landline program could tell the audiance that his bores have already dropped 10 metres.
Water & the salts brought up with the water are emerging as a major problem. no doubt Brian will have more in his next post he is promising us.
From the “strange bedfellows” department:
Here, on an LP thread, the then Qld opposition shadow environment minister, David Gibson, well before the bligh election sideswipe ( actually at the time of the Ronan the Green transusbstantiation) declared, when asked what his policy re: coal and farmland : “My personal view is that we should protect good productive agricultural land from being lost to .. coal mines”.
Mike Horan, the towoomba LNP member was on anti-coal song with “I believe the major problems of this proposal is the principle of whether prime agricultural land close to a large regional city should be lost at a time when world food prices are escalating and world food shortages is of major concern. A project of this dimension can not I believe be approved. ”
At campaign time, Larry the LNP’s champion Loser, albeit late off the mark, but better than never, in a somewhat limited parish-pump-pleaser fashion, backed, or fronted for, his erstwhile ministers, Gibson, Horan and Hopper with a policy declaration
But the queensland greens still aligned themselves via preferences with Labor, and in some cases crucially, like in Mt Cootha, where Larissa’s voters, if they had been asked, could have turfed the treasurer out, sending a huge message ( there was a mere 1.5% separating Fraser and the Tory before the preferences of the 24% that the greens had in hand.) That seat result, greens voters there having the numbers to be if not king maker, at least treasurer deposer, was no surprise, it was always on the cards.
You’re in that seat I think Brian: given, as above, that there were a few policy areas ( traveston, darling dowsn coal, gross solar feed in tarriff) where the tories were looking decidedly more green than Bligh’s Bruvvers… if the greens official preferences policy, for that seat at least, was ” let’s send as strong a possible message as we can, let’s depose the treasurer… give your prefs to the tory”, do you reckon enough would have seen how the stratagy could play out, and play along, to do the job? Remember, there was only 1.5% difference, and 24% in play, a 60/40 split would have comfortably done it.
Maybe next time.
From the “strange bedfellows” department:
Here, on an LP thread, the then Qld opposition shadow environment minister, David Gibson, well before the bligh election sideswipe ( actually at the time of the Ronan the Green transusbstantiation) declared, when asked what his policy re: coal and farmland : “My personal view is that we should protect good productive agricultural land from being lost to .. coal mines”.
Mike Horan, the towoomba LNP member was on anti-coal song with “I believe the major problems of this proposal is the principle of whether prime agricultural land close to a large regional city should be lost at a time when world food prices are escalating and world food shortages is of major concern. A project of this dimension can not I believe be approved. ”
At campaign time, Larry the LNP’s champion Loser, albeit late off the mark, but better than never, in a somewhat limited parish-pump-pleaser fashion, backed, or fronted for, his erstwhile ministers, Gibson, Horan and Hopper with a policy declaration
But the queensland greens still aligned themselves via preferences with Labor, and in some cases crucially, like in Mt Cootha, where Larissa’s voters, if they had been asked, could have turfed the treasurer out, sending a huge message ( there was a mere 1.5% separating Fraser and the Tory before the preferences of the 24% that the greens had in hand.) That seat result, greens voters there having the numbers to be if not king maker, at least treasurer deposer, was no surprise, it was always on the cards.
You’re in that seat I think Brian: given, as above, that there were a few policy areas ( traveston, darling dowsn coal, gross solar feed in tarriff) where the tories were looking decidedly more green than Bligh’s Bruvvers… if the greens official preferences policy, for that seat at least, was ” let’s send as strong a possible message as we can, let’s depose the treasurer… give your prefs to the tory”, do you reckon enough would have seen how the stratagy could play out, and play along, to do the job? Remember, there was only 1.5% difference, and 24% in play, a 60/40 split would have comfortably done it.
Maybe next time.
danny, FWIW, I thought the Borg was unelectable, but I thought he’d probably win. I thought Andrew Fraser was worth preserving to help with the Labor rebuilding phase. Now I think it’s important that he not be there for Labor renewal.
danny, FWIW, I thought the Borg was unelectable, but I thought he’d probably win. I thought Andrew Fraser was worth preserving to help with the Labor rebuilding phase. Now I think it’s important that he not be there for Labor renewal.
Brian: I take that as a “Maybe next time”.
If the green dreaming comes true, and larissa ascends to the senate, the Mt Cootha seat, Fraser’s Redoubt, will need another green candidate to take forward and leverage her 24% legacy … you’re across all the issues, and your bro would be an ace campaign director… too late in the day for you to put your hand up?
Brian: I take that as a “Maybe next time”.
If the green dreaming comes true, and larissa ascends to the senate, the Mt Cootha seat, Fraser’s Redoubt, will need another green candidate to take forward and leverage her 24% legacy … you’re across all the issues, and your bro would be an ace campaign director… too late in the day for you to put your hand up?
We’ll see, danny, but I think Anna has to go, and Fraser too, if possible. There are some things that can’t be overlooked or forgiven.
I’m not sure who you think is my brother, but I do have a brother who lives in the Mt Coot-tha electorate, into which I have just been moved back again, but my bro is not in Mr Fraser’s patch. He’d be an ace director of anything he chose to, but there is zero chance of that. Same for me. It’s not my style and I don’t have space in my life.
We’ll see, danny, but I think Anna has to go, and Fraser too, if possible. There are some things that can’t be overlooked or forgiven.
I’m not sure who you think is my brother, but I do have a brother who lives in the Mt Coot-tha electorate, into which I have just been moved back again, but my bro is not in Mr Fraser’s patch. He’d be an ace director of anything he chose to, but there is zero chance of that. Same for me. It’s not my style and I don’t have space in my life.
Brian: my mistake then, I had you confused with a bloke from the brigalow scrub. Forget I spoke.
Brian: my mistake then, I had you confused with a bloke from the brigalow scrub. Forget I spoke.
danny, but I am from the brigalow scrub and proud of it although now perhaps better known as a cafe latte sipping socialist from the leafy suburbs. That’s not quite right. Perversely, I prefer skinny mugachinos, or a flat white pure and simple.
You may have been mistaking my son for my brother. My younger bro knows a lot more about agriculture than I do, but that entry is out of date. He retired about four years ago. But if you want to see a performance of The Gondoliers in few weeks time, well he’s in the chorus.
Hope that sorts it for you.
60 Minutes got bumped tonight in favour of the Logie awards hosted by some fella called Bert Newton. Channel Nine has no sense of priorities.
I was hoping to get in touch with Drew Hutton, for reasons that will become obvious, but I can’t find him readily and don’t have time to look.
So I’ll finish the post later tonight so I can get back to my core business of spreading misery about climate change.
danny, but I am from the brigalow scrub and proud of it although now perhaps better known as a cafe latte sipping socialist from the leafy suburbs. That’s not quite right. Perversely, I prefer skinny mugachinos, or a flat white pure and simple.
You may have been mistaking my son for my brother. My younger bro knows a lot more about agriculture than I do, but that entry is out of date. He retired about four years ago. But if you want to see a performance of The Gondoliers in few weeks time, well he’s in the chorus.
Hope that sorts it for you.
60 Minutes got bumped tonight in favour of the Logie awards hosted by some fella called Bert Newton. Channel Nine has no sense of priorities.
I was hoping to get in touch with Drew Hutton, for reasons that will become obvious, but I can’t find him readily and don’t have time to look.
So I’ll finish the post later tonight so I can get back to my core business of spreading misery about climate change.
I didn’t see the Landline program but read the transcript. Interesting choice of talent. Dr Jim Baker’s wife Jill is a Maranoa councillor as is Ree Price, the owner of the property happy with the mines, though I don’t believe Landline mentioned either fact. The Council on the whole have been supportive of the proposals but will be offering significant feedback on the APLNG Supplementary EIS due this week based on concerns with groundwater, traffic, and infrastructure strains.
I don’t believe people in Brisbane yet realise how big a deal CSG is yet. I took a tour of Santos’s operation at Fairview/Springwater north of Roma on Friday and was gobsmacked by how massive it is. They are doing interesting things with the 75% reuseable groundwater including using it for irrigation of Chinchilla white gums for timber and carbon sequestration and leucaena for livestock fodder. The remaining 25 % is being pushed back down 1600m deep in the rocks.
Still no-one can be sure of the long-term environmental impacts. I don’t expect much of Colin Jensen’s view as Qld Co-ord General given how much the Bligh Gov is in bed with the industry so it will come down to Garrett’s review as to what conditions will be placed to keep the companies honest.
Lets face it, this $100b industry is going ahead, it just remains to be seen with what controls.
I didn’t see the Landline program but read the transcript. Interesting choice of talent. Dr Jim Baker’s wife Jill is a Maranoa councillor as is Ree Price, the owner of the property happy with the mines, though I don’t believe Landline mentioned either fact. The Council on the whole have been supportive of the proposals but will be offering significant feedback on the APLNG Supplementary EIS due this week based on concerns with groundwater, traffic, and infrastructure strains.
I don’t believe people in Brisbane yet realise how big a deal CSG is yet. I took a tour of Santos’s operation at Fairview/Springwater north of Roma on Friday and was gobsmacked by how massive it is. They are doing interesting things with the 75% reuseable groundwater including using it for irrigation of Chinchilla white gums for timber and carbon sequestration and leucaena for livestock fodder. The remaining 25 % is being pushed back down 1600m deep in the rocks.
Still no-one can be sure of the long-term environmental impacts. I don’t expect much of Colin Jensen’s view as Qld Co-ord General given how much the Bligh Gov is in bed with the industry so it will come down to Garrett’s review as to what conditions will be placed to keep the companies honest.
Lets face it, this $100b industry is going ahead, it just remains to be seen with what controls.
Watching Landline I was struck by the sight of a supposedely permanent gas well head on a property flaring, something you see at Kurnell oil refinery on a much greater scale. Negotiating gas companies should realise the opportunity this provides to heat and cool the farmers home with available technology. It would be at low cost (no distant piping) and surely a significant way to show how waste heat can benefit. I’m not suggesting it replace all the transparent merket pricing of access to land and gas royalties that were discussed. but it would be one practical way of sharing the resource. Even the mayor of Roma should be pressing the case for this to come to town.
Watching Landline I was struck by the sight of a supposedely permanent gas well head on a property flaring, something you see at Kurnell oil refinery on a much greater scale. Negotiating gas companies should realise the opportunity this provides to heat and cool the farmers home with available technology. It would be at low cost (no distant piping) and surely a significant way to show how waste heat can benefit. I’m not suggesting it replace all the transparent merket pricing of access to land and gas royalties that were discussed. but it would be one practical way of sharing the resource. Even the mayor of Roma should be pressing the case for this to come to town.
Transcript here.
Transcript here.
BraveNewClimate looks at the dash for gas here and here.
BraveNewClimate looks at the dash for gas here and here.
Unless you want to respond to points raised specifically on this thread, please make further comments on the new thread.
Unless you want to respond to points raised specifically on this thread, please make further comments on the new thread.