Today Cairns Climate Action Network is calling on the Federal MP for Leichhardtand Chief Opposition Whip Warren Entsch, to join with colleagues in federal parliament to take action to stop the rapid and inappropriate escalation of coal and coal seam gas mining threatening Australian communities.

The Federal Government spends up to $10 billion on subsidies to big coal and gas corporation each year. Stopping these subsidies was one of eight demands that Cairns Climate Action Network pinned to the door of Warren Entsch’s office. This action is part of a national Lock the Gate campaign asking all federal members of parliament to use their powers to take responsibility to stop coal and coal seam gas mining.

Larni Gryphon says: Too many times Federal Members of Parliament tell us that approvals linked to coal and coal seam gas mining are a state responsibility. Today we gave Warren Entsch a list of 8 things the federal government could do immediately to protect Australia from this invasion of mining on a scale not seen before in our country.

Our water catchment areas are still not protected from coal seam gas mining or any other mining, says Larni Gryphon. The Great Artesian Basin is not protected. If we destroy our vital water source it will devastate our country.

Mining is irrevocably damaging agricultural land and risks our underground water supplies. This is not good guardianship of our country and lacks any responsibility towards future generations.

We want to see bipartisan action now, Larni Gryphon said. This isn’t about party politics, this is about our country and the citizens of Australia.

The eight demands of the Lock the Gate national campaign call for the Federal Government to:

1. Put in place an urgent moratorium on coal seam gas and other unconventional gas mining.
2. Create no-go zones to protect productive agricultural land, national tourism icons and all residential dwellings from coal and gas mining.
3. Strengthen the Federal environment laws to exclude coal and gas mining from important water sources, cultural heritage sites and sensitive environment areas.
4. Put in place national standards on coal and gas pollution and enforce compliance.
5. Stop using taxpayers’ money to provide handouts to big coal and gas corporations and make the miners pay their fair share in taxes.
6. Reject current development proposals for coal ports, mega-mines, dams and unconventional gas wells in significant areas.
7. Conduct research into greenhouse gas emissions from mining and make sure they are properly accounted and fully paid for.
8. Hold a Royal Commission to investigate the management of coal and gas resources by all Australian governments.

These demands are being delivered to federal MPs in right across Australia.

Lock the Gate will hold a national press conference in Canberra today to explain what the federal government must do to protect all Australian communities.

Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter in the March sittings of Federal Parliament called for a two year moratorium into coal seam gas well drilling.

For more information on the campaign see: www.calltocountry.org.au

More information:
Larni Gryphon
Cairns Climate Action Network
0429503961