SUBMISSION DEADLINE DATE EXTENDED UNTIL 17TH MAY

Comment on-  Draft New England North West Strategic Regional Land Use Plan

Your submission needn’t take more than a minute to write, and short comments are fine.

The Draft New England North West Strategic Regional Land Use Plan is on public exhibition (online, click on the link) until Thursday 3 May 2012 and you are invited to make a submission during this time.

Wondering what to write? 

Your submission needn’t take more than a minute to write, and short comments are fine.
Link to draft plan and submissions- 

Here are some points you might like to make:

  • Mining Companies will not be required to comply with the Water Act 1912, Rural Lands Protection Act 1998, Threatened Species Conservation  Act 1995, Forestry Act 1916.
  • Produced water- Mining companies are drilling through of the Great Artesian Basin and extracting highly toxic produced water- A salt like substance containing heavy metals such as cyanide, arsenic chromium and more.  Companies are exempt from Water Act 1912 , and cannot be stopped from polluting, only fined after the pollution has occurred.  This is too late for the Great Artesian Basin, our rivers and land.
  • The Liverpool plains have the most fertile lands in Australia, a very productive farming area. Only 9.5 per cent farming land is protected. The ‘Gateway Process” then allows this to be mined at the will of parliamentarians, over ruling scientists.  The gateway process should be abandoned and a scientific approach adopted.  Australia’s food security is more important than the short term profits from mining (20 -30 years).
  • Recommend that mining should have to comply with the Threatened Species Act.  Without this requirement mining companies have no respect for the natural environment.  Leard State Forest is being cleared for coal mining, including Tier 1 identified areas (highest value environmental areas).  Why identify and area as Tier 1, then mine it? This forest has many endangered species, and is an important site for migratory birds.  This is of no consequence to mining companies self regulation is the only control.  This means no control.