Support as activist who scaled Pilliga Forest CSG rig faces court

Last month I took part in an action to protest the Eastern Star Gas proposal to turn the Pilliga into NSW’s largest gas field. There was one arrest, our climber, Warrick Jordan, who scaled the rig to drop a banner reading “Stop Pilliga CSG”, he faces court today. It was a fantastic day with an overwhelming positive response with many people keen to learn more about how they can get involved in protecting the Pilliga forest from gas mining. Warrick has received messages of support from a number of members of the local community, as well as Greens NSW mining spokesperson Jeremy Buckingham. Here is what Buckingham had to say in a statement made yesterday:

The Greens mining spokesperson, Jeremy Buckingham MLC, has backed courageous coal seam gas activist, Warrick Jordan, who faces Narrabri Court tomorrow on five charges, after scaling a coal seam gas drill rig in the Pilliga State Forest and displaying a banner on 5 July.

“Warrick Jordan’s concerns about coal seam gas are shared by a large section of the community,” said Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham.

“Warrick was defending farmers, our food security and our precious water resources from a gas industry that has raced ahead of regulation and has not been proven safe.

“Eastern Star Gas’ plans to drill 550 gas wells in the Pilliga State Forest would be the largest ever approved in NSW and represents a foot in the door for coal seam gas, which does not have a social licence yet.

“The five charges seem over-the-top for what was clearly a peaceful political protest.

“It is important that the law is not used by authorities and large corporations to stifle public dissent over this controversial new industry.”

And members of the community surrounding Pilliga forest had this to say in a statement released this morning:

Local people have spoken out in support of a man who is facing Narrabri court today after he was arrested as part of a peaceful protest against coal seam gas mining in the Pilliga last month.

Warrick Jordan hung suspended from a coal seam gas rig for 16 hours in July as part of a protest against plans by Eastern Star Gas to turn the Pilliga into a gigantic gas field. He is defending five charges that were laid against him as a result of the peaceful action.

“I am going to Narrabri today to show my support for Mr Jordan and his stance against coal seam gas mining in the Pilliga Forest” said Mr Milton Judd from Coonabarabran, spokesperson for Friends of the Pilliga.

“As a volunteer fire fighter I can see that putting a gas field in the Pilliga represents a massive fire risk, and I do not believe local lives should be put at risk to protect the profits of gas companies.”

“We believe that the community needs to rally together to fight coal seam gas mining and we strongly support the right of individuals and communities to take peaceful action to protect places such as the iconic Pilliga Forest” he said.

“Coal seam gas mining is a very serious threat to the future of the Great Artesian Basin, which is our greatest inland water resource” said Ms Anne Kennedy from Coonamble, spokesperson for the Great Artesian Basin Protection Group.

“The Pilliga is the southern recharge area for the Great Artesian Basin and we fear that if the Pilliga coal seam gas project goes ahead, then the industry will rapidly spread out across the north-west of the state with dire consequences for our groundwater” she said.

“I have seen first hand the severe impact that coal seam gas exploration has on the environment, including damaging saline water spills and animals dying from contact with toxic water ponds. There are too many risks with this industry, and what is needed is a moratorium while further research is conducted” said local farmer Tony Pickard, from Save Our Recharge Environment.

“It’s humbling to have such strong support from local conservationists and farmers” said Warrick Jordan, of Newcastle. “I didn’t undertake the peaceful protest in July lightly. The Pilliga is one of Australia’s most significant natural areas, and to see it and the surrounding country damaged by a massive coal seam gas project would be a crying shame”

“Given the scale of coal seam gas development, and the threats it poses to communities and the natural environment, I think it’s fair to expect there will be ongoing efforts by communities to protect their environment using peaceful protest” Mr Jordan said.

Learn more about the coal seam gas plans for the Pilliga, as proposed by Eastern Star Gas (plans soon to be taken over by Santos, pending shareholder agreement).