The Australian: “AUSTRALIA’S peak gas-mining body is considering a multi-million-dollar ad campaign to fight back against what it sees as an increasingly strident attack against coal-seam gas mining.
Representatives of the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association met in Brisbane yesterday to discuss whether to proceed with a campaign similar to that being undertaken by the Minerals Council of Australia.
The MCA started its “This is our story” campaign in early May with television, cinema and print advertisements telling the story of individuals associated with the mining industry and how they and their communities have benefited from the industry.
While the MCA represents the mining industry as a whole, APPEA is more focused on the gas industry, which is growing quickly in Queensland in particular but is under strong attack from environmentalists and minor parties.
APPEA sources said a strong campaign was a “live option” and there would be more discussions over the next few weeks.
While APPEA is considering its public profile, the organisation has enhanced its government profile with the appointment of one of the biggest practitioners of the coal-seam gas industry as its main lobbyist.
Rick Wilkinson was head of Santos’s coal-seam gas project until last week, when he was appointed to the new APPEA position of chief operating officer for eastern Australia.
Mr Wilkinson steered Santos through state and federal government approvals for its $15 billion project, and will continue the lobbying process on behalf of the whole industry.
The MCA’s campaign will also be stepped up, with another three “life stories” due to be rolled out in television, cinema and print advertisements.
The cinema advertisements are the most effective, as they last several minutes.
Queensland Resources Council chief executive Michael Roche said yesterday the industry was determined to fight back against what it saw as a concerted campaign to destroy it.
“We are not going to simply sit back and cop being demonised by the likes of (Greens leader) Bob Brown, who seems to think that the industry is nothing but a bunch of foreign millionaires,” he said.”
Graeme
7 months ago
This is ridiculous anyone who has seen the Gasland documentary would see that what happened to the people in the USA should never happen anywhere in the world ever again. Lets see what happens when Queensland Resources Council chief executive Michael Roche has a well next to his house with his children drinking the water. Oh wait that wouldn’t happen now would it.
dave
7 months ago
this gas mining cannot go head here in australia , but who’s going to stop it ? its time to stand up AUSTRALIA.
Sue
7 months ago
Shame on you Michael Roche and your ilk! Shame on you! You don’t want your industry demonised? I find your arrogance deplorable. You and the MCA and APPEA and the Queensland Government and the current Federal Government are selling your souls (and our children’s and grandchildren’s heritage) for the sake of the mighty dollar.
While the average Australian is doing their best to save the environment in their own small (in relation to the bigger picture) way, we are further being penalised through the threat of a carbon tax by an arrogant Labor Government. Where is the incentive to reduce our carbon footprint when the Government withdraws compensation schemes for Solar power and energy efficiency while the MCA and APPEA are allowed to destroy not only the Great Artesian Basin but people’s livelihoods and health.
We supposedly have Government to work for us, to protect us, to plan for our future as a nation. If you need the money for the good of the Australian people, for our future … THEN GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND RE-THINK YOUR STRATEGIES. We’re only on this earth for a short time!
City Bloke
7 months ago
It doesnt matter how strong our economy is if we can’t breath the air around us, nor drink the water…
It is certainly time to take on these arrogant / ignorant, greedy people and stand up.
(Plans to tap up The Kimberley is scaring the crap out of me tbh…)
Adrian
7 months ago
I was completely shocked when I saw the Gasland doco. It’s just another great example how America is so stuffed. Another example of the rich forming companies to lobby (aka bribe) the government at the expense of people’s health and all simply for money. Shame on you. I thought it was land of the free, more like land of the rich. We need to stop this down under.
Jim
7 months ago
We should STOP indulging in the cheap short-term solution to our energy needs and investing our finite resources in renewable energy sources like wind and solar. Any 3-4 year political system will struggle to do this without significant public pressure. But who wants expensive energy costs in the short-term. ‘wicked problem’.
Fracking is now on its way to New Zealand:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/5233594/Gas-extraction-plan-sounds-like-nightmare
STOP THIS MADNESS!!!
Paul
7 months ago
I’ve worked in oil & gas exploration drilling. I’ve also visited a coal seam gas rig. It’s vastly different to traditional oil & gas drilling, that’s for sure.
The most depressing part about CSG extraction is the extremely poor yields they’re getting in some areas, given the amount of damage done (both $ and environment!).
So I find it ironic that there’s a “my story” about saving “77 olympic swimming pools” worth of water. Which is a drop in the ocean compared to the massive evaporation ponds they have to run for *years* evacuating parts the artesian basin around injune area so that the aquifer’s aren’t inhibiting the CBM yields there.
The waste, utter waste of water there is the worst part. Seems totally outrageous that we have projects to cap free-flowing bores on farms, when Santos, Origin, QGC etc. seem to be operating under completely different rules that allow them to drain all this water out for a few Tj of methane.
And don’t even have the guts to try and find a way for the local farmers to make use of that water in the dry times.
Merina
5 days ago
Lets see what happens when Queensland Resources Council chief executive Michael Roche has a well next to his house with his children drinking the water. http://www.newaustralianews.com/