Today, Avant Card has started to distribute thousands of cards around Victoria urging people to support a permanent ban on unconventional gas drilling.
With a state government Inquiry into this industry currently underway, this is the best chance we will ever have to stop this destructive industry before it gets established in our state.
The Committee is due to release it's interim report on September 1.
'Fracking' (hydraulic fracturing) for gas has caused groundwater contamination and is incompatible with farming because of it's large and invasive footprint, massive demand for water, and industrialisation of the landscape. As yet the industry has not become established in Victoria.
For details on why unconventional gas drilling will be bad for Victoria, please check here.
Please help us stop this industry.
Find out more about the state inquiry into unconventional gas. Details on the Inquiry, public hearings, and how to get involved available here.
Sign one of the Avant postcards and return it to Friends of the Earth.
Please sign our petition calling for a permanent ban on unconventional gas drilling in Victoria.
Please write to your local paper.
The Committee running the Inquiry have heard loud and clear that there is strong community opposition to UCG drilling, and strong support for an outright ban. We need to amplify this call by flooding the newspapers with letters over the next three weeks.
- Please write to your local newspaper.
- Please write to The Weekly Times and Stock and Land.
- Please write to The Age and Herald Sun.
Please encourage your friends, workmates and families to do the same. This will have a real impact on both the committee and the government.
The Age. http://www.theage.com.au/comment/the-age-letters or [email protected]
The Herald Sun. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/letter-to-the-editor
Stock and Land. [email protected]
The Weekly Times. http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/news/opinion/letter-to-the-editor
A brief letter is good. Simply explain your concerns about UCG. Say that with a state Inquiry going on, we will never have a better chance to stop the industry. The draft report from the Inquiry is due out on Sept 1. Urge the committee and all political parties to support a permanent ban on UCG and fracking in Victoria.
Please write to the Premier, Daniel Andrews.
Cut and paste the letter (see below) and email to him.
Please cc in the following:
tim.pallas@parliament.vic.gov.au
Please write to the Coalition
- We need to build cross party support for a ban. Otherwise any recommendation for a ban could fall prey to party politics.
- The Hon Matthew Guy, Leader of the Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition
Urge Mr Guy to support a permanent ban on all forms of UCG.
You could cut and paste text from our petition.
Where do the Parties stand?
Who supports an outright ban?
The Victorian Greens
The Sex Party
James Purcell, Vote 1 Local Jobs “There are too many unknowns, too many concerns and way too many risks. I have no doubt we need a permanent ban.” http://www.vote1localjobs.com.au/media-release/no-confusion-over-unconventional-gas-extraction/
Who supports an extended moratorium?
Australian Country Alliance. 'ACA does not support fracking until there is indisputable and independent evidence that it is safe, especially for underground water reserves'.
http://www.vff.org.au/vff/Policy/Policy_Priorities/Onshore_Gas/vff/Policy___Submissions/Onshore_Gas.aspx?hkey=14f35ede-28ed-4241-8a70-b8a7a88379ca
If you vote for a party who is not on this list, please write them and urge them to support the call for a permanent ban on all forms of unconventional gas in Victoria.
Tweet like crazy
Possible tweet. Please be creative and use the hashtag.
#uncongasinquiry is our best chance to stop this industry. I support a permanent ban on fracking & UCG
Members of the Committee:
Other key politicians:
@MatthewGuyMP
Please share our posts from
Or you could send them an email.
It can just be a simple message, saying you appreciate their efforts in working on the Inquiry into Unconventional Gas, and urging them to support a full and permanent ban on all unconventional gas drilling in Victoria.
[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] [email protected] [email protected], [email protected]
Get your group or business to support the call for a permanent ban
If you are an active member of any type of business, group or community, please ask them to support the call for a ban on UCG drilling (see the wording below). 62 regional communities have declared themselves coal and/or gasfield free so far.
Please add your name to the list: whether you're with a sporting club, a local business, a local Church congregation, or a land care group. Email the name of your group (and location) to [email protected] and we will publish a list of all sign ons in late August in an open letter to regional newspapers, as well as posting this to all MPs on the Committee.
'Our organisation/ business supports the call for a permanent ban on all forms of unconventional gas drilling in Victoria, including shale, tight and coal seam gas (CSG).'
Join our metro campaigns team
FoE has worked hard over the past five years to support regional communities in their opposition to new coal and gas proposals, and in support of renewable energy initiatives. In 2015 we will to start to ramp up our work in metro communities.
We are looking for people to join our campaigns team. We will be working initially in up to five suburban electorates and a number of regional centres to build support for our policy agenda on climate and renewables. We will be carrying out community polling on attitudes to energy, building support for our renewables and climate efforts, visiting MPs, and generating local media and profile.
If you would like further information, or would like to get involved, please contact Cam. [email protected]
Come to the rally
Working with a range of groups, we will help host a large 'Farmers and Friends against Fracking' rally on Sunday September 20 (the draft report from the committee is due on Sept 1) to make it clear the community wants an outright ban on this destructive industry.
Stay tuned for details in the coming month.
Get a lock the gate sign for your house or property
Get involved in a regional group
There is a list available here.
Support our work with a donation.
You can donate or become a member here.
Stay up to date
Check Coal and Gas Free Victoria's website.
Letter to the Premier
The Hon Daniel Andrews
Premier of Victoria
cc: Hon Tim Pallas, Treasurer
Hon James Merlino, Deputy Leader of the Labor Party
Dear Premier
I appreciate that your government has initiated a Parliamentary Inquiry into the Unconventional Gas (UCG) Industry.
We are fortunate to still have the opportunity to stop the industry before it gets established in our state.
Victoria is a densely populated state. Agriculture and food processing are the cornerstones of our economy. The experience of the unconventional gas industry elsewhere in Australia and overseas shows that this industry impacts negatively on farming. There are problems with all forms of UCG – coal seam gas, tight gas and shale gas.
The UCG industry does not have social license to operate in Victoria. This is shown by the fact that more than 60 communities have declared themselves coal or gasfield free.
I urge you to use this Inquiry to close off Victoria to this destructive industry. This is our best chance to learn from the problems and damage that has been caused by this industry elsewhere. An onshore UCG industry will be negative for Victoria in environmental, social and economic terms. Some short term benefits for a few will leave long term pain for farmers, communities, ground water and the environment.
I urge you to place a permanent ban on all onshore unconventional gas drilling in Victoria.
Yours sincerely
Coal and/or gasfield free declarations
As of late August, 64 Victorian communities have declared themselves coal and/or gasfield free.
It is clear that this industry will not be able to gain a social license to operate in the communities where it wants to drill.
Gippsland
(Average level of support for declaration 95.9%)
Poowong
Poowong North
Poowong East
Seaspray
Giffard
The Honeysuckles
Glomar Beach
Harmers Haven
Yarragon South
Boolarra
Mirboo North
Briagolong
Kongwak
Bena
Jeetho
Jumbunna
Moyarra
Wattlebank
Yarragon
Meerlieu
Perry Bridge
Goon Nure
Bengworden
Newry
Tinamba
Riverslea
Maffra West Upper
Tinamba West
East Bairnsdale
Broadlands
Nicholson
Newlands Arm
Eagle Point
Gormandale
Arawata
Western Victoria
(Average level of support for declaration 91.3%)
Deans Marsh
Boonah
Bambra
Moriac
Mt Moriac
Paraparap
Freshwater Creek
Dartmoor
Palpara
Mumbannar
Marp
Wilkin
Killara
Winnap
Greenwald
Drik Drik
Wanwin
North Dartmoor
Drumborg
Lyons
Hotspur
Birregurra
Warncoort
Woolsthorpe
Byaduk
Nth Byaduk
Wallacedale
Branxholme
Brucknell
Digby
Merino
Cashmore
Bessibelle
Macarthur
Cape Bridgewater
Bridgewater
Nelson
Henty
Sandford
Mt Duneed
Panmure
The Sisters