I am writing to you with my dire concerns regarding the lack of process and the fait accompli attitude towards 99% of the Northern Territory up for grabs by the Gas and Petroleum industries.
How much of our future is invested in renewable and sustainable energy industries?
Why put in place industries that are not accountable when it comes to accidents, clean ups and transparency?
There is plenty of information and plenty of personal
experience to date both nationally and internationally for a
population to be very concerned, informed and aware of just how these
industries work and how many
communities have been terribly let down and their livelihoods destroyed.
The chemicals used include Benzene, amongst others are proven carcinogens. This also effects the work force that is involved with this industry.
The most important issue I urge you to look at is that of instability, leading to degradation of unique environments and pollution of underground aquifers, ground water and rivers.This industry sees fit to fracture materials with no guarantees of future water quality . They release methane
pollution as fugitive chemical emissions and contribute to global warming.
How is it that we can even contemplate this as a clean, safe, clever and sustainable industry?
No one can ensure its safely and the insurance companies and our politicians are walking away- no one is silly enough to insure the farce that is has become.
The water act and the petroleum act are gateways to poor corporate behaviour in the future, with the long suffering taxpayer expected to foot the bill for cowboy companies and ineffectual politicians. Reminding us of the bourgoise ethic of "short term capital gain at the expenses of the environment".
Given the dubious and wholly unsatisfactory track record of mining and related cleanups in the Northern Territory and the inability of companies and politicians to give guarantees about underground water quality in such a harsh environment, it would be far better to do nothing rather than risk future generations water supply.
Carol Randall and Andrew Smith