Lock the Gate Alliance - Background
On 6 November 2010 representatives from over 40 community, professional and environmental groups facing down the challenges of unchecked mining for coal and gas from across Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia convened in Broke, NSW.
The forum highlighted the commonality of experiences from across Australia where the coal mining industry is relentlessly expanding and the emergence of unconventional gas mining (including coal seam gas, shale gas and underground coal gasification) has torn apart lives, communities and the environment all with the complicit support of our governments.
The assembled representatives discussed the ongoing pattern of our governments undermining the rights of Australian citizens to meet the demands of international corporate greed. All the groups represented are made up of citizens from all walks of life.
Community groups arrived from wherever the coal and gas mining industries have emerged. They are protesting the government sanctioned destructive impacts on their land, their health, their water and their environment.
Professional business associations have formed special committees to deal with the unrelenting and unchecked growth of these industries. It has pushed their members beyond the brink.
Environmental groups have been calling for action to protect our health, our water, our air and our land for years.
Government inaction has seen the pace of energy resource mining grow unchecked and largely unregulated leading to the destruction of the environment and the disenfranchisement of the Australian people.
The Coalition of Coal & Gas Communities Forum in Broke confirmed that the issues are the same across Australia.
It is clear that our State governments have become morally and ethically bankrupt. It is clear that our health and our environment have been ignored in the interests of energy resource mining. It is clear that our Federal government has stood by and watched as the State governments have trampled on the needs and rights of the citizens.
Based on spurious claims of jobs, revenue and investment, our governments at both federal and state levels have ignored the growing and strident calls of the citizens and the overwhelming empirical evidence demanding a halt to the relentless growth and unregulated operations of these industries.
The time for negotiation is over. The time for change has arrived. The citizens of Australia demand balance, fairness and the reaffirmation of their rights.
Related Documents
- Lock the Gate Alliance Inc Constitution (341kb pdf file)
Please read the Lock the Gate Alliance Incorporated Constitution carefully before you make a commitment to sign up officially as a member. In becoming an official member, you are agreeing to be bound by the rules and guidelines that are laid out in this document.
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