Lock the Gate Alliance

Date: 21-Jun-11
Author: Amanda Albury

Dear All,

Please pass around to your contacts/members, friends & family.

Please find attached flyer of L & E Court dates on (Monday 27th June & Friday 1st July) for ICAG Inc. Vs NSW Planning Department/Gloucester/Duralie Coal.

Also an invitation to individuals/groups of two upcoming Rally dates THIS Saturday 25th June South of Wards River Township/Duralie Road between 9am-1pm (regardless of weather) and Monday 27th June at Martin Place Sydney, outside Channel 7 from 8.30 a.m. onwards regardless of weather (before Court 10am).  More details below:-

1) Merits Appeal Class 1 - back to Court on Monday 27th June (10am) and Friday 1st July (time not known) - Sydney L & E Court.  Dr Ian Wright (Water Ecologist) has been under Court Oath since before 18th May and is to go back onto the stand on Monday 27th June.

Our Barrister Ashley Stafford is questioning Duralie Coal's Experts, the Planning Department should be putting their table to the Judge of how they managed the residents concerns/complaints on dust, noise, train movements etc.  Dr Ian Wright could be questioned by Duralie Coal's Barrister.  On Friday 1st July this day was set down for the Barristers to present their summary to the Judge & Commissioner.

Duralie Coal's Barrister Mr Gallasso, their experts, the Court & NSW Planning Department, seemed to agree that people choose to live in houses affected by dust from Duralie/(Stratford) Coal.

Thereby the opposition justifies Duralie Coal's open cut pit, destroying of catchment areas/creeks & rivers, the effects on peoples lives/health & wellbeing by dust, noise, train movements, blasting & loss of other occupations, death to wildlife unable to run or fly fast enough from felling trees and bulldozers or aquatic wildlife dependant on clean flowing creek/river water are in time impacted to death where paid Government Departments/experts are happy to see a "20% decline or more" in the Giant Barred Frog population of Mammy Johnsons River, which all seems to be completely acceptable to this group of people.

What other wildlife has/will died/die in and around 20% death or more of frogs?  What health impacts to people of Stroud & Stroud Road townships, where Midcoast Water did not do their own heavy metal tests for their customers, when ICAG last spoke to Managers of Midcoast Water, they had Duralie Coal doing the testing for them.  ICAG Inc. during a phone conversation with Anna Kalinski objected to Midcoast Water not doing their own testing stating they do not have a 'right to sell customers water they are not testing completely independently of Duralie Coal/Mining Companies and it should be seen to be a breach of 'duty of care'.

Please Note: Considering Duralie Coal is discharging via different methods and means dirty mine water and underground water brought up to the surface from their exploration drilling/mining works.  Coalshaft Creek (mining impacts) and Unnamed Creek (exploration impacts) that run directly into Mammy Johnsons River, flowing to the Karuah River (drinking water of Stroud and Stroud Road) onflowing out to Port Stephens/Marine Park.  Speaking to the Health Department at John Hunter Hospital, it was mentioned that they cannot do anything "until there are clusters of sick people in Stroud & Stroud Road and not just a few people the majority... ".  

Throughout the Court proceedings they give us the impression that offsetting the bushland currently being destroyed by Duralie Coal moving North West is completely acceptable too.  When in reality th

• ICAG Events Poster
  (25kb doc file)

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