Dear friends
In April 2012 Friends of the Earth and Quit Coal joined with 50 other groups from across Victoria to call for a moratorium on new coal and coal seam gas (CSG) operations in the state.
We believe that the scale of the exploration that is occurring means that the state government must intervene and initiate an investigation into the likely impacts of this industry on land, water and people before it is allowed to proceed.
You can find our release, and list of groups who are supporting this call here. http://www.melbourne.foe.org.au/?q=node/1124
It was recently reported that the Baillieu government is working on a long-term strategy to try to head off community objections to its plans to develop Victoria’s brown coal reserves.
While the community organises against new coal and gas, the government is taking us in the opposite direction.
However, as we build momentum on the issue, we know they are feeling the pressure. We must send a strong message that the community does not support new coal and CSG operations in our state.
Taking action
1/ Many of you have already signed the petition calling for a moratorium. Thanks! http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-dangerous-coal-seam-gas-mining-in-v...
You may want to forward the petition on to friends who may be interested. More than 1,100 people have signed to date.
2/ tell the Premier, Energy Minister and Minister for Agriculture and Water you expect them to support the moratorium.
Hon Ted Baillieu, Premier of Victoria. ted.baillieu@parliament.vic.gov.au
Hon Michael O’Brien, Minister for Energy and Resources. michael.o'brien@parliament.vic.gov.au
Twitter: @michaelobrienmp
Hon Peter Walsh, Deputy Leader of The Nationals, Minister for Agriculture and Food Security, Minister for Water. peter.walsh@parliament.vic.gov.au
You can use text from the moratorium letter below or write your own. Please remember to add your contact details.
Please send a quick note to the Deputy Premier, Leader of the Nationals, Peter Ryan asking him why he doesn’t support the call for a moratorium on coal and gas.
Perhaps point out that his electorate – South Gippsland – is one of the key areas at risk from new fossil fuel operations.
<peter.ryan@parliament.vic.gov.au>
Twitter: @Peter_F_Ryan
Stop Dangerous Coal and Coal Seam Gas Mining in Victoria
Dear Premier,
The Victorian government must halt coal seam gas mining and new coal operations.
As Victoria faces a wave of exploration licences for coal seam gas (CSG), coal, tight gas and shale gas, there is a growing community opposition to this industry.
Elsewhere in Australia, governments and individual members of parliament are standing up against the growth of CSG exploration and new coal mining in rural and urban areas. It’s time your Government let the community know where you stand on this issue.
We call on the Victorian government to institute a moratorium on all new coal and on-shore un-conventional gas operations until there has been a thorough investigation into the likely impacts of this industry on water resources, farmland and food security, local communities and natural biodiversity and greenhouse emissions.
We expect the government to look after our rural landscapes and communities.
If the Coalition government is to really represent rural constituencies, it must institute a moratorium against CSG, all ‘unconventional’ gas, and new coal operations in Victoria as a matter of urgency.
Yours sincerely,
3/ Please write to your local member of Parliament, asking them to support the moratorium.
To find who they are, go to: http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/assembly and then type your postcode into the box in the top right corner.
4/ Please write to your local papers, outlining the fact that there is a threat posed to Victoria’s food production and climate by the fossil fuel industry. Say you support the call for a moratorium and expect your local MP to do the same.
Please write to the Weekly Times, the key regional paper in Victoria: http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/forms/letter-to-the-editor.html
Please also write letters to the daily papers:
The Age: <letters@theage.com.au>
Herald Sun: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/opinion/letter
5/ If you are on Twitter, please tweet to:
@DanielAndrewsMP @LilyDAmbrosioMP and @VIC_ALP
Thanking them for supporting a call for a moratorium on CSG and Tight Gas.
Call on the Energy Minister to step up to the plate and do the same: @michaelobrienmp
6/ Please send a quick email to the ALP saying you support their call for a moratorium on CSG and Tight Gas.
Daniel Andrews, Leader of the Labor Party, daniel.andrews@parliament.vic.gov.au
Lily D'Ambrosio, Shadow Minister for Energy, lily.d'ambrosio@parliament.vic.gov.au
John Lenders, Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Food Security, john.lenders@parliament.vic.gov.au
7/ If you are a member of a group that might support the moratorium call, please send your details to Cam: cam.walker@foe.org.au
8/ if you would like to help us letter box key electorates with a pro-renewables, anti coal message, please get in touch with Ben: ben.courtice@foe.org.au
9/ if you would like to go on the list for a monthly newsletter, please send your email address to: cam.walker@foe.org.au
10/ If you felt like providing financial support to our campaign work, please check here.
Many thanks for all your efforts
Regards
Cam Walker
For further information:
http://www.melbourne.foe.org.au/
http://quitcoal.org.au/portfolio/our-land-not-gasland/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/No-CSG-in-Victoria/278427315523831
