Lock the Gate Alliance have slammed the decision by CSG mining company QGC (BG Group) to threaten legal action against a family of 11, just 7 days before Christmas, in order force access to their property for gas operations.
The owner of the property, and mum of 11, Narelle Nothdurft said:
“What should have been a festive season for us has been turned into a season of distress after we received a letter from QGC on Friday threatening us with legal action.
“Over the last year and half we have submitted a letter of grievance identifying 63 points about the QGC operations on and near our property and 16 formal complaints to the government and have received no support from the Queensland Government.
“We have made complaints about health issues, noise impacts and failure to undertake proper weed management, but we’ve had no proper response from anyone.
“We don’t believe Australian families should have to put up with this, and we fear for the future of our children who are experiencing daily nosebleeds and severe headaches.
“We are surrounded by 27 gas wells within a 2.5km radius of our house, and massive gas compression stations between 3 and 5 kilometres away. We’ve been forced to live in an industrial zone with no way out.
“We’ve begged the Qld Government to intervene, but they’ve done nothing, and now we find ourselves alone, at Christmas, having to respond to legal threats and intimidation by QGC” she said.
National President of Lock the Gate Alliance, Drew Hutton said “This family has been forced into an unliveable situation by QGC and the Queensland Government.
“About two months ago they locked their gates to QGC, until such time as they received real action on their concerns.
“Instead of action, they have copped the very worst of the heavy-handed legal tactics and bullying which has characterised the actions of the CSG industry dealing with landholders throughout Qld.
“In October, we put forward an urgent CSG Crisis Plan to the Qld Government to try to prevent more tragedies in the gasfields, but nothing has changed.
“We’re calling for the Qld Government to intervene urgently and to prevent QGC driving this family beyond despair.
“The Nothdurfts are seeking to have their grievances fully addressed in a manner that respects their position and concerns.
“We are calling for them to be bought out urgently so that they can rebuild their lives somewhere else, away from the destructive tactics and damaging impacts of the CSG industry” he said.
Footage available: https://vimeo.com/149607008
