A convoy of trucks carrying a coal seam gas drill rig in the Pilliga forest of North West NSW has been successfully blockaded this morning by a 58-year-old farmer who has attached himself with metal piping to a rig truck.
Dry land farmer and grazier Ted Borowski has a property North of Coonamble and is concerned for the ongoing future of farming in the region if coal seam gas fields go ahead.
"Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner displayed absolute contempt for North West NSW farmers when he recently announced a fast track of the proposed Narrabri Gas Project," said Mr Borowski.
"The National Party has lost my vote. They are completely out of touch with farmers - this Santos coal seam gas field project is going nowhere: we are not going to let gasfields into the region.
“I was one of the 600 farmers in Narrabri last week who heard rancher John Fenton of Wyoming give an eye-opening account of the water contamination, health impacts and property devaluation from living in a gasfield. We’re certainly not going to have that information and then stand aside and allow gasfields to destroy us here,” said Mr Borowski.
"If gasfields invade the NSW North West, it will destroy our water, damage our land and ultimately destroy our ability for a future in farming and food production for the next generation.
"Farmers will not allow the Santos gasfield industrialisation of the North West. Coal seam gas fields are not needed and will damage critical industries like farming and risk the long term viability of our precious water resources.
"The land is all I have, and while it’s very difficult to take time away from the farm, it’s critically important to me that I make strong stand to protect our land and water from coal seam gas fields,” he said.