Australian acting star Michael Caton will be the voice of a new advertising blitz Lock the Gate Alliance is launching this week, which highlights the harm that polluting gasfields are causing across Australia.
The ads, which will run on radio stations in Victoria, NSW, and Queensland, and on digital platforms like Spotify, carry the simple message of “Gas - the cost is already too high”.
Mr Caton, whose long-held opposition to Santos’ Narrabri gasfield project was recently highlighted on Australian Story, said, “It means alot to stand alongside farmers and communities that are sticking up for Australia and won’t let gas companies walk all over them.”
“I’ve always been very worried about gasfields draining water supplies from the Great Artesian Basin, because that artesian water is more precious than gold in the bush.
“City folks really need to get behind people on the land fighting this gasfield scourge.
“It’s time for all Australians to join together on this and choose renewables because the costs of gas are already too high.”
Lock the Gate Alliance national coordinator Carmel Flint said she was delighted Mr Caton was willing to raise awareness about this important issue.
“It’s important that all Australians are provided good information about what’s at risk across Australia from polluting gasfields and fracking,” she said.
“The costs of gasfields are already too high, and this cost falls to everyday Australians, both through the subsidies our governments pay the companies, and the damage they are doing to our farms and water.
“More than 120 water bores have already run dry in Queensland due to coal seam gas, and every fracked gas well uses 30 million litres of water and 18 tonnes of chemicals.
“Gas production costs farming jobs - 18 jobs are lost in agriculture for every 10 jobs created in gas developments.
“Australia’s future lies in harnessing renewable energy, not in dirty gasfields that will drain our water and put jobs and food-producing land at risk.”