A community festival being held at the Spring Ridge Country Club tomorrow aims to bring the community together in opposition to Santos’ gas plans.
Members of the Liverpool Plains community opposed to the projects will unite this weekend to demand Santos abandon its plans for coal seam gas drilling and a high pressure gas pipeline in the world renowned food and fibre growing region at the “Save the Plains; Leave It in The Ground” festival. While forcing Santos off the Liverpool Plains is the festival’s primary focus, event organiser and Liverpool Plains farmer Nicky Chirlian said there was a larger goal.
“If we stop Santos building new gasfields on the Liverpool Plains, and we stop Santos building its Hunter Gas Pipeline, then the business case for the company’s Narrabri Gas Project in the Pilliga Forest becomes much harder for it to justify to its investors,” she said.
“The sustainable, ongoing production of food and fibre on the Liverpool Plains is worth so much more than Santos’ temporary, polluting gas projects.”
“The Perrottet Government made a grave error in allowing Santos to explore for gas here, and farmers won’t forget it.”
Walhallow Land Council Chief Executive Officer Jason Allan said Santos’ gasfield plans threatened peoples’ way of life on the Liverpool Plains.
“It’s important that we maintain the farming land on the Liverpool Plains for future generations.”
“It’s our main source of employment and wealth, and we don’t want it destroyed for something that offers us no value at all,” he said.
Golden Guitar winners Luke O’Shea and Allan Caswell headlining the event, supported by Luke Vassella. Food vans, kids entertainment and a bar will be on site, and those wishing to camp can do so for free at the Spring Ridge showgrounds. National Farmers Federation President Fiona Simson and Assistant Secretary of Unions NSW Vanessa Seagrove will also speak at the event, along with Gamilaraay leaders and impacted landowners.
“We are ready to support communities in the Liverpool Plains to stop Santos,” Ms Seagrove said.
“We call on all levels of government to take whatever action necessary to honour the wishes of First Nations people and local communities to stop Santos destroying this land and threatening the water in the great artesian basin that sits below it.”
The event is being held at Spring Ridge Country Club on Saturday February 25, gates opening at 11am. More information is available on Facebook. Tickets can be booked online, and are free or pay what you can afford.
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