Opponents of coal seam gas are calling on Dubbo residents to lobby Dubbo City Council to become a gasfield free zone.
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At least 45 local councils in Australia have declared themselves to be gasfield free and speakers at a CSG information session at Dubbo RSL yesterday said it is one of the most effective ways to keep gas companies out.
Actor and passionate CSG opponent Michael Caton was joined by Lock the Gate's Megan Kuhn, Great Artesian Basin Protection Group president Anne Kennedy and Friends of the Pilliga member Jane Judd in addressing the crowd of approximately 100 people and they called on people to avoid getting complacent.
They said the threat of CSG activity has temporarily been reduced in Dubbo because a petroleum exploration licence for the region was rejected by the government but they expect others to come in the future.
Ms Kuhn said now is a great time for Dubbo to take a stand.
"There are 45 Local Government Areas that have placed a moratorium on coal seam gas activity and it has been very effective but that wouldn't have come about if the community didn't want it," Ms Kuhn said.
"I must start from the grass roots level and you can't expect them to act on it unless you are prepared to step up and move together as a community.
"It's easy for us to sit back and point the finger at each other but we each have to be willing to do something to make that come about."
As well as speeches and a question and answer from the panel, those who attended the session saw the film Fractured Country: An Unconventional Invasion, which looked at some of the damage that has allegedly been caused by the extraction of CSG.
It detailed the struggles some farmers in Queensland and Northern NSW have had in dealing with gas companies, as well as some of the health issues that they believe have been caused by living in close proximity to gas extraction.
Ms Kuhn stressed the other aspects of CSG mining, which include the potential environmental fallout if the chemicals used in the hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and dangerous elements released by the drilling get into the ground water.
Ms Kennedy said any contracts or agreements done with companies involved confidentiality agreements which stopped the details from coming to light and made it impossible to know what issues are occurring.
However she said a conservative approach to mining is the right one.