Tuesday, November 30, 2010

What Madness


On Saturday of this weekend took a couple of hours off to get away for a drive and went west on the beautiful Darling Downs of Queensland.  Took along my camera and tripod and started taking images of the harvest in full swing.  Had done this some weeks back and even though on a main thoroughfare did encounter some farmers not very friendly.

Noticed the signs about the place concerning coal mining and the troubles they were facing.  I then decided to look into the matter and am astounded at what is occurring.  The farmers perhaps thought we were mining people taking levels and mistook the tripods for another piece of equipment that stands on a tripod, hence the hostility.

Firstly the country in question is arguably the finest agricultural land in Australia and Queensland, productive with rich black soil  going  deep into the crust.  In Australia's vast land mass not too much country is arable and viable and with climate change a real threat to the southern parts of this continent in the immediate future, this could well be and is the major food bowl of this continent.  Underneath this land lies vast deposits of coal and gas and herein lies the conflict.  As I understand the situation vast deposits of coal and gas and other mineral wealth lie in more isolated areas but am I being cynical in thinking that the multi nationals engaged in this situation are making the push for this land which has infrastructure in place already?



I am aware as are most people on the planet that our energy needs are growing exponentially and to deny the energy for some utopian solution is not possible without world wide collapse of economy and civil structure.  But to continue on a path of knee jerk reaction and allowing the mining industry carte blanch over our agricultural land is to be stopped at all costs if the information I have gathered in the past two days is correct and will stand correction.



From reliable sources the scientists in the government body who oversee and make the recommendations to the government on environmental issues associated with industry have been over ridden by the politicians, that is the Anna Bligh Government.  I believe the recommendation was made to the Government Minister that the gas extraction development in this area be put on hold until a solution was arrived at by all parties as to the disposal of the waste product from the gas extrusion process.  Australia's productivity exists due in large part to the Great Artesian Basin, huge aquifers underground from where the water is pumped to the surface.  The extraction of the gas from underground involves force pumping water through the man made cracks underground through the coal, the gas dissolves in the water and at surface is extracted from the water...Now herein lies the scary part.  What happens to the water which is now full of toxic waste.  Is it placed in holding pools to evaporate, and when it evaporates what happens to the carcinogenic sludge left behind.  On the other hand Australia is a land of drought and flooding rain and nothing has changed in that regard since the poetry of Dorethea.  Not if but when the flooding rain occurs on these plains and the holding pools overflow or leak through into the aquifer this stuff does it have the potential to contaminate the underground water supplies of this continent?  This is purely my understanding of the matter and will stand correction as only have been looking into this in the past few days.  The idea would be to have a look and see what the mining companies have done previously with the welfare and disposal of this waste in their past records all over the world.  I am hearing they have not given a shite.



I guess some are looking at the farmers as not in my back yard mentality but hey I think this involves each and every Australian to get to the bottom of this situation as this issue is more important than the Franklin Dam.  I am hearing the farmers are going to involve themselves in civil disobedience and I think if my understanding of the situation is correct and here I am open to correction this country should draw a line in the sand for the benefit of children and grandchildren and say what you as a government is doing is not right allowing the mining to go ahead in the face of your own scientific advise, and you need to be held accountable before it is too late.



 The ordinary person in the city with an eye on the five to midnight should stand shoulder to shoulder with the farmers involved in this issue until it can be proven that this will not contaminate and destroy not only the soil but the underground aquifer.  What alarms me most of all is the State Government's complete disregard for the advise of the scientists employed within the bureaucracy, the people to advise us on such as this have been totally ignored, shut down and can not speak, and I know this little piece of information to be correct.  Food will be the commodity we need the most in the future.  If the information  I have been able to access is correct we as a community, state and nation have a duty to look into the veracity and ongoing development of this situation.

13 Comments:

Blogger Unknown said...

Very well done and said. As a farmer I am very concerned about the future food shortages. I also disagree with growing grain for ethanol as there is only a limited supply of super phosphate in the world so it should all be used for food production.

December 1, 2010 at 8:50 AM  
Blogger Barry Nong said...

I would think the government here in Qld would be up shit creek without mining so its mine at all costs.
I see Australias future as a major world safe food supplier so hopefully some of the short term gains from mining can be put back into things like water infrastructure.

perhaps I am dreaming

December 2, 2010 at 8:17 PM  
Blogger Margaret D said...

Thanks for your reply and explaination. I am familiar with RAW, I have the option on my Canon to use it but never have, maybe I should. I would enjoy the fiddling. I have Adobe Photoshop as well as Elements, plus a few other programmes I make my graphics in..

As for my 'over 400 km' in the one day, I drove just 1,000 km's a few weeks ago. Who would think that on this island a person could drive that far in one day!! :)
I must say I was really tired after that effort.

You do a wonderful job with your photography :) I always enjoy looking at your creations, they certainly are a joy to my eyes.
Regards,
Margaret

December 9, 2010 at 12:49 AM  
Blogger Alfonso Caso de los Cobos Martinez said...

Bonitas imágenes con unos paisajes espectaculares. Un saludo.

December 12, 2010 at 10:57 PM  
Blogger Margaret D said...

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year :)

December 23, 2010 at 12:11 AM  
Blogger Margaret D said...

Wondering are you ok up there?

January 15, 2011 at 2:24 PM  
Blogger Margaret D said...

I have left a comment on my blog..
Regards,
Margaret

January 16, 2011 at 1:52 PM  
Blogger Margaret D said...

Lizzie,
I have deleted your post plus mine (privacy) from my blog. I didn't realize I could do that until after I sent you the 'comment' on your post :) You read it first before you publish.

Oh my Lizzie,
Thanks for replying.
So sorry to hear the news of your mum. I believe you are a strong women, and I know you will cope well :) I will be thinking of you. I do hope you can keep me informed.

Lovely to know you had company, and grandchildren can be such a blessing.

We realize how much we rely on power when we don't have it. I have experienced this many times when younger as I am sure you may have as well.

Oh dear the morgue, forgot about that sort of thing.

It takes many people with all their stories and their heartaches to tell us, for us to try and realize what they have been through in this so wide spread flood. I can only imagine.

You take good care of yourself, and I pray for you and your mum.
Regards,
Margaret

January 16, 2011 at 2:02 PM  
Blogger Mari Sterling Wilbur said...

Very interesting content and the photos are gorgeous!

January 21, 2011 at 7:53 AM  
Blogger Margaret D said...

Hello Elizabeth,
I was wondering how you are?
How is your mother, any improvement?

Been thinking of you and how you are :)
Regards,
Margaret

January 23, 2011 at 11:18 PM  
Blogger Margaret D said...

Elizabeth, Are you alright?
I hope I am not being nosy...but due to your mum etc., was concerned for you :)
Regards,
Margaret

February 21, 2011 at 2:23 PM  
Blogger Margaret D said...

Hello Elizabeth,
Thanks for your reply on my blog.
I am so sorry to read that your mother passed away. May she R.I.P.

I do hope that you are alright, and my deepest sympathy to you and your family.

I realize you live in the Darling Downs somewhere, however that is a very large area so I am not sure how effect you were by the floods.

Keep strong as I am sure you will.
Best wishes.

Do hope you get into your blog to post some lovely photos you take.

I am sure the decisions you have to make will all fall into place eventually.

Thank you for your kind words.
Take care and please keep in touch so I know if you are ok. I am not a sticky beak nor am I interested in being one, I genuinely care - but of course you know this, Elizabeth.

Regards,
Margaret

February 22, 2011 at 6:09 PM  
Blogger Lizzie's Insomnia said...

Margaret I do appreciate your words and concern and touches me particularly at this time.

I have some major changes in my life in the coming months but am able to get back into my Blog which was intermittent. Had teckkys out here yesterday fixing my telephone line which seems to have been the problem, the connections that is as had been there for 40 years and the computer attached to same. What was happening the internet dropped out every few minutess and guess when trying to log in lost the connection and then it came back again and a never ending circle and I just gave it away in frustration. All seems to be working now. When trying to upload a post would lose the lot as the connection would go down. Could load to Flickr most times as was quick..so thought it was to do with Blogger put heres hoping the problems are gone.

Lizzie

Les you are dreaming did you see 4 Corners last night at least someone is paying attention to what is occurring to the aquifers. Hope you and your family are well and will get back to you with the poetry thing I mentioned...The first one is the image of the girl in the background of the tree roots. Do you want me to print out a large copy and send to you so you may study it or have I been too long in not getting back to you?

I have been spending a little time in your neck of the woods of late, what a beautiful sea.

Lizzie

Hi Beverley and Robert,
Food shortages will be the thing in the next century is the politicians would do their sums, providing that a super bug does not wipe out half the human race which may be on the cards also...happy aren't I...:))
Lizzie

Thank you for dropping by Carmen and do apologise for the lengthy time frame here...:))

February 23, 2011 at 9:43 AM  

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