The Country Women's Association (CWA) of NSW will be among community, agricultural, union and First Nations organisations from across the state who are coming together on the weekend to oppose Santos' coal seam gas (CSG) plans for the Pilliga in North West NSW and any expansion into surrounding agricultural land.
Representatives from the CWA, Gomeroi Traditional Owners, NSW Farmers, Unions NSW and Lock the Gate Alliance are jointly hosting a community event, Unite for Land and Water, at Breeza on Sunday, March 22.
It comes in the wake of concerns the NSW Government is considering compulsory land acquisitions to enable Santos' Narrabri Gas Project in North West NSW to move ahead, and reflects fears around the long-term implications of CSG development for land, water resources, agricultural productivity, and cultural heritage.
In September 2023, thousands of people rallied in the centre of Sydney to protest against the project.
"The coming together of so many individuals and different groups in 2023 underscored just how concerned people are about CSG expansion into NSW's rich agricultural areas. But three years on, those fears have not been allayed and it's time for further action to show our policy-makers we won't be silent on this," said President of the CWA of NSW, Tanya Jolly.
"The stakes are too high and there is too much to lose if this gas expansion is allowed to proceed as planned. This is one of the most important food bowls in our nation, and we can't afford to risk its future in this way."
Tanya said the event would also be a chance for policy-makers to engage with communities seeking greater confidence in current planning and regulatory frameworks, and to hear from them on the social, environmental and economic impacts they think should be considered in relation to the project.
"There is no doubt that through this process, community confidence in planning mechanisms has been eroded. We hope to see representatives from across our different levels of government at Sunday's event to address these ongoing tensions between project approvals and the concerns local communities and our groups have been expressing since the beginning," Tanya said.
The groups are calling on the NSW Government to enact permanent legislative protections and ensure the region's long-term sustainability for communities, agriculture, and environmental assets in the region.
