The Camp Quoll peaceful protest
The community has again taken peaceful direct action outside the front gates of Rocla Materials Pty Ltd’s sand quarry at Calga on Saturday, July 12.
Camp Quoll spokesperson Mr Ian Sutton said the community gathered to highlight the failings of the NSW State Government, and in particular the Department of Primary Industries and NSW Office of Water, for their neglect to provide appropriate protection for our future water security. “While householders on the Central Coast are forced to conserve water through water restrictions, set by the Water Wise Rules, the corporations are being allowed to destroy the very source of that water.”
“These proposed legislative changes to the Kulnura Mangrove Mountain Ground Water Sharing Plan will see a new level of freedom for the corporations, and new levels of restrictions for the community,” said Mr Sutton.
The new laws will see the current eight zones on the mountain being amalgamated into one zone. Another change to the water legislation will see the removal of limits to the maximum water take. This will allow for over extraction of water from already fully allocated aquifers, with no limit to the impacts on our endangered and threatened species, wet plant communities, hanging swamps and river flows. “The consequences of these Water Legislation changes will not only open the door to more inappropriate extractive industries but also to the Coal Seam Gas industry, allowing them to exploit our mountain’s ground water systems and destroy the source of much of our fresh water on the Central Coast,” said Mr Sutton.
“Camp Quoll’s focus on protecting Calga from the massive and unacceptable expansion of the Calga Sand Quarry has now expanded to include other threats to the Central Coast’s water security. “This issue of protecting water does not just affect the mountain communities, it impacts all people on the Central Coast. “Our local economy will be greatly affected by the loss of an affordable and reliable source of water. “Camp Quoll is now working co-operatively with other groups and community members, to help facilitate the protection of our precious water resources.
“We are demonstrating to the entire community how we can all come together in peace and unity to create positive change for our future. “The inspiration for our latest community gathering came from John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s famous peaceful demonstration, ‘In Bed For Peace’ in 1969. “This theme was chosen by the community to demonstrate to the NSW State Government our commitment to a peaceful resolution to this unacceptable situation,” said Mr Sutton,
Media release, 14 Jul 2014
Ian Sutton, Camp Quoll