‘It’s our responsibility to be the last sentry at the gate’: Clive Palmer’s maiden speech

[clear] Madam speaker, Australians know who I am and where I come from. They know I love my family and I love Australia. In 1918 my father, at the age of nine, went to see a silent movie. By the time he was 14 he was producing and starring in his first movie. He went […]

#CSG pilot project winds up: @stephaniedale22 reports

By Stephanie Dale No Fibs CSG editor The pilot No Fibs CSG citizen journalism project is winding up. It’s been an absolutely wonderful project to be involved in – in just four weeks we’ve harnessed the talents of 13 new citizen journalists and triggered the interest of many more. We’ve introduced new writers and showcased […]

An uneasy truce: Sally MacKinnon reports

  By Sally MacKinnon I live on top of a mountain on the edge of Lamington National Park, the largest protected subtropical rainforest in the world. It is on the eastern edge of the Scenic Rim region, a Local Government Area (LGA) in south-east Queensland covering 4256 square kilometres. It is home to approximately 39,000 […]

#CSG showdown in Gloucester @1earthmedia reports

By Mark Anning reports from Gloucester, NSW The NSW Government is considering an application by giant gas company AGL to begin the controversial and risky process of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, at Forbesdale, just south of Gloucester in the Manning Valley NSW – less than 300 metres from the nearest family home and less than 600 […]

A fair go – the right to say ‘no’: Phil Laird reports

  By Phil Laird Weeks of rumours that peak industry bodies were providing input into the proposed amendments to the Petroleum (Onshore) Act, regarding access agreements and permits, finally found their way into social media. The Act has had amendments proposed, the most controversial of which are about access to land for petroleum (read: unconventional […]

Ad blitz masks truth of boom industry – Jason Egbars @jasonegbars reports

By Jason Egbars Queensland commuters have been hit with an advertising blitz as the coal seam gas industry prepares to increase operations in Queensland. On Friday, Shell banners adorned a walkway to Brisbane’s Central Station. The banners made reference to ‘cleaner electricity’ and encouraged passersby to ‘find out why we’re investing in natural gas’. Shell-owned […]

#CSG: Conspiracies, mouthpieces and independence: Mark Anning @1earthmedia reports

By Mark Anning On 28 July 2013, the oil and gas industry peak body – Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (APPEA) – issued a press release, stating: “The recent coal seam gas episode of ABC 2’s Shitsville Express was a pleasant surprise – a balanced piece of reporting on coal seam gas.” Shitsville Express […]

Same state, different rules: Penny Blatchford @NoCSGGurley asks why some people in NSW get special treatment?

By Penny Blatchford Most Australians enjoy the freedom to make choices about their lives – whom we marry, if we will have children, where we live and where we work. It would seem for people like me who choose to marry a farmer, have a family, live on the farm and make that farm our […]

Black Rain: Waiting for results in Tara – Rob Rimmer reports

By Rob Rimmer On August 2, 2013 Western Downs resident Steve Ansford made a complaint to Origin Energy’s local office at Chinchilla regarding mysterious environmental and health impacts occurring on his property at Upper Humbug Road, near Tara in Queensland. For the second day running, southerly winds appeared to have brought an overnight shower: drops […]

Groundwater: out of sight, not out of mind: @molessarah reports

By Sarah Moles Very wise people have said some crucially important things about water. For me, Leonardo Da Vinci summed it up best with: “Water is the driving force of all nature”.  W.H. Auden comes a close second: “Thousands have lived without love, not one without water.”   Given its essential place in supporting life, […]