A group of 50 Gomeroi people, elders and community members have ramped up their protest targeted at Whitehaven coal today.
They believe Whitehaven coal has shown no respect for Aboriginal people and the preservation of their culture as it prepares to mine 4000 acres in the Leard State Forrest.
Today is the second day they’ve protested across the road from Whitehaven coal’s office in Boggabri and in a heated demonstration, the protestors burnt the company’s management plan.
In further protest, 25 Aboriginal employees of the mine, hired to undertake cultural salvage works have also walked off the job.
I am appalled that with all that has been done to the Aboriginal people in the past by the Government they are now allowing Whitehaven to destroy the Leard State Forest, FOREVER , a forest rich in Aboriginal culture with many sacred sites and unique flora and fauna found nowhere else.
The following statement is from the N.S.W. Government “when visiting a state forest, the government of New South Wales reminds you to “tread softly” in the bush. “All native plants and animals are protected in forests, parks and reserves,” the Department of Primary Industries warns in its guide for visitors.
I have been there, and yes I did tread softly.
This really is appalling, this forest is important, and so is the community, the destruction for a short term goal of fossil fuels that should be left in the ground is a travesty!
Not to mention the acumalative effect of more coal causing cancer being spewed into our environment by these parasitic in dust rys…
Coal kills there are tens of thousands of storys around the world on coal and cancer the connection is paramount look for your self and see that you are being conned if coal was good for our economy where is all the money…Jobs well its time to fill in all the coal holes plenty of jobs for the rehabilitation of the earth for decades to come that is the coal promise isnt it ” WE WILL PUT IT BACK EXACTLY THE WAY IT WAS BEFORE MINING what a joke the con has become and only because too many heads are stuck in the wide screen that they cannot see the big picture…MINE = GREED.