The following letter, from Russell Pearce, which was recently published in the Ararat Advertiser, asks a question we often ask ourselves… when there is a major threat to the environment, where are the so-called Landscape ‘Guardians’. As usual, no where to be found …

Local climate action group, Ararat Greenhouse Action Group, have joined a call for a moratorium on new coal mining and unconventional gas extraction (including coal seam gas) in Victoria.

There is little or no support from the Victorian population for further development of fossil fuel resources, with many being deeply concerned about the impact of such activities. These include pollution of water resources, destruction of farmland from coal mining, loss of food security and local communities and natural biodiversity and greenhouse gas emissions. We therefore call on the State Government to show some representation for the rural constituencies such as Ararat Rural City and halt any such planned developments.

Curiously, there has been no response on this subject from Victoria’s Landscape Guardians, the group that takes such a keen interest in wind farms.

Chairman Ararat Greenhouse Action Group Inc

Russell Pearse