THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2017: A large swath of the Peel region remains covered by gas leases despite a promise by the state government to ban fracking in the area.
A free film and information night to discuss the issue is being organised for Wednesday October 11 at the Bortolo Pavillion in Greenfields starting at 6.15pm.
The event hosted by Lock the Gate’s Frack Free WA campaign and the Gasfield Free Metro Action Group will include information and a discussion on the current state of play of fracking and the onshore gas industry in WA.
A spokesperson for Lock the Gate in WA Jane Hammond said the battle against gasfields on farmland water catchment areas, environmentally sensitive and culturally significant areas was far from over despite the Government’s promise to ban fracking in the region and its current fracking moratorium covering the rest of the state.
“The fracking ban only prevents the act of hydraulic fracturing and not exploration for unconventional gas nor the use of other experimental methods to get gas out of the ground,” Ms Hammond said.
“While the leases remain active, the threat of invasive gasfields developing in the region remains.”
“Following the film screening there will be a brief outline of the WA campaign and we will explain how local people can get involved.”
Ms Hammond said she hoped that a local Gasfield Free group could be established in the Mandurah area to assist regional communities fighting the unconventional gas industry and to help protect local groundwater supplies.
The film, A Fractured State, looks at the battle by communities in the Kimberley, Mid West and South West and how they are locking their gates to the industry and declaring their regions off limits to gas mining and exploration.
“It is an uplifting story of hope and ordinary people who are doing extraordinary things to protect what they value most. It is also a story about what is a stake and what we stand to lose if the fracking industry and its backers get their way.”
The film will screen at the Bortolo Pavillion, 1 Bortolo Drive Greenfields on Wednesday October 11. Doors open at 6.15pm. The event is free and the pavilion is a few minutes’ walk from the Mandurah train station.
A Fractured State premiered on West TV Channel 44 late last year and has since been playing in town halls and sports clubs across WA.
For further information check out the event on the Frack Free WA facebook page or call 0403 926 467.
Further media information: Jane Hammond 0403 926 467