Stop CSG Illawarra released the statement below on October 21.
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Just over 3000 people rallied in the Illawarra on October 21 to spell out: "Protect H20, Stop CSG!". Following a slew of broken promises by the state government last month, and a failure to rule out CSG development in drinking water catchments, people across the Illawarra came out in force once again.
Stop CSG Illawarra spokesperson Jess Moore said: "It's astonishing that the community is having to fight the state government to protect our water supply.
"O'Farrell promised to ban exploration and mining in the drinking water catchment. This was - quite clearly - a lie.
"No part of NSW – not the land where food is grown, not our water catchments – has been ruled out to CSG development.
"But this community is ensuring our land and water is protected. We've won a freeze on the local project and had an application withdrawn due to the level of opposition here. It's past time we saw this reflected in policy."
Spokesperson Steve Whistler added: "Today the Illawarra took a stand. We want to see a science-first approach to CSG that puts facts before development, and a ban on CSG in the drinking water catchment. Water is more important than gas."