Thursday 26 May 2011

Coal kicks goals

Age
18 May 2011, Page: 12

THE state government is negotiating with Alcoa about a massive expansion of coalmining near Anglesea. There has been unprecedented community opposition to this new threat to the Surf Coast. Under the government's wind power policy, a household will be able to block a cluster of turbines up to two kilometres from their house. Most of Anglesea, a town of more than 2000 people, is within two kilometres of the proposed open cut. Yet residents have no right of veto over this expansion.

It seems that the government has decided to pick winners and losers in Victoria's energy future. It is clear that it is siding with dirty coal over renewable sources of energy. In the 21st century this seems backwards and is unlikely to be popular with the community especially those on the front line of the coal expansion.

Cam Walker, campaigns co ordinator, Friends of the Earth, Fitzroy

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