COAL seam gas extraction’s impact on people’s health in the Tara district will be discussed at a meeting of con-cerned residents, representatives of Toowoomba diocese’s Social Justice Commission (SJC), Queensland Gas Company (QGC) and the State Government.
The meeting will discuss ongoing concerns recently raised by Bishop Robert McGuckin of Toowoomba and SJC executive officer Dr Mark Copland about alleged negative health impacts of coal seam gas extraction on the people of Tara Residential Estates.
Representatives of groups such as Lifeline will also attend the meeting on June 18 in Chinchilla.
A QGC spokesman said the company will also be contacting Bishop McGuckin for a separate meeting to discuss concerns he raised.
“We are concerned by claims referred to by the bishop that our operations are resulting in ill health,” he said.
Bishop McGuckin said Toowoomba diocese’s SJC had heard accounts from Tara residents of physical and mental health conditions they believed were attributed to nearby coal seam gas activity.
“We support the recent call by the Australian Medical Association that governments strengthen the assessment and monitoring of health impacts of coal seam gas developments in Australia,” he said.
The Chinchilla meeting has been organised by the Gasfield Support Group.
This group has been working for more than 18 months supporting local residents living near the coal seam gas activity.
Dr Copland said the meeting would also discuss ongoing concerns about the impact of coal seam gas extraction on groundwater sources.
He said plans to start drilling wells for coal seam gas on the residential estates in the near future made investigation of the matter more urgent.
Dr Copland said meetings in Chinchilla were held “more or less regularly, often monthly”.
He said the concerns of Bishop McGuckin and the SJC about the health issues would be on the meeting agenda.
Dr Copland said the commission continued to work to raise awareness about the issues.
“It is important to stress that part of our role is to be peacemakers,” he said.
“There are many people in our parishes who are making a living from the industry.
“It’s important we go beyond an ‘us and them’ situation.
“However, it’s also our role to stand with those who are hurting, those people who are not satisfied with the measures currently in place to protect them.
“We need to ensure their voices are being heard.”
QGC’s spokesman said the company, one of several operating in the area, had offered to pay for independent medical advice for the families but this offer had been declined.
“None of the symptoms of those who complain of health impacts points to the effects of methane, which is non-toxic and been used in Australian households for 100 years,” he said.
“The Queensland Health Department has found no link between health complaints and gas production.”
Dr Copland said the QGC “will rightly say that they are playing by the rules – that there are thousands of regulations that they are complying with”.
“However, the basic question we are posing is, ‘Can we be confident that the extraction of coal seam gas and related activities are safe for residents on the Tara Estates?’
“This is exactly the same question the AMA has been asking.
“The commission intends to keep going back to companies involved, and the Government, and keep asking these questions.
“It’s obvious something is happening to cause these health problems.
“I don’t think enough research has been done to rule out coal seam gas extraction is to blame.”
Dr Copland said the Queensland Govern-ment had an important role to play.
“The Government should protect the most vulnerable in our community and we are calling on them to do more,” he said.
Lifeline Darling Downs and South West Queensland chief operating officer Paul Jensen said the organisation provided therapeutic support for the people of Tara and elsewhere on the Western Downs.
“Our caseload at any one time is around 100,” he said.
“The majority of cases are to do with relationship and financial issues.
“About seven per cent of callers are phoning in to seek help with stress and anxiety issues relating to coal seam gas extraction.”
QGC has provided funding to support Life-line’s work in the region.
