JUST over 3,000 people rallied at Bulli today to send a clear message to the NSW Government by spelling out: “Protect H20, Stop CSG!”.

Stop CSG Illawarra spokesperson Jess Moore said 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.

“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 We’ve won a freeze on the local project and had an application withdrawn due to the level of opposition here.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.

Protester Steve Whistler said the Illawarra took a stand today.

“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.”