WOMBARRA and Scarborough residents have declared that they want their villages to remain ‘Coal Seam Gas (GSG) free’.

Stop CSG members have surveyed households in the two former coal mining villages, with an overwhelming majority of respondents declaring that they want their suburb to remain CSG-free.

Residents also want a ban on CSG development in the drinking water catchment and a freeze on the industry state-wide to investigate the impacts.

Stop CSG Illawarra spokesperson and Wombarra resident Jess Moore said while a CSG licence has been granted in these suburbs and across the drinking water catchment, the Government has not asked communities what they want.

“These results provide a very clear picture: a stop to CSG,” Ms Moore said.
“Residents want the CSG licenses over Scarborough, Wombarra and the drinking water catchment revoked, and no such new licenses granted.

“People are standing up to protect their communities; standing up where the Government has failed,” she said.

Survey data: Question one: Do you want your suburb to be CSG-free? Wombarra (by household) Yes: 202 (95.73%) No: 2 (0.95%) Don’t know: 7 (3.32%) Scarborough (by household) Yes: 77 (93.90%) No: 2 (2.44%) Don’t know: 3 (3.66%) Question two: Do you want CSG development banned in drinking water catchments? Wombarra (by household) Yes: 207 (98.10%) No: 2 (0.95%) Don’t know: 2 (0.95%) Scarborough (by household) Yes: 78 (95.12%) No: 2 (2.44%) Don’t know: 2 (2.44%) Question three: Do you want a freeze on the industry in NSW to investigate the impacts? Wombarra (by household) Yes: 200 (94.79%) No: 6 (2.84%) Don’t know: 5 (2.37%) Scarborough (by household) Yes: 76 (92.68%) No: 4 (4.88%) Don’t know: 2 (2.44%)

Wombarra: 211 households responded, no-one was home at 104 on more than one occasion and 13 households indicated they were busy or not interested. Scarborough: 82 households responded, no-one was home at 63 on more than one occasion and 15 households indicated they were busy or not interested.