By Margaret Maccoll
The residents of Cooran wrapped up and folded away a fabric black hole on Saturday to symbolically show future coal or gas mines were not welcome to leave such a scar on their landscape.
They also presented Noosa MP Sandy Bolton with a signed declaration that she will present to Queensland Parliament to ensure the region will remain free of future mining applications and the current mining exploration licenses that are set to expire in November will be extinguished.
The action followed a survey conducted by community group Cooran Earth Rights of 1000 of its 1600 residents which found 99 per cent did not want future coal or gas mining in the region.”It’s the purest form of democracy that can’t be ignored,” spokesman Malcolm Pollack said.
Noosa Council deputy Mayor Frank Wilkie told the gathering the council was with them and did not support any future permits for coal and gas exploration, saying it was incompatible with Noosa’s assets and lifestyle.
He said he applauded the spirit of the Cooran community and their determination. Cr Wilkie said Noosa was working toward being carbon neutral by 2026 and creating a less polluted future for future generations.
Ms Bolton said the people of Cooran had sent a clear message to the Minister and she was waiting assurance the Noosa electorate would be declared a restricted area.
“That means there will be no more applications ever again,” she said.
“You showed a united and collective voice is very powerful.”Cooran Earth Rights is now working with Geoff Acton and Michael Davis from Zero Carbon Noosa (ZEN) on a Repower Cooran project to help the community find affordable, accessible alternatives to fossil fuels.
“Our aim is to set a precedent for other localities, by becoming one of the first net zero emissions villages in Australia,” Cooran Earth Rights spokesman John Esson said.
