THE Broke/Bulga community feels left out of the community consultative committee with the announcement of the new representatives. The Hunter Gas Project CCC members are Wayne Bedggood (Hunter Thoroughbred Breeders Association President), John Daniel, Bob Kennedy (disbanded Bulga CCC representative), Scott Jennar (Muswellbrook Environment Committee), Michael Johnsen (Nationals Hunter representative), Jennifer Lecky (Muswellbrook councillor), Ian Napier (Wombat Crossing Vineyard), Carol Russell (Singleton Shire Healthy Environment Group member), John Taylor, Scott Greensill (Singleton Council general manager), in addition to a Cessnock Council representative and the CEO of Wanaruah Local Aboriginal Land Council, Laurie Perry. AGL Energy will also be represented. The only Broke/Bulga representative is Bob Kennedy, who was on the disbanded Bulga CCC. The Hunter Gas Project covers an expansive area with AGL’s initial reserve assessment for the Singleton local government area, as of September 2010, extending to Belford, Warkworth and Broke/Bulga. Hunter Valley Protection Alliance’s (HVPA) Graeme Gibson said the community expected they would have a strong representation on the CCC. “We are very lucky to have Bob and Carol Russell on there who are both very strong advocates for our area, but we were hoping all members would be community representatives and there would be no beauracrats,” Mr Gibson said. “We trust that the representatives will put the protection of the environment, our homes, livelihoods, farms and businesses at the forefront. “We now need this CCC to be open to the press so that there can be full transparency and that the CCC representatives will be able to speak openly about everything that is said in the CCC – nothing less is acceptable,” Mr Gibson said. qMEANWHILE the Western Australian, Queensland and South Australian governments are introducing methods to protect agricultural land from coal seam gas. The Western Australian premier has declared Margaret River as a mining no-go zone. South Australia’s planning minister has released a Protecting the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale discussion paper seeking community input on the kind of development South Australians do and don’t want to see in the Barossa Valley. The Queensland government is planning to introduce tough new environmental laws later this year that will ban mines from developing in areas that would make land unusable for farming.