Bishop supports AGFORCE in protecting the Great Artesian Basin
24 April, 2024The Queensland Country Life newspaper ran an article in the 15th February edition titled “GAB Fight Heads to Court”, which outlined that AGFORCE had applied to the National Farmers Fighting Fund for money to underwrite a federal court action to stop liquified carbon dioxide being injected into the Great Artesian Basin. This was a trial project by mining company, Glencore, through its subsidiary CTS-Co to inject carbon dioxide waste from the Millmerran Power Station into the Great Artesian Basin.
Bishop Michael wrote to Queensland Country Life expressing his support of the action by AGFORCE. He wrote, “I believe AGFORCE’s action of ensuring preservation of this pristine asset of our land, the Great Artesian Basin, should be supported by every Australian. Carbon dioxide, when dissolved in water, and especially into the waters of the Great Artesian Basin, changes the safety of its water for human consumption and livestock.”
Queensland Country Life contacted Bishop Michael and wrote an article in their 14th March edition titled “Catholic bishop joins fight to protect GAB” by Judith Maizey. In the article they noted Bishop Michael’s previous work as an industrial chemist at BHP for four years, working in the area of water and air pollution, as well as referencing his letter. They wrote “With a Bachelor Degree in Science from USQ, Bishop McCarthy said the safe disposal of CO2 gas was the responsibility of the companies that the government had licensed to extract the gas from fossil fuel reserves. ‘This gas should be converted into an inert state through a process which is readily achievable through modern technology,’ he said.”
For the full text of Bishop Michael’s letter see
Letter to Country Life concerning the GAB
Queensland Country Life and Bishop Michael will continue to follow progress on this issue.
The links to the Queensland Country Life articles can be found below, however they are accessible to paid subscribers only:
• GAB fight heads to court
https://www.queenslandcountrylife.com.au/story/8517643/agforce-applies-to-nff-fighting-fund-to-fund-fight-against-glencore/
• Catholic bishop joins fight to protect GAB
https://www.queenslandcountrylife.com.au/story/8552301/bishop-mccarthy-backs-agforce-in-its-fight-against-a-threat-to-the-great-artesian-basin/
