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27 OCT 2011
Vol.63 VOLUME 63, NOno. 14 9
11 AUGUST 2011
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No fracking, please, we’re Canberran After a concerted campaign by the ANU Environment Collective, the university will ditch its shares in Metgasco, involved in controversial coal seam gas operations. TOM SWANN WRITER
The Australian National University will sell its shares in Metgasco, a company involved in coal seam gas extraction in Northern NSW, following student opposition to the investment. ANU Vice Chancellor Professor Ian Young announced the decision in a statement to students, in response to a campus campaign raising concerns about the environmental and social impacts of the booming coal seam gas industry. The ANU’s decision is the latest controversy for the coal seam gas industry in NSW, which is drawing opposition from across the political spectrum. The rush to develop NSW’s vast reserves is seeing farmers, environmentalists, students, and even Alan Jones, all
calling for caution. Tom Stayner from the ANU Environment Collective, the student group behind the Metgasco campaign, says they are excited about the decision and hope it will set a precedent. “He took some convincing, but the Vice Chancellor is showing leadership on this urgent issue”, Stayner says. “The ANU should be about the public good. It shouldn’t be risking Australia’s clean water and farming communities--not to mention impacts on the climate.” The Vice Chancellor’s short statement “notes” the students’ concerns, but does not say
why the University will sell its shares in Metgasco. An ANU spokeswomen said in a further statement “The decision was made by the Vice-Chancellor after concerns were raised with him, and he investigated the matter.” The Canberra Times reports the Vice Chancellor said the decision was “pragmatic” and based on the low price of the shares, and also downplayed the role of the student campaign. The ANU currently holds a 1% share in Metgasco, worth around $1 million, making it the 12th largest shareholder. The ANU’s total investment portfolio is valued
All’s well that ends Welling VINCENT CHIANG CORRESPONDENT
After much anticipation, Ben Wellings from the CASS has been selected to deliver the 2011 Last Lecture. The Last Lecture is an annual lecture, symbolically marking the end of the ANU teaching year. This year, more than 700 students voted from a pool of 70 nominated lecturers to choose the Last Lecturer. Wellings follows on from an esteemed tradition of lecturers, which includes Professor John Hutchinson in 2010, and Dr Alastair Greig in 2008. Wellings, who obtained his PhD from the ANU, is Convenor of European Studies at the ANU,
although his research interests also extend towards the relationship between Australia and Europe. According to his ANU Researchers profile, Wellings has also worked as a museum curator, a public affairs consultant, a researcher at the House of Commons and a merchant seaman maintaining England’s supply lines to cheap French lager. Whilst Woroni was unable to ask Wellings to comment, it is accepted that he is an extremely well respected and loved member of the ANU teaching staff.
“I think it’s great – he was definitely my favourite lecturer last semester,“ said first year student Christina Rae, who enrolled in Wellings’ first semester course Europe in the Modern Era: Foundations of International Relations. “He will be able to provide an intelligent, engaging and witty speech.” The lecture starts at 5:30pm in The Hall, University House on Thursday the 3rd of November. Doors open at 5:00pm, and no bookings are necessary
at over $1 billion. Students from the Collective say they discovered the investment in Metgasco’s annual report. They were spurred on by contact from several people in areas affected by Metgasco operations, who urged a push for divestment. The students launched their campaign by installing a ‘gas rig’ made out of milk crates in Union Court on campus and starting a petition. At a recent student forum, Vice Chancellor Young said that Australian Ethical Investments gives “the tick” to coal seam gas companies that don’t use the
controversial “fracking” technique, which he said includes Metgasco. Critics say fracking, or hydraulic fracturing to release the gas, can cause major problems for water systems. In a letter to the Vice Chancellor, the students cited Metgasco reports showing that fracking occurred at its Kingfisher natural gas operation and suggesting plans to use the technique elsewhere. They also noted Australian Ethical Investments recently pulled out of Origin Energy due to its coal seam gas activities. The NSW Government has banned fracking until the end of the year and introduced new regulations for the industry. A Parliamentary Inquiry on the impacts of CSG is currently underway and is due to report in April 2012. Stayner, who has been studying coal seam gas and policy in class, says it can have serious impacts even without fracking. “They have to extract huge amounts of water, and the CSIRO is worried that will cause permanent damage to the water table, which could really damage farming in these areas.” “And in the end, gas is still a fossil fuel. It causes climate change,” Stayner says. “In fact, it might be worse than coal overall.” The students point to recent US studies which challenge the idea CONTINUED P2
Tragic death of student at Lake Burley Griffin ANGUS MINNS EDITOR
Police have recovered the body of a man from Lake Burley Griffin. The body is believed to be that of 21-year-old University of Canberra student William Boyle. Police are not treating the death as suspicious and at the time this article was written were yet to formally identify the body. The discovery of the body came after Boyle’s wallet, phone and shorts were found near the lake at
Yarralumla. Boyle was last seen by friends at the ANU Oktoberfest celebrations last Thursday, Boyle’s Facebook page was inundated with tributes from his friends. In a media release, police stated that a postmortem will be carried out, and a report is being prepared for the coroner.