Let's not deafen whales with oil testing

Recently people have been expressing concern about the erosion of our beaches but unbeknown to us all is a worse, hidden threat to our way of life.

Off our coast all the way from Newcastle to the Northern Beaches, Asset(Advent) Energy is testing for oil and gas presumably for their export market.

This consists of underwater air gun blasts every three seconds for 24 hours continuously, for three or four days.

Much peer reviewed research proves that this air gun blasting not only injures much marine life but causes deafness in wales and dolphins.

Sound is the means by which these animals communicate, keep in touch with one another, especially their calves, and locate their food sources.

Matt Canava, our Federal Resources Minister, has given permission for this testing without insisting on a truly independent environmental protection plan.

The expected drilling of wells will result in even more damaging seismic testing and we may well soon see an oil rig on the horizon as we picnic or swim at our beaches.

All of this is happening behind our backs as it were.

Why is there no outcry from the people?

Simply because we were kept in the dark.

We didn't know.

What is happening to democracy in Australia?

Our politicians seem to only be concerned with money.

Commercial fisheries, tourism authorities and even the State Government are against this seismic testing.

It is destroying life within our oceans.

I wonder if this is a contributing factor to the lack of my favourite local prawns this year.

Find out more at Facebook, at Stop Seismic Testing Newcastle or at Change.org Stop blasting for oil or gas off Newcastle and the Central Coast.

If you care, do something, even ring the Prime Ministers' Office on 6277 7700 or Advent Energy Resources Chairman: Goh Hok on (08) 9245 6187.

Surely we cannot condone this death to our oceans.

Email, 26 Jun 2018

Margaret Lund, Woy Woy Bay