Sutton Forest bull breeders Ross and Marg Alexander are pretty tough. They've had to be. Three years ago, receiving Hume Coal's notice of intent to prospect for coal on their land, the Alexanders refused. "We're denying you access because a covenant on this property says it is for agricultural purposes only," they wrote. It was a farm, not a coal mine.
A month later they were in court, and lost – with costs of $180,000 awarded against them. This was negotiated down to $120,000, and the community helped to raise funds to pay it. But last Friday the 13th, in a group action, they lost again, also with costs.
With them were Kathy and John Roche. Kathy, a former pharmacist, is 80. Her husband John, a former GP, is 86. In May, Kathy was midway through chemotherapy for bowel cancer when Hume Coal's arbitrator left messages and emails demanding next day drilling access to their land. The Roches refused.
Selling out the farm undermines our future