Darren Coyne
Byron Shire residents visited Ballina MP Don Page’s office this morning to present a petition calling for the shire to be declared gasfield free.
They were met by office staff: the MP himself is in Sydney as parliament is sitting.
The action is a lead up to the Garfield Free Northern Rivers rally, which will be held in Lismore on November 1.
Organisers said the petition represented 14,762 households across Byron Shire who have said they want to remain gasfield free.
Both the Australian Greens and Labor have declared their support for a region-wide gasfield free declaration, but the Nationals have so far declined to do so.
Byron Shire Gasfields Free coordinator Olga Tresz said it was time for the government to listen.
‘Ninety seven per cent of Byron shire said no gas fields. We are concerned about the toxic influence of this industry on this beautiful region and we need Don to pass on our desire for this area to remain gasfield free to Anthony Roberts, the Minister for Resources and Energy,’ she told Echonetdaily.
Ms Tresz said the next major action would be to join with the rest of the northern rivers community on 1 November at a rally in Lismore.
‘All of the northern rivers will be there. Organisers are expecting 20,000 people but I think it will be even more than that,’ she said.
‘The Nationals need to listen to us and if they don’t we might see a change of government next year.’
She said opponents appreciated the full support giving by the Australia Greens but were concerned that Labor’s promise to declare the northern rivers region gasfield free did not include the Clarence.
She also said it would be ‘totally wrong’ if Metgasco was awarded any compensation as a result of its Supreme Court challenge to the suspension of its licence to drill at Bentley.
Greens candidate for Ballina Tamara Smith said it was disappointing that no other candidates turned up to the presentation of the petition.
‘It’s very disappointing because Labor made a big song and dance about declaring the north coast garfield free but where are they to support Olga and the other volunteers,’ she said.
‘I would have thought it would be courteous to come and congratulate them so it does raise the the question of political opportunism.
‘We’re incredibly in awe of the Lock the Gate movement and what they’ve done.’