Casino Beef Week organiser Stuart George has denied there is any connection between his employment by CSG miner Metgasco and a decision by the festival to ban political protests in future.
Mr George told local media there had been an ‘avalanche’ of complaints against the political protests in this year’s rally, which included an anti-CSG float and one opposing cuts to local hospitals and health services.
‘People were all saying the same thing. They didn’t want protests in the parade; they wanted it kept as it had been previously, a celebration of community,’ Mr George told APN Media.
He said some people told him their children were ‘scared’ by the protests and added as many were opposed to the hospital float as the anti-CSG one.
Come on, Stuie, this sounds as if it’s the swan song of the George family and the National Party!
Or is it payback to Georgina Ramsay’s letter in the June edition of Nimbin Good Times about her experience at Beef Week outside the pub as she left the parade when your mate tried to trip her up and then called her a F*%@+#g Greenie bitch?
To get rid of the political agenda, Stuie, you should step down from Metgasco and also from the Council and Beef Week. Go get a job where politics are not an issue.
What about the Summerland Drags City float in Beef Week? This flies in the face of the aviation community at Casino Aerodrome. Are you going to ban their float as well?
signed – The Protesting Flying Gorilla
Me thinks Stuart George is running scared with this one. Two of the main reasons I went to this year’s Beef Week Parade was to see the Anti CSG Group and the Hospital Group peacefully participate in the parade. I’m sure that’s why a lot of other people attended too – might not have been such a successful day if these Groups’ supporters weren’t there to cheer them on. By the way Stuart, both those Groups received the biggest cheers in the area I was sitting in (opposite the Community Centre), and I also think their entries were two of the most successful floats. Much better than a big truck rumbling along with a load of pipes (driven by a very grumpy looking man) – not much thought went into that one did it!
I certainly didn’t see any frightened children where I was sitting either – in fact they loved the Whip Cracker and the Emu at either end of the No CSG entry. The only nasty, frightening, intimidating event of the day that I heard about (I didn’t see it) concerned a lady called Georgina Ramsay who wrote to and had her letter published in both the NR Echo on 7 June 12 (page 29) and Nimbin Good Times, that involved one of your associates – and I quote:
“As I walked across the road after leaving the marchers I ran into Stuart George and a few of his friends. Being in a happy mood and feeling pretty elated after our march, in passing I said, “Hello Stewy”. Standing to his right side, shoulder-to-shoulder with him was a young man, young enough to be my son. As I passed him he put his booted foot out to try and trip me over. Luckily I noticed his foot being put out and managed to move so he only skimmed my leg. I realised it was intentional so I turned around and faced him. I asked him why he would do that to me. His answer back was “get a life you f-cking greenie bitch”. I asked him again why he do that to me. He then leered at me and said something to the words of “get out of here”.
Now that is frightening, and I’m 65.
There’s never been a greater “celebration of community” than now in the Northern Rivers and most of it revolves around this CSG issue. If the Beef Week organisers don’t want protests floats in their parade then I suggest the anti-CSG people rally with a more positive message celebrating Clean Land & Water & United Communities long into the future.
Maybe the Beef Week organisers should in the true interests of honouring the democratic process put it to the vote, encourage public comment and a poll through the local rag. I’m sure, given the chance, a lot of people in Casino would support the rights of community interest groups to protest at Beef Week.
After all, where are we, Casino or China?
A celebration of community should be able to show people banding together in the best interests of the community, surely. I mean both these ‘protests’ were about making a better community! Surely the kiddies would be just as scared of big bulls and giant clowns as of any fancy-dressed protesters having a fun time!
Well if they ban community action and people having their say in a Community Event , As the Founder and Co-ordinator of the Samba-Blisstas , i will take action and back out of any further Involvement with the Casino Beef Week Parade in the future if that is the case !
The Event will come to a dry end !
Bongo out !