Last week, the Greens’ bill to give landholders the right to say no to coal and gas was not supported in the Senate by either the National Party or Labor, confirming once again that the Greens are the only party standing up for farmers against the big mining companies.
A Lock the Gate delegation of farmers, traditional owners, tourism operators and winemakers watched on as they saw the Greens’ bill defeated.
This is blow for local farmers in the Northern Rivers and our small village communities.
Right across our country, people are concerned about coal and gas threatening their land, water and climate and disgracefully landholders have no rights to stop the big mining companies from marching on to their land and doing whatever they want.
The Greens have always been, and continue to be, the only party standing up for landholders against this dangerous industry.
I understand that the Liberal and National Senators didn’t even bother to participate in the Senate debate, even though rural communities are crying out for landholder rights.
The old parties also voted down the Greens Senate motion supporting Lock the Gate’s call for national laws to protect food-producing land from coal and gas and to give landholders the power of veto over mining on their land.
It’s really disappointing that Liberal, National and Labor senators are all ignoring the community and instead doing the bidding of the big mining companies.
When Tony Abbott is out in the bush he says that mining companies shouldn’t be allowed on farmers’ land without permission, but then he does nothing about it in Canberra.
The old parties need to wake up and realise we’re at the end of the fossil fuel era and we have viable renewable alternatives that don’t threaten our land, water and climate.
The Greens won’t give up as a strong voice in Parliament for everyone who eats, drinks and needs a liveable climate.
Dawn Walker, Tweed Greens
The Greens are not really standing up for Farmers (read Landholders) in this CSG matter. They are riding the gravy train of publicity about CSG and neglecting the imbroglio of the NSW Govt DPI Local land Services rip-off extortion. I know because I’ve asked them to help. Apart from two duckshoving emails – nothing!! I’m thinking about a march down Macquarie Street to draw the public’s attention to the increased mental stress and persecution of NSW Landholders by the DPI Minister. That’s of course after I march against Mr Rabbit next week on 16 March. Go to http://www.llsclassaction.com to find out more.