Darren Coyne
A ‘who’s who’ of environmental campaigners braved the stormy weather yesterday to attend the official launch of the Lismore Environment Centre.
Located in the Transit Centre in Molesworth Street, the new centre has been established to provide an information point and meeting place for anyone interested in protecting the environment.
Familiar faces from the Bentley Blockade huddled under cover as rain bucketed down during the official opening, listening to speeches from campaigners Paul Joseph, president Philippe Dupuy, Lismore mayor Jenny Dowell and Greens candidate Adam Guise.
They spoke of the passion that spawned the environmental movement in the northern rivers area, citing the protectors who turned out for the Terania Creek forest protests through to the recent anti-CSG campaigners.
Gidabal man Lewis Walker delivered the welcome to country, while Garth Kindred, Sarah McCarthy and Luke Vassella performed music.
The event included a sneak preview of a new album of songs from the Bentley blockade, featuring Vassella.
The new environment centre features an information centre and a shop stocked with local produce.
Check out the gallery for a few pictures from the opening.
“Stormy Start for the Lismore Environment Centre” may be misleading headlines in actual fact ‘Propitious opening For Lismore Environment Centre” would have been more appropriate given the fact that we have been in a drought for sometime now.
I must thank Uncle Ryan, Jenny Dowell, Paul Joseph, Adam Guise, Isaac Smith and Annie Kia for coming out and show their support but most of all our dedicated volunteers the list of which is too long to mention here. It is unbelievable that so many vital organisations are now mainly being run by volunteers and the environment is a very good example. We are also de facto Transit Centre and have helped many,many travellers of public transport find their way to where they are going thanks to our volunteers.
I must also say that I am the secretary of the Nimbin Environment Centre and not the president who is Stewart James and who unfortunately was too sick to come. The Lismore Environment Centre is a sub committee of NEC at this stage.
The reasons for creating an environment centre are plentiful but our most concerning issue however is the current attitude of governments and big business towards the environment which includes us human beings. Governments have become corrupt and their main drive is to pillage and rape our dwindling resources with no end in sight. Out of control coal mining, coal seam gas, deforestation ( and now cable clearing), indiscriminate use of pesticide and herbicide, closure of women shelters, downgrading of hospitals and even control over use of secondhand materials and freedom of trade between individuals are making life near impossible.
So it is time to organise and retake our rights to freedom from harassment and our rights to a true democracy. Time for people power! Get organise, form your own groups and let’s extirpate corruption in governments and other high places.