With state election results now finalised, Gasfield Free Northern Rivers is looking forward to a gasfield-free future for the northern rivers and working with new and returning MPs to continue the ongoing work of achieving a it.
The CSG issue played a critical role in election outcomes, highlighting once again that communities right across the region do not want invasive gas fields imposed on them.
As a result of the CSG issue, Ballina changed hands from the Nationals to the Greens, and other areas of the northern rivers, including Lismore and the Clarence, had massive swings away from the incumbent Nationals MPs.
The people of the northern rivers have worked very hard over the last four years to achieve this favorable political outcome and we would like to acknowledge and thank everyone who has put so much energy and effort into the campaign to protect our region.
We are very happy that we now have a north coast MP, the new Member for Ballina, Tamara Smith, who will be working hard in parliament advocating for the cancellation of licences right across the region.
We are also eagerly anticipating pre-election commitments on this issue from other local MPs being enacted as soon as possible.
We look forward to Member for Lismore Thomas George following through with his commitment to buy back PEL 445 and ensuring no more licences are issued, though we would also like to see cancellation options investigated that would not require handing over taxpayer dollars to gas companies.”
Once PEL 445 is removed that will still leave Metgasco and Clarence Moreton Resources/ERM with active licences over large areas in the Lismore and Clarence electorates so we will continue to lobby all of our MPs to support the wishes of their constituents until all the licences, from the Tweed River right through to the entire Clarence catchment, are completely removed.
This election result emphatically shows that communities across the region are demanding a gasfield free future and will keep on working hard until they achieve this goal.
Dean Draper, Gasfield Free Northern Rivers coordinator
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