Hayo van der Woude, Mullumbimby
Highly motivated environmentalists expend massive energy, one battle at a time, for little reward.
Why not tackle systemic problems, aiming for the best outcomes for humanity? Think of protecting our environment as a single project.
Non-tribal humans have always exploited nature with little thought for consequences. Today, the power of exponential growth creates irresistible monopolies that opaquely control governments.
Investigative journalists and whistleblowers can be united into a natural partnership with environmentalists, aimed at exposure of all unethical and criminal ties between resource companies and governments.
Protection of the movement is naturally afforded by using the highest standards of ethics, transparency and inclusivity.
Essential additional protection for individuals requires a pool of financial and legal support.
As the Hong Kong example shows, such principles unite the populace, and protect them from malevolent enforcers.
The ‘unstoppable’ forces that are steadily grinding the ‘voice of the people’ into the dirt, are largely the same foe. The resource establishment has a great fear of Aboriginal knowledge shining light on the whole country’s sensitive environments. Informed politicians endanger profiteering.
Exposure of the corporate grip, and of antidemocratic crimes, must bypass commercial mass media. That media is never truly ‘free’, while any profit is derived from resource industries; with say, a slant in favour Santos gas.
Radical transparency will quickly break their grip on our pollies. Look for smiling environments, farmers, communities, and Aboriginals!
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
