What a wolf in sheep’s clothing was honey-voiced Councillor Krieg at the Lismore Council meeting on December 19, leading his cohort of fake Independents. Mouthing payment of respect for the Indigenous elders, and calling for respect in the Council chambers, even threatening to close the meeting – if any more applause is heard for a community champion’s proud and heartfelt speech on keeping the CSG Free (coal seam gas) signs. Respect? What about respect for the incredible, unique, national-news-making achievement of this community in saving the local country from fracking and the industrialised landscape that is a gasfield?
Fracking does not require a single well, it requires vast areas of previously agricultural land to be covered with a network of wells, pipes, roads, electricity stations, pumps, and more, and the land to be cleared for ten metres around every installation and both sides of every route (Google some images).
Think about what we have not lost, what we have so much reason to be grateful for, that is unspoilt. Those Gasfield-Free signs are a well-deserved tribute to the people of this part of the Northern Rivers, and Lismore councillors block-voting to remove them exhibits anything but respect for any and all of that.
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. 
