A Northern Rivers Rally and concert against coal and coal gas will be held at the Murwillumbah showground next week.
The alcohol free, family friendly event “Rock The Gate – Northern Rivers” will be held on Saturday, October 13, from 10am to 6pm and has a attracted many of the region’s top artists.
The event kicks off the Lock the Gate Alliance’s National Week of Action against coal and coal seam gas.
As well as the music it will include high profile speakers and a march through the Murwillumbah CBD with the concert from 1pm.
The National Week of Action has been called by Lock the Gate Alliance to give local communities a chance to stand up against the rapid expansion of coal and coal seam gas activities.
Activities are scheduled across the Northern Rivers and the nation in the following week.
“Rock the Gate – Northern Rivers gives Northern Rivers residents a chance to make their voices heard and to have a bit of fun at the same time,” Lock the Gate Tweed spokesman Michael McNamara said.
“Recent announcements by the NSW state government do not give communities any confidence that they are actually listening to the people they supposedly represent.
“Communities all over the Northern Rivers are saying they want to be Gasfield Free with the average level of support running at 97%.
“In Lismore recently a poll conducted in conjunction with the local council elections returned a resounding 87% opposition to coal seam gas mining by local residents.
“This was a mammoth result with over 25,000 of an estimated 30,000 registered voters choosing to vote in the optional poll.
“In the Tweed Shire we have communities covering half the land area of the Shire and ALL of the Arrow exploration licence within the shire (PEL445) declared Gasfield Free.
“Yet the state government recently announced the renewal or extension of 22 exploration licences and the granting of a production licence in the Casino area with no community consultation.
“They have also removed the moratorium on hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.
“The state government doesn’t seem to have taken into account the numerous breaches of licence conditions that have occurred or the expressed wishes of local communities.
“The message the state government is sending to gas companies is that they can do what they like so long as the dollars roll in.
“Communities are extremely dissatisfied with the government’s Strategic Regional Land Use Plans that don’t protect even one square centimetre of land from mining.
“The ‘gateway’ process the government has announced for high value agricultural land is focussed on how to enable mining rather than on protecting the land.
“They propose to appoint a Land and Water Commissioner who will have no powers to deny consent. He/she will only be able to advise landholders and the government.
“We must protect our communities. We must protect our water catchments. Our local industries depend on the health of both.”
Speakers will include Drew Hutton, President of Lock the Gate Alliance, Annie Kia, co-ordinator of the Gasfield Free Communities initiative, and national broadcaster Alan Jones.
The march through the Murwillumbah CBD is scheduled for noon.
The Rock the Gate – Northern Rivers Concert will start at 1pm to the rousing sounds of drums from the well known Samba Blistas.
Performers appearing include Kerrianne Cox, cast members of the highly successful “Songs of Haight Ashbury” show including James T from Canned Heat, Natalie Pa’apa’a from Blue King Brown, the Round Mountain Girls and a host of others.
Video messages of support from celebrities such as Xavier Rudd, Leo Sayer and John Butler, who are unable to attend because of performance commitments, will be beamed onto a large screen next to the stage.
Recently retired Greens Senator Bob Brown will also send a video message of support.
People attending will be able to record their own video message of support at an ‘interactive booth’ in the showground arena and these will be beamed to the large screen during the day.
