Hundreds of protesters ‘‘reclaimed’’ Nobbys headland for the people and groups turned out at Broke and Gloucester as rallies in three states turned up the heat on the coal seam gas industry.
The rallies in NSW, Queensland and Western Australia were co-ordinated by the Lock the Gate alliance and timed to coincide with National Water Week.
At Nobbys, Lake Macquarie Greens councillor Phillipa Parsons said people had come from as far away as Moree and the north coast.
‘‘Nobbys was a major part of the Awabakal dreaming here and as they were custodians of the land, so we are custodians of the land against the damage from coal seam gas extraction,’’ Cr Parsons said.
Cr Parsons spoke for many at the rallies when she expressed dismay at reports the state government was backing away from pre-election pledges to protect important farming and environmental land from coal seam gas exploration and mining.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported on a document prepared for Planning Minister Brad Hazzard, who played down the concerns, saying: ‘‘I don’t see the need for them to be as worried as they are.’’
‘‘There does have to be some general assessment process done in the first instance to determine what lands get used for what. That’s just common sense.’’
At Broke, Hunter Valley Protection Alliance spokesman Graeme Gibson said more than 400 people had gathered outside the Pooles Rock vineyard, a symbolic new beachhead in the fight against coal seam gas. In a controversial transaction, Pooles Rock was bought recently by gas company AGL from the estate of former Macquarie Bank chairman, the late David Clarke, a leading critic of coal seam gas.
Rallies were held at Maitland and Gloucester, with a small gathering on the corner of Bucketts Way and Pacific Highway.
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