Hundreds protest against CSG

Tweed Mayor Barry Longland at Ukli before the coal seam gas rally.

Ron Goodman

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Anti-CSG rallies

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ABOUT 170 people joined a protest against coal seam gas mining at the Uki Markets yesterday.

Campaigner Eddie Roberts told the gathered crowd of locals and visitors that the coal seam gas industry was representative of some big businesses being "willing to pollute our world to make money for themselves".

He said the local protest was a small part of a national campaign and urged individuals at the rally to do small things every day to continue the fight against coal seam gas mining.

Mr Roberts told the crowd that the idea that renewable energy could not be used for mainstream baseload power supply was wrong.

"Whenever they say you can't run society on renewables it's just another furphy," he said.

He urged participants at the rally to sign the petitions available.

Mr Roberts told the Daily News that the community was coming together to make their voices heard.

"I'm quite buoyed by the actions and commitment that people are putting towards this," he said.

"This is a watershed issue."

Mr Roberts said the threat of coal seam gas mining was present in Tweed Shire but was an international issue.

"This thing is going on all around the world and it's our turn now to be fighting it."

Speaking at Uki before heading to the Murwillumbah protest, Tweed mayor Barry Longland said there was a united community effort underway to protect the environment for future generations.

"The members of our council are unanimous in their opposition to this," Councillor Longland said.

He said the issue had brought diverse elements of the community together behind one cause, with green campaigners and farmers both fighting to protect land and water supplies for the future.

Organiser Carolyn Rifello said the Uki protest was linked to a major coal seam gas protest event in Sydney yesterday with an identical Uki protest banner used at both.