Fracking Victory in Northern Rivers, NSW, Australia
Just two days ago the community at Bentley was bracing for the arrival of hundreds of police to break up a peaceful and unprecedented blockade camp against invasive gas drilling in the Northern Rivers of NSW.
This morning, the most wonderful news has broken. NSW Energy and Resources Minister Anthony Roberts has announced that Metgasco’s approval to drill at Bentley has been suspended, and the company has been referred to the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
Hundreds of you called Premier Mike Baird in support of Bentley, and thousands of you showed up at the blockade to protect the land and water of the Northern Rivers and deliver on the promise of the Gasfield Free Northern Rivers movement.
Congratulations to all of you for your inspirational work. You have made history, and created something extraordinary. I am on my way to the blockade site now to join in the celebrations and congratulate the Northern Rivers guardians in person.
I encourage you to call the Minister and thank him for his action today, so the Government knows that it was the right move.
For everyone across Australia fighting invasive gasfields and the devastation of coal mining, the Northern Rivers has shown us that the community can prevail. Take heart and courage.
We hope that the NSW Government heeds the lesson from the Northern Rivers and embarks on root and branch reform of coal and gas regulation, starting with no-go zones to protect communities, rivers, groundwater, farmland and forests and regulatory reform to restore balance in regional NSW.
Thank you all, and well done,
Drew Hutton
President
Lock the Gate Alliance
PS – You can help Lock the Gate support communities around the country dealing with invasive gas mining by becoming a Gatekeeper.
Further Reading:
- Fractured Country – An Unconventional Invasion (video)
- Australia’s First Gasfield Free State?
- Call for Water, Not Gas
- What the Frack is Going On?
- Colbert and More on Fracking
- Fracking for Shale Gas
- Breach of Trust
Well done the Northern Rivers community! Of course we should not be surprised about the smell of corruption, that has been obvious with fracking all along. Barry O’Farrell’s recent exposure by ICAC involved a lot more than just a conveniently forgotten bottle of wine I am sure.