MEDIA RELEASE

13 August 2011

Greens mining spokesperson, Jeremy Buckingham welcomed Tony Abbott’s statements backing the rights of farmers to lock the gate against coal and gas companies and called on NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell to follow Mr Abbott’s lead by amending access laws in NSW in favour of farmers.

“Barry O’Farrell needs to follow Mr Abbott’s lead and come out in support of farmers right to lock the gate to big coal and gas companies,” said Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham.

“Current access laws allow are skewed in favour of mining companies and put farmers through a great deal of financial pain and personal stress if they want to try and resist.

“The O’Farrell government should change these access laws to give farmers the right to protect the integrity of their farm and its operations.

“Travelling around NSW I’ve heard stories of how the mining company bullies its way in with money and lawyers, divides the community, picks off farmers one-by-one, until the town is destroyed or becomes nothing more than a service centre for the mine.

“Around NSW and Queensland we’re seeing farmer’s locking their gates against the coal and gas rush. It’s time government backed farmers with changes to the law,” he said.

Jeremy Buckingham will host the ‘Lock the Gate’ farmers and community rally outside the NSW Government Mining Conference this Thursday 18 August 12 – 1pm, outside the Sofitel Wentworth Hotel, Elizabeth Street Sydney.

Contact: Max Phillips – 0419 444 916