{"id":18758,"date":"2014-05-28T14:34:42","date_gmt":"2014-05-28T04:34:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nofibs.com.au\/?p=18758"},"modified":"2019-04-13T23:58:02","modified_gmt":"2019-04-13T13:58:02","slug":"bentleyblockade-a-trigger-to-taking-our-country-back-mickdaley1-on-the-democratic-possibilities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/bentleyblockade-a-trigger-to-taking-our-country-back-mickdaley1-on-the-democratic-possibilities\/","title":{"rendered":"#BentleyBlockade a trigger to taking our country back? @mickdaley1 on the democratic possibilities"},"content":{"rendered":"[clear]\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" width=\"500\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Must SHARE! Awesome edit! <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ParisandDarmin\">@parisanddarmin<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Pilliga?src=hash\">#Pilliga<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/leardblockade?src=hash\">#leardblockade<\/a>&#10;The Emperor Wears No Clothes &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/BentleyBlockade?src=hash\">#BentleyBlockade<\/a>: <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/IR9cWn2ort\">http:\/\/t.co\/IR9cWn2ort<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Meredith Stanton (@CloudsCreek) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CloudsCreek\/status\/470483095095746560\">May 25, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>As tents and tripods came down and people figured out how to extract extract several tonnes of vehicles and associated implements embedded in concrete at Gates A, B and C to the farm slated for CSG extraction, the Bentley Blockade is being analysed and dissected by journalists, academics, police, politicians, conspiracy theorists, the Mining Council and think tanks across the nation.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" width=\"500\">\n<p>A great photo from sunrise at the <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/search?q=%23BentleyBlockade&amp;src=hash\">#BentleyBlockade<\/a> for the final time this morning <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/search?q=%23csg&amp;src=hash\">#csg<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/search?q=%23nswpol&amp;src=hash\">#nswpol<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/HwR3RugLEg\">pic.twitter.com\/HwR3RugLEg<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Max Phillips (@maxphillips) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/maxphillips\/statuses\/468619559147012096\">May 20, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The three-month blockade camp was vindicated on May 15, when certain technicalities conveniently brought to light under immense pressure from community resistance, lobbying and some peculiarly acute political conditions culminated in an announcement by NSW Energy Minister Anthony Roberts that gas mining company Metgasco\u2019s bid to drill in Bentley had been foiled. Up to 1000 riot police had been booked to come in on May 19 to break up the camp \u2013 predicted attract at least 7,000 people on \u2018B\u2019 day.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" width=\"500\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/margokingston1\">@margokingston1<\/a> Min Roberts outlines <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/search?q=%23metgasco&amp;src=hash\">#metgasco<\/a> suspension &amp; imp role of public to Parliament yday. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/search?q=%23BentleyBlockade&amp;src=hash\">#BentleyBlockade<\/a>&#10;&#10;<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/f7jjyBXAPH\">https:\/\/t.co\/f7jjyBXAPH<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Jamie Parker MP (@GreensJamieP) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GreensJamieP\/statuses\/467118609148305408\">May 16, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The conclusive victory saw a speculative mining company brought undone, a deeply compromised State government stopped in its tracks and a police force tentatively align itself with a community-based mass movement. It enthralled the anti-CSG movement and many voters reeling under a brutal Budget whose architects were the Big Business moguls the LNP government is desperate to please.<\/p>\n<p>The Bentley victory has been described as a counter-reaction to a purpose-built economic attack on a nation \u2013 a democratic uprising against the agendas inscribed in this Budget. Western Australian Greens Senator Scott Ludlum, visiting the camp with fellow Greens Larissa Waters, Jeremy Buckingham and Jan Barham, made precisely this observation after a dawn vigil and breakfast on Sunday May 18, the day before \u2018B\u2019 Day.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s been an awful week. The whole country got attacked. The mask is well and truly off and on Thursday, when we were just starting to ground ourselves a bit and work out what the counter response needs to look like, you lot provided it for us.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat you\u2019ve done up here is immensely and profoundly important. Industry reached a tentacle out &#8211; it touched the ground here and you bloody well chopped it off.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLarissa and I came up here to learn how you did it, because examples like this are a bit rare. The stories told of the Franklin, of Jabiluka, they\u2019re gonna be told of Bentley. The reason those stories are told is that we really need to know how you did it, because this is a climate emergency. Linking arms with other countries around the world is the most important thing we can do now.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" width=\"500\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/search?q=%23BentleyBlockade&amp;src=hash\">#BentleyBlockade<\/a> dawn with <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/larissawaters\">@larissawaters<\/a> &amp; <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SenatorLudlam\">@SenatorLudlam<\/a> &#8211; came for the police attack, stayed for the celebration. <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/a94UgBJFNC\">pic.twitter.com\/a94UgBJFNC<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Margo Kingston (@margokingston1) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/margokingston1\/statuses\/467769133820420097\">May 17, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Apart from the visit of Federal Labor MP Justine Elliot, the Greens senators were the only politicians to spend any meaningful time in the now iconic camp. And while it may appear opportunistic, the Greens had been coming to face the police on Monday 19 in solidarity with the \u2018Simmos\u2019 (protesters prepared to climb up tripods or lock-on) who\u2019ve been holding the line for months.<\/p>\n<p>Having had the rare political fortune to stumble onto a winning moment they made the most of it, breakfasting with the protectors, breathing in the camp smoke and demonstrating a real commitment to the genuine outbreak of democracy that\u2019s challenged \u2013 and beaten &#8211; the stranglehold of mining over our corrupt Parliaments.<\/p>\n<p>At their forum in Mullumbimby the night before, the packed crowd of locals and standing ovations attested to the respect these Greens are held in for their tireless work in combating the vested industry interests in Parliament.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" width=\"500\">\n<p>Scott Ludlam thanking community for <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/search?q=%23BentleyBlockade&amp;src=hash\">#BentleyBlockade<\/a> action on behalf of the whole country <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/esS5ER4qNm\">pic.twitter.com\/esS5ER4qNm<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Jan Barham (@janbarham) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/janbarham\/statuses\/467600433960087552\">May 17, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>In contrast, derisive residents of the Northern Rivers were treated to the sight of the Nationals member for Lismore, Thomas George, whose son works for Metgasco and who has refused all entreaties to support his community\u2019s emphatic demands, nodding owlishly behind Minister Roberts as he announced the suspension of Metgasco\u2019s license on May 15.<\/p>\n<p>Along with three other NSW National Party MPs &#8211; Ballina MP Don Page, Clarence MP Chris Gulaptis and Tweed MP Geoff Provest &#8211; George concocted a media release affecting to have played significant roles in that decision \u2013 a fabrication that will do little to dispel the widespread disillusionment in the National\u2019s core constituencies.<\/p>\n<p>This opportunism has served as a timely reminder of the horse-trading of governments on both sides of the illusory political divide. As they hastily re-aligned themselves with the winning side, analysts will be less concerned with such carpetbaggers and more concerned with how they were beaten.<\/p>\n<p>There are as many different interpretations of events as there were people at the blockade, but there were some essential factors forcing he minister\u2019s decision to thwart Metgasco.<\/p>\n<p>The assertion of our indigenous people\u2019s power and dignity as they positioned themselves at the heart of this movement gave it a gravitational focus, momentum and purpose that has immeasurably enriched all involved. Their selfless reconciliation with farmers and a culture that has treated them less than kindly in the past has given the movement an intrinsic power. Grounded in truth and moral weight, it has become an irresistible force.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" width=\"500\">\n<p>Jarmbi, of Githubul Country, on his <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/search?q=%23BentleyBlockade&amp;src=hash\">#BentleyBlockade<\/a> journey via <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/caama\">@caama<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/C3bNAB9BBF\">http:\/\/t.co\/C3bNAB9BBF<\/a> My pic. <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/1p5CdEkC92\">pic.twitter.com\/1p5CdEkC92<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Margo Kingston (@margokingston1) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/margokingston1\/statuses\/469267663064014848\">May 22, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>An incredibly sophisticated electronic and social media campaign orchestrated by dedicated volunteers spread the news of the blockade virally and made it an international rallying point for climate change and anti-CSG advocates.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" width=\"500\">\n<p>Ex-Byron Bay mayor Greens NSW North Coast MP <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/janbarham\">@janbarham<\/a>: &quot;The <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/search?q=%23BentleyBlockade&amp;src=hash\">#BentleyBlockade<\/a> Twitter feed kept me strong in Sydney&quot; <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/L7lR1AfhPR\">pic.twitter.com\/L7lR1AfhPR<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Margo Kingston (@margokingston1) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/margokingston1\/statuses\/467828419716063232\">May 18, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Fund-raising and public awareness campaigns spawned spontaneous and highly orchestrated events and concerts that attracted eminent performers and public figures to stand as popular figureheads of the movement.<\/p>\n<p>The timely juggernaut of ICAC\u2019s investigations into political donations has opened up a black hole that has already sucked eight LNP MPs, including former Premier Barry O\u2019Farrell into disgrace, political limbo and, perhaps, criminal charges.<\/p>\n<p>In this dangerous political climate Metgasco themselves were ensnared, as Energy Minister Anthony Roberts nimbly intercepted ICAC\u2019s lethal trajectory, drawing a bead between Metgasco&#8217;s chief shareholders and Australian Water Holdings, the corporation at the heart of the Obeid&#8217;s corrupt dynasty.<\/p>\n<p>Alan Jones\u2019 timely radio broadside the day before Roberts pulled then plug cannot be underestimated. Though his personal narrative and political views are largely abhorred by left leaning constituents of the anti-gasfields alliance, his personal feud with the industry and his political influence were mighty, allies in this campaign. His interviews with anti-gas activists, claim that the police operation would cost $14 million announcement and personal intercedence with State ministers proved crucial in getting the message across that this was a mainstream concern.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" width=\"500\">\n<p>RESPECT to Alan Jones, tireless champion of Oz regions defence against CoalCSG. Yesterday&#39;s blast <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/JhokHwNvZr\">http:\/\/t.co\/JhokHwNvZr<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/search?q=%23BentleyBlockade&amp;src=hash\">#BentleyBlockade<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Margo Kingston (@margokingston1) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/margokingston1\/statuses\/466760763781038080\">May 15, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>But Annie Kia of Lock the Gate is emphatic that while the inexorable growth of an aligned social movement was instrumental in this decision, a last minute tactical intervention helped turn the tide.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe political campaign that ramped up in that last fortnight from the Gasfield Free Northern Rivers advocates and from the landowners from Bentley was vital,&#8221; she said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe made available to government a very specific brief that outlined the deception involved in Metgasco\u2019s statement in blow-by-blow detail \u2013 that they had specifically characterised it as a conventional well, when in fact in other places they had made it clear that they were seeking tight sands gas potential. I think that was a significant thing. The outcome has many mothers and fathers, but there was unbearable pressure on the government during that last week.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" width=\"500\">\n<p>Bentley delegation back in parliament <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/search?q=%23BentleyBlockade&amp;src=hash\">#BentleyBlockade<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Echonetdaily\">@Echonetdaily<\/a> lunchtime in my office again &amp; so proud of them <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/QHvRBOcojO\">pic.twitter.com\/QHvRBOcojO<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Jan Barham (@janbarham) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/janbarham\/statuses\/466435419727749121\">May 14, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" width=\"500\">\n<p>Bentley delegation back in parliament today but this time with smiles <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/search?q=%23BentleyBlockade&amp;src=hash\">#BentleyBlockade<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/greensjeremy\">@greensjeremy<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CSGFreeNR\">@CSGFreeNR<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/7EvwIXhfY9\">pic.twitter.com\/7EvwIXhfY9<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Jan Barham (@janbarham) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/janbarham\/statuses\/466828272567734272\">May 15, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The police force itself displayed a distinct reluctance to be the wave of storm-troops that the industry demanded. Quelling a genuine spontaneous community uprising with violence proved not to their taste.<\/p>\n<p>Aidan Ricketts, the veteran activist and academic whose work on social movements has been instrumental in framing the Gasfields Free Northern Rivers community strategies, said &#8220;we achieved something very significant, where the police looked at themselves and said, \u2018We don\u2019t want to do this, these are is our people\u2019&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;That&#8217;s one of the most amazing things hiding in the background of the Bentley story. It started with the Regional Command up here. They\u2019ve had that view all along. On the 31st of March, the police were supposed to come in. The motels were booked but the operation was called off because they didn\u2019t think they had the numbers to face off with the numbers we were gathering that week.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe next stage was that the police basically nudged us and said, \u2018We\u2019ve called for more resources, they\u2019re sending up some senior police from Sydney to assess the size of the crowd, it would be a good idea if there was a lot of people there on Monday morning\u2019. That was about the 14th of April. So the police were partly hoping for a political solution, but writing up the invoice for the state government if they wanted a policing solution.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo there\u2019s a sense that there\u2019s a little bit of a subtle resistance in that they were saying \u2018Ok we need 900 police for eight weeks because that\u2019s how long the drilling goes and we know this community isn\u2019t going to back off and they\u2019re going to stay in hotels and it\u2019s going to cost you\u2019 &#8211; the basic figure was $10 million and there was no assurance it was going to stay within that.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI know from our meetings with the police they were very clear that they would have preferred a political solution and they were very relieved when there was one. They phoned us straight away and congratulated us.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" width=\"500\">\n<p>&#39;Operation Stapler&#39; &#8211; name of planned riot police attack on <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/search?q=%23BentleyBlockade&amp;src=hash\">#BentleyBlockade<\/a> next week &#8211; police association circular via <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RobbieSheffield\">@RobbieSheffield<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Margo Kingston (@margokingston1) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/margokingston1\/statuses\/465431188190949376\">May 11, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>He said the community representation at all levels was absolutely vital \u2013 from &#8216;Simmos&#8217; (shorthand for volunteer arrestees) camping throughout all weathers and threats to the work of lobbyists in Sydney &#8211; all added weight to the tipping point.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf they got their rig in it would have been like George Bush claiming victory in the Iraq War \u2013 now what happens? As soon as the police go away there would have been 3,000 people sitting on the rig and that could have happened as many times as was required at ever spiralling cost to the State Government.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt remains an incredibly amazing story because there\u2019s no historical precedent that I can think of in Australia where an entire region has stood up on an issue like this right across the board. Business people, farmers, indigenous people, tree-changers, mayors climbing tripods, Anglican Ministers being there.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s a very big part of the story, the idea that this was not just a protest movement it was an entire region. That should have been obvious from the day 87% of Lismore residents voted no to CSG. But the government ignored that and the company ignored that. It became more obvious when the mayors of every shire except Richmond River visited the blockade and climbed the tripods.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen we had a parade of celebrity musicians coming and playing it should have been obvious it was getting bigger and bigger. The great relief is the government eventually realised it was in a doomed position and backed off.<\/p>\n<p>So how big a victory was the Bentley Blockade for democracy?<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It\u2019s definitely a victory for democracy in that we fought the hard fight, we stood right up to them we didn\u2019t blink we weren\u2019t afraid and they backed off. But it&#8217;s sad to observe that this is where it\u2019s got to, that the embedded corruption between the mining industry and governments across Australia has reached the point where this is what you have to do just to be listened to. We know that in any other issue where there\u2019s not corrupting interests involved, if 87% of a region say \u2018we don\u2019t want something\u2019, the politicians respond quickly.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo what we\u2019ve revealed is that they were prepared to spend ten or 14 million dollars to send 900 police to invade a region. That that was even considered a viable response is damning of how big the problem is in this country.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat we\u2019ve achieved is huge because we\u2019ve broken through the mining industry control of our parliaments and we\u2019ve put a crack in that wall. When social movements put a crack in a wall like that you can elbow in and make it bigger and bigger, and other communities will be excited and follow some of the processes we\u2019ve used.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Annie Kia is more cautious than Ludlum in backgrounding the victory against the Abbott government\u2019s budget, but does see in it an emerging phenomenon of spontaneous democratic energy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn terms of this alliance I don\u2019t personally see it necessarily aligning with this anti-Abbott government stuff that\u2019s emerging. I think the Lock The Gate alliance will stay focussed on our core campaigning, which is to protect our water, our farmlands, our communities and our precious wild places from inappropriate mining, however I think we\u2019re learning to throw off our passivity. And that\u2019s the amazing thing, as we work together, we\u2019re finding that in communities we can take charge of our destiny and by working across boundaries with very disparate groups we can find the common ground.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think the mainstream press is starting to show an interest in the diversity of the people involved in this movement. Our opponents have very active PR components that continually characterise us as a small bunch of extremist hippies. But they are incorrect because we really are a collaboration of all different kinds of people. So I think that the media are starting to look at it in a new way and the country people that are stepping up to defend our common heritage are becoming more confident and becoming wonderful advocates.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" width=\"500\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/search?q=%23BentleyBlockade&amp;src=hash\">#BentleyBlockade<\/a> Poster by <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/northern_star_\">@northern_star_<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/9Qk6VspemW\">pic.twitter.com\/9Qk6VspemW<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Margo Kingston (@margokingston1) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/margokingston1\/statuses\/467671367442108417\">May 17, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Above all though, she attributes this astonishing victory to the thousands who turned up.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI believe we would have had 10,000 people there ready to face a thousand police. We were growing exponentially and there are mass movement dynamics at play here.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe became a different kind of organism, like an immune response going to a source of infection, or a pathogen. That\u2019s what Bentley was, we just swarmed there in massive numbers and maintained our non-violence. It&#8217;s inspiring, so I think that will give hope to people in other regions as they mount their campaigns to fight invasive coal mines or gas fields in their landscape.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And where to from here, as Metgasco vows to return to the Northern Rivers, Santos continues to plunder the Pilliga and incoming Premier Mike Baird\u2019s former adviser now heads up the Australian Minerals Council?<\/p>\n<p>Ricketts sees an opportunity to rigorously examine our democratic institutions.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Bentley victory is worth celebrating and spreading to other communities, but it\u2019s worth continuing to assert that Australia is in a democracy crisis. This corruption being revealed at ICAC is really the tip of the iceberg. It can reveal illegal corruption, what it can\u2019t reveal is the business-as-usual conflation of political and mining interests in Australia.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen the tiny town of Bulga won its court case against Rio Tinto on socio economic and environment grounds, the response of the NSW government was two things. One to join as a party in the appeal against the town and secondly to change the legislation so social and environmental grounds were no longer significant compared to economic grounds. So even when they went on too lose in the Court of Appeal in the second round, it didn\u2019t matter because they could put a new DA in and go through the process of getting the NSW government approval under the new legislation written in their favour.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He does see existing solutions to this problem, but believes they\u2019re just a starting point for a comprehensive overhaul of a system that\u2019s broken.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m reasonably satisfied that with the Greens we\u2019ve got one significant effective political party that is not captured by the mining and fossil fuel industry or the global media corporations. But we need to invest our energy not so much on parliaments, politicians, political parties and elections, but on building empowered and effective community networks and social movements, because you get maximum bang for your buck from social movements.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLock the Gate is rapidly transforming from a coal and gas focussed campaign to be the battering ram of the pro-democracy movement in Australia. We will achieve a gasfield free northern rivers but the issue is whether we can achieve a healthy democracy in Australia.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Annie Kia has an immediate remedy in mind.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think our future is in reaching out to people in cities to invite or help them touch base with what our common heritage is \u2013 our common farm lands that feed us all, our water supplies that are at risk, our catchments and our common heritage in terms of cultural and wild places.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe assault on these life support systems is so extreme at the moment that we need to reach into the cities and find a way to work with people there, to defend these things together.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Or as Larissa Waters declared on Sunday, May 18 to the gathered protectors around the Bentley camp fire,<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are going to take our country back.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/nofibs.com.au\/category\/issues\/activism\/bentleyblockade\/\">No Fibs #BentleyBlockade archive<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Margo Kingston&#8217;s analysis:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" width=\"500\">\n<p>Here\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/dfg77\">@dfg77<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/margokingston1\">@margokingston1<\/a> talking about <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/search?q=%23BentleyBlockade&amp;src=hash\">#BentleyBlockade<\/a> from this week\u2019s podcast <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/hwmPDQNbEr\">https:\/\/t.co\/hwmPDQNbEr<\/a>&#10;&#10;<a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/84lv70AsYs\">http:\/\/t.co\/84lv70AsYs<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Something Wonky (@SomethingWonky) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SomethingWonky\/statuses\/467227313008955392\">May 16, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" width=\"500\">\n<p>LISTEN BACK: <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/margokingston1\">@margokingston1<\/a> on <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/search?q=%23BentleyBlockade&amp;src=hash\">#BentleyBlockade<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/search?q=%23ICAC&amp;src=hash\">#ICAC<\/a> &amp; uprising in <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/search?q=%23Newcastle&amp;src=hash\">#Newcastle<\/a> &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/4NbcdzVTWP\">https:\/\/t.co\/4NbcdzVTWP<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/search?q=%23nswpol&amp;src=hash\">#nswpol<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; 1233 ABC Newcastle (@1233newcastle) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/1233newcastle\/statuses\/466798968715116544\">May 15, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" width=\"500\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/search?q=%23BentleyBlockade&amp;src=hash\">#BentleyBlockade<\/a> win not just a David &amp; Goliath story &#8211; but its a big part of it <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/search?q=%23icac&amp;src=hash\">#icac<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/margokingston1\">@margokingston1<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/search?q=%23lockthegate&amp;src=hash\">#lockthegate<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/NGidpb5ImV\">http:\/\/t.co\/NGidpb5ImV<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; The Wire (@thewireradio) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/thewireradio\/statuses\/466886530146263040\">May 15, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" width=\"500\">\n<p>Locals, Farmers, councils  against CSG in northern NSW. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/margokingston1\">@margokingston1<\/a> reports from <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/search?q=%23BentleyBlockade&amp;src=hash\">#BentleyBlockade<\/a> on <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/abcsunshine\">@abcsunshine<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/WjCZHjA3DR\">http:\/\/t.co\/WjCZHjA3DR<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; ABC Sunshine Coast (@abcsunshine) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/abcsunshine\/statuses\/467213221645287424\">May 16, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n[clear]\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[clear] Must SHARE! Awesome edit! @parisanddarmin #Pilliga #leardblockade&#10;The Emperor Wears No Clothes &#8211; #BentleyBlockade: http:\/\/t.co\/IR9cWn2ort &mdash; Meredith Stanton (@CloudsCreek) May 25, 2014 As tents and tripods came down and people figured out how to extract extract several tonnes of vehicles and associated implements embedded in concrete at Gates A, B and C to the farm [&hellip;]<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":55,"featured_media":18768,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[3434,1776,1739,514,62,1469,585,1163],"tags":[2610,769,2611,168,1088,1709,2659,2589,627,1032,1466,1788,2565,326,1671,1485,1698,1653,2606,1468],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/bentley-sunrise.jpg?fit=800%2C400&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3t0mw-4Sy","jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18758"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/55"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18758"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18758\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18768"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18758"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18758"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18758"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}