I attended the Brisbane Food Security Forum, with my 82 yr old mother along for the experience. Raised on a dairy farm in rural NSW, she was gob-smacked to hear the stories ... the women who spoke were outstanding... all of them. 3 were scientists, and also mothers and farmers... all spoke brilliantly.
Sobering to learn how their lives have completely changed since the Gas and Coal came to stay! If not sick children and houses now unsellable its the 40 plus hours a week of advocacy work they've taken on in the hope they can salvage something before its too late.
Alan Jones convened... and yes... he has surprised many of his fiercest opponents with the strength of his feeling on this subject. Whilst we doubt his motives its his voice however has proved to be so effective in the dispirited communities of the Darling Downs, and elsewhere it must be noted, that he's galvanised many who would historically shrink away from being heard themselves and perhaps even run away from Mr Jones himself.
A lot has taken place since one quiet woman, Nicki Laws (who spoke today), invited him to return to his childhood home to open her Art Exhibition in June last year ... a show about the town of Acland which was "disappeared" to allow New Hope Coal in.
It's an extraordinary tale of people finding their voices ...linking to others on shared concerns... to the point now where people of starkly different persuasions and backgrounds are now working together to create critical momentum... we in the city might cynically write off the part Jones has played...whatever you do don't write off this powerfully important coming together of voices.
I hope you get to hear the stories of those who are fighting back... especially those living daily with drilling, gas pipes, noise pollution and coal trucks, and not to forget the children who are now in some cases chronically unwell, nosebleeds daily and headaches... living near Gas works.
Brisbane Local Food
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