Behind the Seams: confessions of a blockade virgin

by Heidi Ross, organiser of the Kerry Blockade

 

Something is very wrong when a quiet, conservative Queensland farming community turns to civil disobedience, forcing a dramatic 10-day showdown with police and 15 arrests at a coal seam gas drilling site. The people of the beautiful Kerry Valley and Scenic Rim, about 100 kilometres south of Brisbane, are not complainers. We’re a hard-working blend of old-time country folk and tree-changers. We all get on with our lot and care for where we live. Many still trust in our governments to do the right thing and look after our best interests — the precious water and productive farmland that sustains our families and communities across Queensland; the land our forebears fought in wars to protect; the land many have farmed for generations. Our decision to blockade the Arrow Energy drill rig on the morning of January 12 2012 was not taken lightly. Read More Crikey