Politicians give GTAG food rally big miss

Wheat harvest in progress on Shalimar in the Golden Triangle south of Emerald.

Related links

• GTAG take Bandanna Energy to court
• Bandanna wraps up culture plans

GOLDEN Triangle Action Group's Andrew Bate believes the state's major political parties made a big mistake when neither sent representatives to a food protection rally of 1100 people in Oakey last Thursday.

Mr Bate said it was "pretty bloody ordinary" that neither the Labour Party nor the LNP were represented, but described the event on a whole as "terrific".

The GTAG was invited to speak at the meeting, hosted by shock jock Alan Jones, and were joined by Australia Party Leader Bob Katter, Queensland Party Leader Aiden McLindon, Lock the Gate Alliance president Drew Hutton and environmentalist Bob Irwin, who spoke on the protection of vital food land from mining operations.

"People were blown away by our story," Mr Bate said.

"This whole issue is picking up and more and more. People are asking questions… any party that ignores this issue and the bush will be making a big mistake - this is the biggest thing to hit the land.

"Ignore it at your own peril."

The event, which was broadcast live to a national audience on Sky News Channel, was sponsored by the Oakey Coal Action Alliance, one of the many protest groups that have formed to fight the increase of coal and coal seam gas operations across the state.

Mr Bate said he told the crowd the State Government's decision to grant Bandanna Energy special consideration for its Springsure Creek project in the Golden Triangle, proved it had no concern for protecting prime cropping land.