Estimates were for more than 5000 people who had turned out to march with north-west NSW farmer Glen Morris in Sydney’s CBD today.
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Mr Morris, of Inverell in north-west NSW, has been a farmer and advocate on behalf of cleaner energy for many years. On Saturday, he and several activists groups took to their cause to the city one year out from the next state election.
We’re at a crossroads, Mr Morris says. One road leads to clean air and cleaner energy for the state. The other leads to coal burning and coal seam gas exploration.
“You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see what is happening,” Mr Morris says in a activist video clip uploaded to YouTube earlier this year.
In June, 2016, he stopped traffic on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, riding his horse along the eighth lane toward the city to raise awareness among metropolitan residents about the state government’s approach to the protection of native vegetation.
On Saturday, March 24, he will return to Sydney with a rally dubbed “Time to Choose” expected to commence in the city CBD at 11.30am.
“We’re asking everyone, whether city folk, country folk, riders or not to join us at the rally. This is about ensuring we have a vibrant future with a diverse economy, a safe climate and clean water across the whole state,” Mr Morris said.
The rally, one year out from the next state election, will be led by representatives of Indigenous communities and feature thousands of people on foot. Dozens of horse-riders from around the state will hold a simultaneous parallel ride through the city.
“NSW is at a crossroads. We can have a future of productive land, clean and secure water and air, reliable clean and affordable energy. But that bright future is at risk from coal and coal seam gas mining that damages farmland, communities and heritage. It’s time to choose,” Lock the Gate’s Georgina Woods said.
“This is just the beginning. These united communities will push the case to protect land and water from mining and repower NSW with renewable energy, and to make that transition fair for everyone.”