The people of Clermont know what’s best for Clermont, publican argues
CLERMONT Publican Kel Appleton says locals have had enough of out-of-towners like Bob Brown and Bill Shorten telling them what’s what.
Opinion
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In the space of a week Clermont went from a quiet town a day’s drive from Brisbane to a national news story and the centre of debate about coal.
But it’s more than a story about coal or activists or politicians.
The reason why so many people rallied around to protest against Bob Brown and his friends is that this is about our survival and we want to have a say in it. Up until now it seems only the activists get a say.
Bob Brown came here to get publicity and drive donations, not to consult or learn from us about what we want. It was a stunt, and an annoying one.
We don’t want Bob Brown telling us everything we do is wrong when he and his followers depend of coal and mining as much as we do.
We also don’t want Bob Brown dictating from Tasmania whether we have a job or not or whether we can afford to clothe our children and we are tired about being left out of the debate.
The issue of continued coal mining is important to us.
If you want to know why we are passionate it’s because we want to show politicians that there will be consequences for abandoning us.
We don’t want to be pawns in any sort of political game. This is about our lives.
We don’t get involved in politics too much, but we are pretty disappointed in Labor pulling the rug from under us and swapping preferences with the Greens.
That is a slap in the face to us and considering that it is a party formed on the back of the worker it is pretty disappointing for the workers, as well.
The real reason Labor’s candidate in Capricornia, Russel Robertson, did not speak at the rally supporting coal was because his political party doesn’t support coal.
He has been proud to say that he is a third generation coal miner but there won’t be a fourth if he has any success politically.
You can’t be financed by supporters of the ALP and support the policy of The Green’s - which is to completely shut down the coal industry and the rural sector.
After years of tough times, the Galilee Basin is more than an opportunity for us.
It’s our chance to have the things city people take for granted, things like a strong, stable income and hope for your children.
People don’t realise that if the mines close so do the towns.
And Labor has to stop telling us they will support Adani - if it stacks up.
It does stack up and it has got all of the federal approvals.
The State Government has also given it a mining lease, a water licence and an environmental authority. How can they do that if it doesn’t stack up?
We need coal. Everything depends on it.
I can’t tell you who the people of Clermont will vote for, but I can say that when Pauline Hanson walked into the bar there were cheers and applause.
The major political parties should take note.
They should also note that we expect respect, something that has been in short supply from politicians and activists.
The people of Clermont will get their chance in a few weeks to have their say.
Kel Appleton, publican, runs the Grand Hotel Motel, Clermont
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