Media Release 

11 July 2012

Greens NSW spokesperson on agriculture dismissed today’s National Party attack on the Greens being ‘anti-farmer, anti-family and against free enterprise’ as absolute rubbish, and said that the Greens were representing the interests of many farmers and wanted their number one vote.

“The Greens love and respect Australian farmers, and are heavily engaged in a campaign to protect productive agricultural land and country communities from the threat of coal seam gas and coal mining,” said Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham.

“Farmers play a crucial role in our society, growing the food we eat and the fibre we wear. The Greens want to ensure a long-term sustainable farming sector, enjoying a healthy and productive environment, and a fair marketplace for their produce.

“On 1 May, it was the Greens, farmers and community groups such as the CWA that marched together on Macquarie Street for the ‘protect our land and water’ rally.  It was the National MPs that stood by nervously on the State Parliament balcony.

“In fact, it is the National Party who is in bed with the big mining companies, with former leader John Anderson acting as chairman of Eastern Star Gas, and another former leader Mark Vaile on the board for Nathan TInkler’s coal mine at Maules Creek.

“The Greens are not after National Party preferences, we want the number one vote of country people,” he said.