THE fight against coal seam gas went up a notch on Thursday morning with protesters making their feelings known to incumbent Lismore MP Thomas George in the frankest way they knew how.
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A dozen bags of cow manure were dumped on Mr George’s office doorstep as a group of farmers and protesters rallied outside his Carrington St electoral office.
But Mr George, a strong advocate of CSG mining who is also the deputy speaker of the Legislative Assembly, was not in.
Mr George was in Tenterfield on Thursday morning with New England MP Barnaby Joyce to make an announcement for the Tenterfield Heavy Vehicle Bypass.
His absence wasn't a deterrence as protesters, many from a group calling itself the Gasfield Free Northern Rivers, continued to vent their anger and declared the Coalition's NSW Gas Plan as "full of it".
The NSW State Election will be held on March 28 and three of the four running Lismore candidates have spoken of their intent to cancel any gas mining in the region if elected.
This includes Greens candidate Adam Guise, Labor candidate Isaac Smith and Christian Democrat candidate Gianpiero Battista.
Mr George is yet to express his own plans to shelve future gas mining in the region.
Greens agriculture and mining spokesperson Jeremy Buckingham said the Coalition was failing their Lismore constituents.
"Thomas George and the Nationals need to wake up and smell the bullshit. No one wants their gas plan - they want a coal seam gas ban."
The protesters eventually cleaned and packed up their statement and moved on.
UPDATE:
THOMAS George said he will roll with the punches after his office was targeted by demonstrators on Thursday.
The office was hit later that same day by a man who has since been arrested by Lismore police.
A man defaced posters depicting the Nationals candidate and filled the locks of the office with glue.
Mr George said police arrested the man and also found a quantity of drugs in his possession.
"We came in to the office in the morning and couldn't get in.
"The people of the Lismore electorate don't deserve this type of politics - they're good respectable people.
"You've got to keep smiling though," he said.
Mr George will continue his election campaign tomorrow with a visit to Murwillumbah to open the towns Seniors Week activity and attend the Eat the Street festival in Lismore.
