more bad press for qgc/bg, page-7

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/greatgranny-arrested-in-gas-blockade-20110315-1bvg0.html

Great-granny arrested in gas blockade
Lisa Martin
March 15, 2011 - 1:54PM

AAP

A Brisbane great-grandmother has become the first protester arrested at a blockade to stop a major coal seam gas development at Tara in southeast Queensland.

The protest began on Monday with Tara residents, farmers and green groups forming a human barricade and locking their farm gates to stop Queensland Gas Company (QGC) workers entering properties to lay the pipes.

The protesters say they're in it for the long haul and camped overnight on Monday despite a mice plague in the area.
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There is a heavy police presence at the site, including a public order response team, mounted police and plainclothes detectives.

June Norman, 70, was arrested before midday on Tuesday at the blockade site and taken to the Chinchilla police station.

Friends of the Earth spokesman Drew Hutton said the great-grandmother was arrested when she refused an order from a plainclothes policeman to move while she was blockading a large bulldozer from entering the QGC site at Kenya.

Mr Hutton said Mrs Norman is involved in charity and community work and that her gentle presence belies her quiet determination to fight against coal seam gas mining and to protect the environment.

He said he expected Mrs Norman to be released from custody within an hour.

Mrs Norman said she was prepared to do anything for the cause.

"I have an obligation to my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren to take a stand," she said.

"I cannot have them living with the consequences of what our generations have done and are doing to this country."

QGC says almost half of the 16-kilometre pipeline will be on its own land and the 14 landholders directly affected have agreed to compensation packages for disturbance to their properties.

? 2011 AAP