Federal Member for Lyne David Gillespie delivered on his promise to personally present the Big Ban petition before the House of Representatives yesterday morning. 

It came after a passionate crowd of anti-CSG protestors set on the Port Macquarie airport, shortly before Dr Gillespie boarded his flight to Canberra on Sunday. 

The group called on the MP to “care about the issue”, and support their demand to see a complete ban on unconventional gas mining activities across the country. 

Shortly after 10am, Dr Gillespie spoke of their concerns, following the petition’s official approval earlier this week. 

“There’s some concerned citizens in the Lyne electorate, and there’s also plenty of concerned residents around the nation,” he told the House. 

He spoke on the signatories’ concerns about CSG and unconventional mining, and the “evidence it may lower the fresh water table.”

“They want an immediate moratorium on these practices,” he said.

Dr Gillespie then followed to present a document - an officially unapproved petition - representing the concerns of Old Bar beach residents and their fears concerning coastal erosion risk.

“These two issues are critically important to a lot of people in the electorate and around the nation,” he said.

Principal petitioner Jennifer Schoelpple said the news Dr Gillespie personally presented the petition, came as a relief, and a surprise.

“I appreciate he has spoken on our concerns,” Ms Schoelpple said. “But I don’t feel particularly confident we’d have his support in this matter when he doesn’t support a full ban.”

“That’s what we need for this industry, and if a medical doctor can’t support a ban on something so dangerous - something they’re calling the modern day asbestos - then I’d have to question his motives.”

Dr Gillespie has previously said he had full confidence in NSW’s stringent practices to ensure people and agricultural lands were protected from potential harm.

“As the Federal Member I am happy to table or present petitions to the Parliament on behalf of my constituents if requested, regardless of my own views on the broad range of topics that are canvassed across the political spectrum,” Dr Gillespie told the Port News, after his presentation yesterday.