Democracy in action

Just when you think Australia is at risk of becoming a bucket of minerals with no substance and less soul, you look out your window and it gives you hope again (as long as you're happy with hope coming in the form of Uncle Sam and Elvis leading a protest about equal pay).

I love a good protest – and the Northern Rivers is particularly good at them. (The one time I jumped on a bandwagon and travelled to the Sunshine Coast to protest about Zimbabwe dictator Robert Mugabe being accepted as a part of the Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting, it was singularly disappointing and anticlimactic, despite the presence of armed guards and the arrival of QEII.)

It's heartening to see governments listening to the people, rather than listening to the polls commissioned by political parties and media organisations (although maybe that's just a matter of perception and interpretation).

Well done to Premier Barry O'Farrell for listening to the public outcry about retrospectively changing legislation and reducing the gross feed-in tariff for solar.

The massive response to the Four Corners program airing footage from Animals Australia of cruel and inhumane treatment of animals already doomed to slaughter has forced the government to act.

Animal activists have been working on this issue for years – and will continue to do so, including local students who just won an award from the World Society for the Protection of Animals (see story page 5). If you care about this issue the Northern Rivers Community Legal Centre is holding information sessions on June 30 at the Casino RSM and on July 1 at the Lismore Workers Club.

In the past few weeks we have seen people protesting about coal seam gas mining in creative ways – forming a human sign on Main Beach at Byron; politely making their points at Beef Week and then travelling up to Brisbane to try and make their voices heard outside the coal seam gas conference; and their having message seen by projecting it on to buildings.

We've seen the underpaid Social and Community Services workers take to the streets with costumes and roller skates to make a serious point about pay rates for a feminised workforce.

It's great to see an active and involved population and to know that people care enough to organise and get their message out.