The award-winning “Frackman, the Movie” premieres in Brisbane tomorrow, following its inclusion at the prestigious Gold Coast Film Festival tonight.
The anti-coal seam gas film features former Darling Downs resident, Dayne Pratzky who moved to the Chinchilla/Tara region for the quiet life, only to find himself in the middle of a CSG storm.
Frackman tells the story of Mr Pratzky’s struggle against international gas companies including QGC, a subsidiary of British Gas. His protest began against what he described as “the industrialisation of residential and rural Queensland”, with up to 40,000 wells planned.
His protest has extended across the nation and overseas as Australia is set to become the world’s biggest gas exporter.
Lock the Gate spokesperson, Julie Devine said the film was “an important representation” of what Queenslanders were suffering every day.
“CSG mining is sucking the life-blood out of Queensland, threatening our water, foodbowls and communities,” Ms Devine said.
“Frackman faithfully depicts the nightmare that many Queenslanders and other Australians are living through every day because they can’t sell their industrialised properties, but they can’t safely stay there either because their lives are so seriously impacted.”
She called on the State Government to “stop the rot” and restore the democratic balance to all Queenslanders, instead of favouring multinational mining companies.
A Senate Inquiry report last month recommended a moratorium on new csg approvals, a royal commission into the human impacts of CSG mining, and a ban on fracking in Queensland.
The movie won the Best Film and Best Environmental Film categories at the Byron Bay Film Festival last month. Tonight’s screening starts at 6pm at The Arts Centre at Surfers Paradise and tomorrow night’s screening will be at Events Cinemas Indooroopilly at 6.30pm. Tickets for can be purchased online at http://frackmanthemovie.com/
Dayne Pratzky and Lock the Gate representatives will be present at both events. To see the trailer visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ifUjjP3aL4