'Occupy' movement hits North Coast

Anti-coal seam gas protesters greet the NSW State Government inquiry into the industry in Kyogle recently.

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PEOPLE will take to the streets of the North Coast this weekend to voice their concerns with coal seam gas and to support the worldwide "occupy" movement.

Anti-coal seam gas events will take place in Lismore tomorrow and in Kyogle and Byron Bay on Sunday as part of a national day of action to protest against the industry.

Also in Byron Bay tomorrow a group calling itself Occupy Corporate Byron will make its presence known. Co-organiser of the event, John Waite, said the leaderless peaceful group would gather at Railway Park from noon to show support for the Occupy Wall Street movement in the US.

That movement, in which protesters have camped on Wall St and other locations in the US and across the globe, is described as a "resistance movement with people of many colours, genders and political persuasions".

A similar group will camp in Martin Place, Sydney, "indefinitely" from tomorrow, as well as at locations in all Australian capital cities.

"The one thing we all have in common is that we are the 99% that will no longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the 1%," the Occupy Wall Street website reads.

"A small number of people, (the 1%), are in control of the rest of us through various means and methods - be it the media, politics, or the banking system," Mr Waite said.

"(The event) is a way for like-minded people to realise they are not a sole voice, there are other like-minded people out there looking for a way to improve things."

In relation to the anti-coal seam gas protests, a spokesman for coal seam gas company Metgasco said the company welcomes community discussion about the issue, but said it expected those opposed to the industry to support their assertions with scientific fact, as is expected of it.