No, our stats weren’t limited to café’s and galleries. Yes, our stats did in fact include one café and art gallery/café (we knew the latter was against the mine, so we didn’t ask them, but we included them in our 20 per cent against).

Yes, our stats did cover a broad cross-section of industries in the local business community.

Our stats also included a bakery, we didn’t ask them whether they wanted the mine to go ahead, we just read the anti-mine sign plastered on their doorway, right next to the ‘for sale’ sign. We presumed they were against the mine, they were also included in the 20 per cent that we knew were anti - mine.

Except for literally a couple of businesses that had publicly supported Bickham, we had no idea what sort of response we were going to get.

The response of 25 businesses was a resounding yes we want Bickham to go ahead. Some were happy to quietly support the cause others wanted to shout it from the roof-tops.

In the end we gave a list to the Planning Minister, of 23 businesses who absolutely want this mine to proceed.

Every one of these 23 businesses believes that Bickham will provide much-needed stimulus to the Murrurundi business community.

That’s our opinion and we’re entitled to it.

Many of these businesses by and large provide essential day-to-day services to the people of Murrurundi and if any of them closed, we would be in real strife.

Some others not surveyed, also want the mine, and some others apparently don’t.

Either way we know at least 25 businesses want it. That is a fact.

Walk into almost any business during normal business hours and if you ask them about their view on Bickham; chances are that the proprietor will call you into a back room away from the negative judgment of a few, and tell you that really, they’d love to see this mine approved.

That’s certainly what we found.