Political advocacy group GetUp’s ad was launched on televisions across regional NSW and Queensland on Sunday and profiles people adversely affected by CSG mining.

Farmers Rosemary Nankivell and Jamie Bishop are in the new media line-up.

Mrs Nankivell runs a mixed crop and cattle farm at Yarraman, near Quirindi, while Mr Bishop, from Bando Station at Mullaley, is a member of the Mullaley Gas Pipeline Accord and opposes the proposed Eastern Star Gas (ESG) pipeline.

Mr Bishop says there are better routes than the one planned and that his group has major environmental, health and safety concerns about the ESG plan.

Mrs Nankivell is the CSG spokeswoman for the Caroona Coal Action Group and is a member of the NSW Farmers’ Association’s mining reference group.

“I was pleased to be in this campaign, because I think the issue of coal seam gas is a concern for all Australians,” Mrs Nankivell said.

She said one of her main concerns surrounding CSG was water, with the activity linked to the depletion of aquifers. She said that as a result of its impacts on water, CSG extraction was risking the local agricultural industry.

“It’s a very short-term industry – they’re talking 20 to 30 years at most – while agriculture will go on forever. We just can’t afford to sacrifice this type of quality farmland, which will produce food forever and a day, for this short-term coal seam gas industry,” she said.

Mrs Nankivell said the industry also had negative economic effects, including the loss of income for the government because of five-year royalty-free periods for gas companies.

“I’m really hoping that it will encourage people to investigate the coal seam gas industry themselves,” she said of the campaign.

“Our greatest resource, our water, is at risk because of this industry.”