Adani’s coal mine has been shut down for second time this week by five peaceful activists chaining themselves to safely to coal loading infrastructure.
The Galilee Basin defenders put their bodies on the line in a continued effort to put pressure on both Adani and the ALP in the lead up to the first sitting of Queensland Parliament on Monday where the Labor government will decide on funding for a billion dollar loan towards infrastructure in support of low quality thermal coal expansion in the Galilee Basin.
Protester Megan Armstrong, a 47 year old Townsville resident, stated she was ‘here to represent all the people who are against monstrous new open cut thermal coal projects and tell ALP that they need to stick to their word by vetoing a NAIF loan to Aurizon and any other interested parties’.
Mother of two, Liisa Rusanen, said, ‘I’m taking action for my children, who face the collapse of water, food and climate systems in their lifetime.’
Queensland Labor initially vetoed Adani’s application for the loan however, the government has not ruled out allowing other companies, such as rail company Aurizon, the loan required to make Adani’s mine and the opening of the Galilee coal basin financially viable.
John Ross, a 68-year-old Nurseryman from Coramba, expressed concern saying ‘We are facing a climate emergency with catastrophic disruption to human societies and our planet’s ecosystems… to open up massive new Galilee Basin coal is an unconscionable betrayal of future generations. The ALP need make it clear that NAIF loans to any party that will further the Adani coal mine project, including Aurizon, will be ruled out.’
According to Frontline Action on Coal following the protests that shut down the coal port last Thursday Adani promised to increase security and made unsubstantiated accusations of violence against the peaceful protesters.
‘It was worth putting my body on the line,’ said Ella Skerret, 26, an artist from Coffs Harbour, to ‘stop coal being mined in the Galilee Basin.’
The climate impacts of opening up the Galilee Basin to automated, open-cut coal mining will be devastating to ecosystems and human societies alike, according to Ella’s older brother Danny Skerret (31), a carpenter. ‘We need to respond to the overwhelming scientific evidence,’ he said, ‘even if our governments and corporations won’t.’
Adani’s coal mine has not opened and won’t until a few things happen – such as a 240km railway line connecting it to Abbot Point coal terminal. These protestors are stopping exports of coking coal used in steelmaking from other mines in North Queensland.