Paul Bibby
A climate activist has marked the 40th anniversary of the Terania Creek blockade by locking herself onto a drill rig on the Adani Carmichael mine site.
Stanthorpe resident Heather Simpson disrupted work on the controversial project by locking herself onto the rig near the Gregory Highway at 6.30 this morning.
Adani is currently clearing trees for the construction of the mine.
A group of supporters gathered nearby to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Australia’s first environmental blockade which began on August 16, 1979.
It led to the creation of the Nightcap National Park and began a tradition of front line environmental activism that resulted in the preservation of diverse and unique natural environments across the continent.
‘Australia’s history of environmental blockades is a wonderful tradition that has changed the way we relate to this country,’ Frontline Action on Coal spokesperson Andy Paine said.
‘Australia is covered in beautiful and cherished national parks that were the result of people engaging in civil disobedience.”
‘These blockades were all the result of brave and creative people making personal sacrifices. Each of them were at the time accused of being troublemakers and costing jobs, but history has vindicated them and their legacy is the national parks we all enjoy.
‘We say the best way to celebrate that tradition is not only to remember those stories, but to continue it by blockading the Adani mine and preserving a safe climate for all life on Earth.’
Meanwhile former Greens leader Bob Brown has branded Gautam Adani’s lawyers ‘dogs’ over their bankruptcy proceedings against traditional custodian Adrian Burragubba.
Mr Burragubba was at the forefront of an unsuccessful legal action to stop the mine.
‘This is a despicable use of economic imprisonment of Burragubba to punish him for standing up for his Wangan and Jagalingou country against multi-billionaire Adani’s invasion and eviction from the mine site,’ Mr Brown said.
‘Unlike Adani, Burragubba was born on country following hundreds of generations of his people also born on that country.’
‘This is a shameful day in Australia’s ongoing history of evicting and disempowering sovereign Aboriginal peoples from their lands.’
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
