Over 40 Queenslalders, are currently taking peaceful direct action to disrupt contractor Hastings Deering’s industrial complex in Mackay. Photo supplied.
You don’t have to be young to be inspired ot take action to change the future. Over 40 Queenslanders, many in their 60’s and 70’s, are currently taking peaceful direct action to disrupt contractor Hastings Deering’s industrial complex in Mackay where driverless trucks marked for work on Adani’s controversial coal mine are about to begin assembly.
Severe drought and bushfire continue to ravage Australia exacerbating the impacts of climate change and global heating. With fewer and fewer options left to get their message across to both government and business, people are taking to direct action and are actively making the choice to put themselves on the line for a future for their grandchildren.
‘Barb Nelson, 74 is disrupting work at the main gates of Adani contractor Hastings Deering’s and is willing to get arrested,’ say Frontline Action on Coal in a press release this morning.
‘She joins other concerned citizens sending a powerful message that Queenslanders do not want Adani’s mine in their backyard. These concerned citizens in Mackay represent thousands of everyday Australians who are outraged at the government’s green-light for the mine to go ahead.’
There are other concerned Mackay residents including 70-year-old Heather Harrison who are also locked onto the gates of the contractor.
‘I am doing this for my grandchildren, and yours too,’ says Heather.
Rockhampton resident, 60-year-old David McRae, says ‘We can’t allow the Galilee Basin to be opened, the fossil fuel industry has got a stranglehold on our future.’
Earlier this week Greyhound Australia announced they would not enter a contract to service Adani’s mine due to overwhelming public pressure.
‘As a small business owner I want to see the government investing in renewables,’ says Lee Stapleton, 46, who is locked on to the top of a driverless truck inside the Hastings Deering industrial complex.
‘Only through investment in clean energy can we create a thriving Queensland economy for our children.’
Barb Nelson is golding a sign stating ‘Adani = Great Barrier Grief’ while many others are standing behind a giant banner with the slogan ‘Truck Off Adani!’
‘Truck Off Adani’… Love it. Yes – we got Greyhound
Australia on board. Let’s hope the rest follow. The
parliaments [state + fed] are all gold diggers &
couldn’t work to the country’s betterment even if
we placed them in an iron lung. I grieve for the
losses we go on carrying. At best we must support
our students & the science community.
Greyhound has been serving coal miners in the Bowen Basin for the last decade and continue to do so. Will we see further protests until they stop supporting the coal industry ?
I find it ironic that these trucks will be driverless, so much for all the jobs being created by Adani!
Does the Murdoch Press make this point? Probably not. Neo-Liberals don’t support the working class!!!
Even with driverless trucks, they have to be built, maintained and will see higher skills of computer programming and services associated with computer controlled operation.
Naturally, Janet. Just like our ScoMo, Adani
can’t lie straight in bed.
Please publish correct news. They are not driverless trucks. Adani remains committed to jobs through implementing manned trucks
Of course Adani says there’s no driverless trucks-just like they claimed there would be 10,000 jobs!
Then their own consultants told the court that- whoops-there would only be 1,400 jobs.
But wait, there’s more. When questioned by the ABC about Adani jobs, Ian Mac Farlane, former National MP and Chair of the Queensland Minerals Council replied that he believed there would be a few hundred jobs! Two hundred, three hundred? He didn’t elaborate.
We’re in the middle of a climate crisis-we need more coal mines as much as we need more bush fires.
Regardless of number of jobs and fake news from whomever, there have always been bushfires and always will be, it also certain that much equipment is always going to be needed for firefighters to use, equipment that requires money, steel and energy.
No they have said the whole mine will be automated, so the least number of people will be employed.
Max output for min cost. People= cost !!!
Who are the dumb ones here?
So 40 people represent the Mackay NOs. Which leaves 125,000 that support it. So 3 out of 10,000 say no. 0.0003%
And thousands of Australian say NO. But there’s 25,000,000 plus that would by default be a yes.
I’m pretty sure I could get 40 people together to demand everyone gets a free pony and set of steak knives. Doesn’t make it good policy.
It’s hard to comment. I’m glad they are reacting now but can’t forget what Queenslanders thought when the Adani protest happened up there last year. They didn’t like the protesters and seemed to want Adani. They didn’t listen then when we told them about the exact same thing. However your premier is an embarrassment to our country but the LNP will be no different.
Why are the protesters only going after Adani? There are many more coal mines in Queensland. And Adani is the furtherest from the Great Barrier Reef. Saving the GBR is one of their catchcries lol.
OK. If Adani kicks off, he will be buying his own coal from himself.
Best of luck with the Royalties Australia.
He bought the Lease off Linc Energy because it was cheap. (Lowest grade coal)
Linc Energy ring a bell ? Gas from Fracking ? Anyone ?
The neighbouring Leases are owned by Gina & Clive.
We know how they treat their workers.
Best of luck with that “Our Frogs In The Well”.
Enjoy your 2020. Cheers.
Go adani
What’s up with people these days…people should know,what they are talking about before opening there mouth…how many people know there are two types of coal..burning coal for power and coal for steel…do you know which coal on coming out of Adani…remember people say stupid things these trucks have drivers…i know this first hand..people should remember it’s now just coal that cause problems with the environment …leave our jobs alone….leave our area alone…
Adani is just one of many coal mines in operation or to be developed and like it or not coal is going to have a big if not bigger role in benefitting Australians and many people abroad for centuries.
Where do people think all of their modern appliances and energy to run them are going to come from in the future?
If you have PV units on your roof, how good are they after 10-15 years or earlier?
Governments relying on renewables alone and not coal or nuclear for powering industries, services and domestic use will have a lot to answer for in the future.
You got it right, Greg… we are surrounded by smaller
Adani’s, – plural – to our politics of delight [I prefer
the term rack & ruin]: Coal, Gas, Oil. Money doesn’t
make the world go round; fools & rip-off merchants
do that. Renewables it is. I’d prefer to replace PV
units every 15 years than sell out the country. It
takes all sorts of characters to inhabit the earth
& place it in the killing fields it’s now in. There’s
more than 2 sides to any belief as long as a world
is left to hear & know it. I don’t like your odds. The
kids, too, deserve better.