Action: Activists stop coal port construction project in Newcastle

What a week! From the open-cut coal mines of north west NSW to the coal port of Newcastle, activists are into the fourth consecutive day of action to protest the expansion of coal mining projects across the state.

Here is the latest:

6th September 2012

Activists stop coal port construction project

Activists are scaling a crane at a Newcastle coal terminal, stopping work on the construction of new coal loading facilities.

Activists entered the NCIG coal terminal construction site on Kooragang Island before dawn this morning, and two people are now scaling the crane, preparing to unfurl a banner reading “Stop the coal rush! For health, water & climate.”

Today’s protest is the fourth consecutive stop-work action against NSW coal projects this week. Activists have targeted expansions of the three major elements of the coal chain – mines, railway, and port infrastructure – to highlight the unprecedented coal rush taking place in NSW, and its impacts on public health and the environment.

Rising Tide spokesperson Steve Phillips said: “There is an unprecedented coal rush under way in NSW. Public health, waterways, ecosystems, and the global climate are under assault.”

“Local communities are resisting the coal rush at every step of the way, challenging new mines and port developments that place the profits of coal companies ahead of the public good.”

“But both State and Federal Governments have taken the side of the coal companies. NSW Planning Minister Brad Hazzard and Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke continue to approve every coal project that arrives on their desks. Communities are crying out for help, but governments are ignoring them.”

“Enough is enough. We need to stop the coal rush. It’s time for State and Federal governments to stop kowtowing to the mining companies, and get behind community demands for a clean, renewable future.”

Key facts:

• Newcastle Coal Infrastructure Group (NCIG) is a consortium of coal mining companies headed by BHP Billiton. The Chairman of NCIG is former NSW Treasurer Michael Egan.
• Mining companies propose to boost Newcastle coal exports to 300 Mtpa by 2020 up from 114 million tonnes last year. This equates to more than 800 million tonnes of carbon dioxide pollution. Australia’s domestic carbon dioxide pollution is 550 Mtpa.
• There are 34 coal mine proposals before the NSW Planning Department at the time of writing, almost all would produce coal for export through Newcastle

Update, 7am:

Rising Tide report, “Police are now onsite. Workers are congregating in the car park awaiting instruction from above. There is currently no work happening – We’ve shut them down!”

Update, 8am:

Rising Tide report: Our climbers have now finished scaling the 60 metre crane and have unfurled a banner saying “Stop the coal rush, for health, water and climate”.

Update, 9am:

Activists are now off the crane and have been arrested by police.

Police failed to warn climbers that the crane was to be lowered so that arrests could be made. Here is the release from Rising Tide regarding the behaviour of NSW Police at the protest this morning:

POLICE RISK LIVES TO END COAL PORT PROTEST

NSW Police officers placed two lives at risk this morning, by lowering a 60 metre high crane to the ground while two people were on top of it. The two activists have now been arrested.

Activists entered the NCIG coal terminal site in Newcastle before dawn to peacefully stop construction of new coal port facilities. Two experienced climbers scaled the 60 metre high construction crane to unfurl a banner reading Stop the coal rush! For health, water & climate.

“We are dismayed with the actions of police here today.” said spokesperson Steve Phillips. “We conducted a peaceful protest, with trained and experience climbers, and safety as our priority. NSW Police responded with gross negligence and dereliction of duty, and placed two lives at risk. Our climbers were not even warned before the crane was lowered.”

Today’s protest was the fourth consecutive stop-work action against NSW coal projects this week. Activists targeted expansions of the three major elements of the coal chain – mines, railway, and port infrastructure – to highlight the coal rush taking place in NSW, and its impacts on public health and the environment.

“NSW is in the grip of a coal rush. Public health, waterways, ecosystems, and the global climate are under assault,” said Steve Phillips.

“Local communities are resisting the coal rush at every step of the way, challenging new mines and port developments that place the profits of coal companies ahead of the public good.”

“But both State and Federal Governments have taken the side of the coal companies. NSW Planning Minister Brad Hazzard and Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke continue to approve every coal project that arrives on their desks. Communities are crying out for help, but governments are ignoring them.”

“Enough is enough. We need to stop the coal rush. It’s time for State and Federal governments to stop kowtowing to the mining companies, and get behind community demands for a clean, renewable future.”

There are 34 coal mine proposals before the NSW Planning Department at the time of writing, almost all would produce coal for export through Newcastle.

Rising Tide will be reporting Police actions to the NSW Ombudsman.

Update, 1pm:

Rising Tide report: Our climbers are out of lock-up. One charge each – enter enclosed land. They’ll be in Newcastle local court 9th October. Both are safe and well, and happy with the action today. Thanks for all your heartfelt support and comments.

This action comes after three previous actions this week. On Monday two activists scaled a coal-crusher at Boggabri coal mine unfurling a banner that read; ‘Stop the Coal Rush: Protect Health, Water, Climate’. On Tuesday an 84-year-old man chained himself to the gates of the Boggabri coal mine preventing coal truck access. On Wednesday an activist used a 10-metre high wooden tripod to block access to a construction site on a coal haulage railway project in the Hunter Valley.

“There is a coal rush under way in NSW, and public health, waterways, ecosystems, and the global climate are under assault. Massive coal mine projects, coal haulage projects, and coal port projects are in the pipeline. If all these projects go ahead, the consequences will be devastating,” said Steve Phillips, protest spokesperson.