Protesters blockade Adani

September 19, 2019
Issue 
Protesters blockading Adani in the Galillee Basin. Photo: Frontline Action on Coal/FB

Protesters blocked entry to the work site for Adani鈥檚 controversial Carmichael coalmine, in the Galilee Basin in Central Queensland, for several hours on September 18.

Coral Wynter, who had joined the blockade from Sydney, told 91自拍论坛 Weekly: 鈥淲e blocked three gates of Adani鈥檚 workers鈥 camp for four hours, preventing several trucks from entering and leaving the site.鈥

鈥淲e waited at the gates until police arrived and ordered us to move. Protesters of all ages and from around the country came to the Galilee Basin 鈥 the front line of the fight.

鈥淥ur action followed other protests over the past few days, including blockades of factories in Townsville supplying pipes to the Carmichael mine.

鈥淚n one site, a truck driver tried to run down a protester outside the gates.鈥

Asked about the protest鈥檚 effectiveness, Wynter said they had been 鈥渧ery successful in drawing attention to the need to stop Adani, and other new coalmines, from going ahead鈥.

Taking a stand 鈥渋s vital鈥, she said, 鈥渆specially knowing that we are part of a global movement to tackle climate change鈥.

, which organised the blockade, has called on people to take action to stop Adani鈥檚 mine going ahead.

Orien Humennyj-Jameson, a 29-year-old musician and biology teacher from Melbourne, said: 鈥淭o create meaningful change is possible but it will require us to inconvenience our own lives and take actions like this.鈥

Kylie Riha-Jones, a 52-year-old health worker and mother of two from Melbourne, said: 鈥淭he health effects of climate change will take a massive toll on humans and other animals.

鈥淭he Australian Medical Association has declared a climate emergency, and yet Australia is opening up one of the world鈥檚 biggest coal reserves.鈥

Jasmyn Sheppard, a 33-year-old First Nations community organiser based in Meanjin (Brisbane), said the Queensland government is hypocritical for talking about sustainability and treaty while giving the green light to Adani鈥檚 mine.

Sheppard said: 鈥淚鈥檝e been part of community groups [opposing the mine] and lobbying the political system, but it鈥檚 not enough. To continue the pressure means going to the frontline of destructive projects like Adani鈥檚 mine.鈥

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