The climate advocacy group, Rising Tide, confirmed that protester Fiona Lee was among those who had fastened themselves to coal equipment earlier in the day. Source: Supplied / Rising Tide
“All of my friends are so anxious about the future because we’re inheriting a planet that’s been destroyed by coal and gas companies. I am very sad that I feel like getting arrested is something I have to do, but I also feel anger that it is the responsibility of young people like me to hold corporations and governments to account for their role in driving our planet towards climate catastrophe.”
The NSW Minerals Council said Rising Tide’s actions would harm the group’s own reputation.
“As expected, today the ‘Rising Tide’ protest organisers have once again displayed a total disregard for public safety,” the council’s CEO Stephen Galilee said in a statement on Monday.
“While any disruption to coal exports will be minimal and temporary, the damage to Rising Tide’s credibility is significant and permanent.”
NSW Police confirmed on Sunday evening that 141 people had been charged in relation to the protests, including 18 juveniles and two women aboard a ship.
Authorities arrived at the scene and began detaining the demonstrators, according to reports.
“We, as young individuals, can’t afford to ask politely for climate action anymore,” one protester stated emphatically in a press release.
Rising Tide has been calling for the government to stop green-lighting coal projects and to tax coal export profits at 78 per cent.
The group said in a statement on Monday this tax could “fund new industries and retraining to support coal workers and communities as the world transitions away from coal”.
It also wants an end to all coal exports from Newcastle by 2030.
Zack Schofield, a spokesperson for Rising Tide, said the government is “failing to act” on climate and support workers and the surrounding community. Source: Supplied / Rising Tide
Zack Schofield, a spokesperson for Rising Tide, said on Monday morning the government is “failing to act” on climate and support workers and the surrounding community.
“The government is protecting the profits of multinational coal corporations instead of providing much-needed support for Hunter coal communities who will be most impacted as global markets turn away from polluting coal.”
