Outraged community members have protested across the country today in response to the Albanese government’s approval of three large new coal mining projects.
Yesterday evening, Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek published approvals for Whitehaven’s Narrabri thermal coal mine expansion, MACH energy’s Mount Pleasant thermal coal mine expansion and Yancoal’s Ashton Ravensworth coal mine extension.
The coal mines are located in the Hunter Valley of NSW and their approvals would collectively add 1.5 billion tonnes of carbon pollution to the atmosphere over the next 30 to 40 years, more than three times Australia’s total annual emissions.
In Newcastle, nine people were arrested for stopping a coal train and unloading coal with shovels. Alexa Stuart, 20, handed herself into police custody at Tanya Plibersek's office for stopping a coal train in Newcastle. Police took her details and recorded her statement of guilt but are yet to lay any charges.
In Sydney 50 people joined a community protest at the office of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to condemn his government's support for expanding new polluting coal mines. The protest then moved to the office of Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek in Redfern where Alexa Stuart dumped a bag of coal from the coal train she stopped earlier in the day.
In Melbourne protests were held at Labor MPs offices including the member for Wills Peter Kahil where 50 people took action to publicly condemn the Albanese government’s coal mine approvals. Protests also took place at the offices of the member for Jagajaga Labor MP Kate Thwaites and the office of Josh Burns, the member for McNamara.
In Brisbane, around 30 people occupied the office of the Labor member for Moreton Graham Perrett, until police broke up the protest and the office shut for the day.
Photos and footage from the protests at MPs offices are available here.
Photos and footage of the action that stopped a coal train in Newcastle are available here
Community members loudly voiced their outrage over the approval of the coal mines, joining in chants, drumming and singing at the MPs offices. Large signs and banners reading ‘Labor - stop fuelling the climate crisis - No More Coal Approvals’ were on display along with large inflatable koalas, representing the endangered koalas whose habitat is now approved to be cleared for the Narrabri coal mine expansion.
Alexa Stuart, former Newcastle young citizen of the year, a volunteer primary ethics teacher and an organiser with Rising Tide, said:
"I stopped a coal train this morning in Newcastle, and now I am here at Tanya Plibersek's office to turn myself in. I am here to show Tanya what taking responsibility for your actions looks like because she and her government have abdicated their responsibility to young people, to fossil fuel workers deserving a fully-funded transition, and to all Australians.
It is an absolute disgrace that instead of funding a transition for workers, the government is continuing to approve new coal and gas projects when we are in a climate crisis. They are breaking their promise of delivering real climate action, and they are condemning my generation to a future of climate disasters and instability. I am ready to face the consequences of my actions."
Mick McGrath from Move Beyond Coal said, “This is an outrageous climate denying decision from the Albanese government. It flies in the face of their commitment to climate action and denies the science that clearly says our climate can’t afford any new coal mines. The Albanese government has shown it is unwilling to stand up to coal and gas billionaires and will prioritise the profits of coal barons over keeping our communities safe from dangerous climate change.”
“Combined these three coal projects will emit a staggering 1.5 billion tonnes of carbon pollution - that is more than three times Australia’s total annual emissions.
“Our communities are already seeing the devastating impacts of climate disasters on their homes, towns and livelihoods. They’re angry at the Albanese government for failing them by continuing to approve new and expanding coal mines.
Gomeroi Traditional Owner Karra Kinchella, whose country includes the Pilliga Forest, said: “The Pilliga Forest and the water that runs through and beneath it is sacred to Gomeroi.
“Tanya Plibersek’s decision to approve Whitehaven’s destructive Narrabri coal mine expansion is an insult to us and our ancestors.
“The world was shocked and saddened when Notre-Dame went up in flames. Well Tanya Plibersek has just given Whitehaven permission to put the blowtorch to our church.”
Paul Spearim, Proud Gamilaraay Country and Queensland Conservation Council Protect Country Strategist, said : “I've spent time protesting in the Pilliga against Whitehaven coal and Santos coal seam gas for years. Gamilaraay people need to stand up against coal and coal seam gas, and all mines that will destroy our traditional connections to our sacred homelands.”
Background on the coal mining projects:
The approval of Whitehaven Coal’s Narrabri Underground thermal coal expansion allows the mine to increase thermal coal production from 11 million tonnes per annum to 13 million tonnes per annum until 2066 and will clear 457 hectares of habitat for the endangered koala. The approval decision is available here
MACH Energy’s Mount Pleasant Optimisation Project is a huge expansion of an open cut thermal coal mine on the doorstep of the Hunter Valley town of Muswellbrook. The Albanese government’s approval allows the coal mine to double thermal coal production from 10.5 million tonnes per annum to 21 million tonnes per annum and extend its life until 2058. The approval decision is available here
According to MACH Energy, the expanded Mount Pleasant Coal mine will produce 874.17 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions over its lifetime - Nearly double Australia’s emissions from all sources in 2022 (463.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent). One expert described this as the equivalent of “1.7 million Hiroshima bombs worth of extra heat”.
The Ashton-Ravensworth decision re-approves the exploitation of around 40 million tonnes of coal at the closed Ravensworth underground mine in the central Hunter Valley which would otherwise not have been mined.
