Tuesday: 2pm: Tensions escalated at Whitehaven Coal’s Maules Creek mine site yesterday when more than 150 people from all walks of life marched onto the site to protest against the climate change impacts of the controversial coal mine.
By the end of the day 82 people had been arrested in the mass protest, which coincided with the release of the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which forecasts major negative impacts from climate change on Australian land, people and industry.
All protestors were processed on site and served court attendance notices because the volume exceeded the capacity of holding facilities.
The large group was armed with banners bearing messages such as “Save the Leard”, “Health before profit”, and “Our land, our water, our future”, and was calling on Environment Minister Greg Hunt to revoke federal approval for the $767 million project, in light of the second part of the IPCC report.
During the demonstration three protestors locked themselves to construction equipment and work at the site was halted for the day.
Helen War, spokesperson for the Leard Forest Alliance, said “The people getting arrested here today are not your usual protestors. The fact that so many ordinary Australians have come down here to stop this mine is testament to the growing public concern about the impacts of climate change”.
“This mine will cause twice the carbon emissions which the coalition's 'Direct Action' policy will sequester. The warnings from our scientists are clear – we cannot afford to wait for action on climate change,” Ms War said.
Those arrested include doctors, farmers and a 92-year old World War II veteran.
Ms War added, “At this critical point in history, we must look at the bigger picture and take action against the short-sighted madness of coal mine projects fuelling climate change. We will not sit and idle while industries destroy our forests, pollute the air and poison the farming food bowl”.
“Such a groundswell of opposition against the Maules Creek mine marks the shift towards the new normal for coal projects in Australia”
The Leard State Forest is home to more than 31 vulnerable and critically endangered species, including the Turquoise Parrot and Corben's Long-eared bat.
Julie Macken, spokesperson for Greenpeace, said “Whitehaven’s proposed Maules Creek mine brings together the most destructive elements of climate change”.
“It will undermine the integrity of one of our country’s most important food bowls at a time when the IPCC is warning of the impact of climate change on food security.
“Together with the two neighbouring mines, it may cause a cumulative draw down of water in the adjacent hard rock aquifer in excess of 10 metres and imperil over 30 endangered species, whilst dumping tonnes of coal dust on surrounding communities every year.
“It is not possible to both take climate change seriously and continue to dig new coal mines in this country. They are now mutually exclusive activities,” she said.
A spokesperson for Whitehaven Coal dismissed the action and said “The only delays to the planned schedule of works at Maules Creek have been caused by the very welcome recent arrival of rain”.
Tuesday: 8am: Eighty two people have been arrested following the most intense day of disruption since the Leard Forest blockade was established.
Around 100 protesters held a mass walk on the site of the Maules Creek mine and Boggabri expansion projects.
Some of them tied themselves to machinery including doctors, farmers and a Kokoda war veteran.
All protesters were processed on site and served court attendance notices because the volume exceeded the capacity of holding facilities.
Work was stopped for the day with protestors vowing to maintain the blockade until approval for the project is revoked.
More than 30 people have been arrested at Whitehaven Coal's Maules Creek mine site, after around 100 protestors conducted a mass walk on to protest against the climate change impacts of the new coal mine, coinciding with the release of the IPCC report.
In the group's strongest show of resistance yet, the protestors entered various parts of the forest at around 5am.
Helen War, spokesperson for the Leard Forest Alliance, said although most of the people who "walked on" to the construction site this morning have been removed, a number are still being processed on site.
Three protestors who had locked themselves to construction equipment have been cut down by police.
Work has been halted for the day.
Those arrested include doctors, farmers and a 92-year old World War II veteran.
"The people getting arrested here today are not your usual protestors. The fact that so many ordinary Australians have come down here to stop this mine is testament to the growing public concern about the impacts of climate change," Ms War said.
She said the protest is indicative of the "huge shift towards this being the new normal for any new coal projects in Australia".
"To have a groundswell of support standing with the community shows the opposition of new coal mines."
Local police and NSW Police Rescue are on site and authorities have closed both the Therribri Road and the Leard Forest Road.
