Climate protesters have disrupted the annual conference of the NSW Labor Party, demanding the government scrap plans for more coal fired power stations in the state.
Three members of the climate action group Rising Tide Newcastle have stolen the floor during a speech by NSW Premier Nathan Rees. The protesters have unfurled a large banner reading “Coal Kills! Scrap the new power stations”, and have disrupted the Premier's speech by calling out loudly about the climate change impacts of the NSW governments addiction to the coal industry.
“The world is facing a climate change crisis, caused primarily by the burning of fossil fuels,” explained Steve Phillips, spokesperson for Rising Tide. “We must urgently phase out the coal industry, which is the biggest contributor to this crisis.
“Instead, the NSW Labor government is proposing to massively expand coal-fired power generation in this state. Two large new coal fired power stations are on the table, and a major expansion to an existing station. All up, the NSW Government is proposing an incredible 52% increase in greenhouse pollution from the state's electricity sector.
“This would be a crime against everyone who calls planet earth home, and we cannot accept it. We call on the NSW Government to scrap these outrageous proposals, and we put them on notice that people are not willing to sit by and allow our state's greenhouse pollution to spiral out of control.”
“If the government of NSW attempts to build new coal fired power stations in this state, the people of NSW will be there attempting to stop them. The planet can't afford to wait, the time for climate action is now.”
For further comment:
Steve Phillips – 0437 275 119