Australian conservative politicians are chucking a full-on tantrum. That’s because protests led to Westpac, Australia’s second largest bank, ruling out Adani’s coal mine and all new thermal coal mines. This is a HUGE win for people power and for the climate! But it’s not over yet. Prime Minister Turnbull has set aside $1 billion of our money to prop up the Adani coal mine. We have five days until the budget, where our Prime Minister will announce enormous cuts to universities, public schools and social services - while still giving $1 billion to a coal mining billionaire.
The only way we can stop this madness is if we stand together -- that means the Government needs to hear your voice. Together we can build this, and that's why we're asking you today to help build a loud and powerful national campaign. Will you chip in $8 to stop our coal-obsessed Government giving the Adani coal mine its final taxpayer-funded lifeline?
17 international banks and all big Australian banks have distanced themselves from Adani’s dangerous coal mine, but the Government still plan on giving them $1 billion of our taxpayer money.
You made this win possible. Together, over last 3 years we’ve moved the big 4 banks to turn their backs on Adani’s coal mine. Australian Youth Climate Coalition members are best placed to turn this power to the government -- together we can use our creativity and persistence to make sure Turnbull doesn’t bankroll Adani in the banks' absence.
If we can raise enough money before the budget drops, here’s what we can do together:
Organise big protests at Parliament House on budget day;
Local groups will pressure marginal seat MPs using cheeky tactics;
Hold creative stunts in the lead up to the federal budget; and
and continue the campaign beyond until Adani’s mine is cancelled
As Turnbull cuts schools, unis and social services, let's make it impossible for him to give $1billion handout to a coal mining billionaire. It’s urgent that we pile the pressure on Turnbull right now to cut off the biggest financial threat to our campaign to stop Adani.
This youth-led movement, with support from our older friends, is incredibly powerful.
Thanks for backing us.
Gemma, on behalf of the whole AYCC and Seed team
http://www.aycc.org.au/westpacs_dirty_history
Highly polluting coal slurry spilt next to the Gt. Barrier Reef
It’s so tragically predictable.
It's just been revealed that Adani breached their licence, spilling highly polluting coal slurry next to the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.
Adani got a special licence from the Queensland Government to release discharge into the Caley Valley Wetlands and the ocean from their Abbot Point coal terminal.
Even with this special licence to pollute, Adani exceeded their permitted limit to the ocean by more than 800 per cent. The ABC is reporting that Adani faces a possible multi-million-dollar fine.
It’s outrageous they got this license and even worse that they massively breached it. It’s outrageous that they turned the wetland black. Weeks later, locals and scientists are still picking up coal.
Adani cannot safely operate a coal port on a cyclone-prone coast. There’s no way we can let them dig Australia’s biggest megamine – which threatens to drain and pollute groundwater, wreck our climate and destroy our Great Barrier Reef.
That’s why the ACF community is coming together like never before.
We're holding Adani and our governments to account for this coal spill. There must be an independent investigation. Consequences. And Adani’s proposed megamine must not go ahead.
With your donation today, we will:
When the coal spill first happened, our community exposed it. First, the mine’s cheer squad pretended nothing was wrong. Then they tried to smear our reputation. Then they tried to downplay the damage.
Now’s the time for every person who wants to stop this mine to make one thing perfectly clear: we’re here, we’re serious and we’re going to be heard.
Our community’s power comes from our size, our passion and the generosity of people like you, right across our wide brown land, giving what they can afford.
Will you donate $5 today so we can hold Adani to account for this outrageous coal spill and make sure its polluting coal mine never goes ahead?
We are in this together. We will only succeed together.
Thank you,
Kelly O’Shanassy
CEO
Australian Conservation Foundation
More on the same
Adani faces possible multi-million-dollar fine over Abbot Point sediment water discharge
Adani may face fine over sediment released in floodwaters after Cyclone Debbie
Queensland environment department says it is considering action against mining giant with fines of up to $3.8m possible. "Adani faces a possible multimillion-dollar fine for environmental breaches over floodwaters released from its Queensland coal port after Cyclone Debbie.
"The Queensland environment department said it would consider “compliance action” against Adani over discharges of water containing more than eight times the level of sediment allowed from Abbot Point terminal. ... "
Getting the government 'out of bed with Adani'
"Coffs Coast Climate Action Group joined forces with concerned residents at a protest outside of Federal member for Cowper Luke Hartsuyker's office. "Coffs Coast Climate Action Group spokeswoman Liisa Rusanen said the purpose of the demonstration was to call the Federal Government "out of bed with Adani".
"About 60 demonstrators gathered around a makeshift bed with an effigy of Mr Hartsuyker and chanted in unison, "What do you want? Stop Adani.' ... "
Community events
'Attend an event – or host your own!
Will you host an event for our #StopAdani national week of action 15-19 May?
We're asking Members of Parliament to speak out against public funding for Adani's polluting project.'
#StopAdani national week of action toolkit
– How to turn up the heat on your MP
'Join us for the #StopAdani national week of action to shift the politics from 15-19 May. We're escalating pressure on our elected representatives. For 5 days, we’ll write to them, phone them, meet with them, turn up at their events and protest outside their offices. We won’t give up until the Turnbull Government rules out public funding for Adani’s disastrous mine. 'Follow the steps below or download a PDF of this toolkit:
https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/auscon/pages/2809/attachments/original/1493364249/StopAdaniNationalWeekofActionAllianceACF.pdf?1493364249
Green groups to target Commonwealth Bank over potential Adani financing
"GREEN groups will go to war with the Commonwealth Bank this week after documents revealed a continuing relationship with Adani that helped the controversial Carmichael mine gain approval for a water licence.
"The bank’s involvement with Adani was revealed in a document outlining the reasons for the Queensland Government’s granting of a water licence required for the project. ... "
Adani’s telling meltdown over Westpac’s new climate policy
“Aside from the huge climate considerations, there are good financial reasons why a bank like Westpac wouldn’t risk backing any Galilee Basin project: the mines would produce low-quality coal and require huge investments in new railway and port capacity at a time the future price of thermal coal appears to be bleak. ... "
More on this
Federal Resources Minister misrepresenting Wangan and Jagalingou people again
"Federal Resources Minister, Senator Matt Canavan, is misrepresenting Wangan and Jagalingou people again, as he and his National Party leader and Deputy Prime Minister, Barnaby Joyce, come down hard on Westpac. The big four bank announced a new policy which cuts Adani out of any future lending. It would be laughable if it wasn’t so serious, the National Party talking climate action and Aboriginal rights,
and giving economic advice to a commercial bank. Here is the great ‘pork barreling’, coal burning and anti-land rights party of Australian history arguing for Aboriginal advancement, and lecturing banks on climate policy and how to do business. All part of doing Adani’s bidding of course… Chairman Gautam Adani, made an unannounced visit to Queensland this weekend to reassure politicians “the decision would have no impact on plans for the multibillion-dollar mine.“ He met with Canavan. Quid pro quo, no doubt, for the Federal Government bending over backwards to change the Native Title Act to suit Adani’s interests. Canavan of course, like Mundine the week before, trotted out the convenient fiction as cover for trashing Aboriginal rights. Canavan claims Westpac “have also turned their back on the indigenous peoples of Queensland by this decision, because this mine in the Galilee Basin is supported by the Wangan and Jagalingou peoples. They met last year and voted on the mine, they voted on the mine 294 to one in support of it, yet that’s not good enough for Westpac”, he claimed in The Australian. Westpac didn’t make a decision based on Aboriginal rights one way or the other. W&J was the last thing on its business mind, sadly. But one more time for the record…Adani didn’t ‘negotiate’ and achieve the free prior informed consent of the W&J people."
Adani Abbot Point coal spill - Carmichael coal mine won’t be any different
"The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) http://acf.org.au/ and the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) http://marineconservation.org.au/ say a major environmental breach at the Abbot Point terminal shows Adani cannot be trusted with coal infrastructure and have called on the Queensland Government to seek the maximum penalty possible. "Adani has now admitted to the Queensland Government that they breached conditions of this licence, exceeding their permitted pollution discharge limit to the ocean by more than 800 per cent. That is 26 times more than the containment limit that Adani is normally allowed to discharge under their existing Environmental Authority. “Adani cannot be trusted. Their history of environmental breaches will continue. If the Carmichael coal mine is allowed to go ahead it won’t be any different,” ACF CEO Kelly O’Shanassy said. "“Everyday Australians aren’t allowed to get away with dumping their rubbish, Adani shouldn’t either. The government should throw the book at them.”
GetUp! targets Adani coal project in new campaign
"LEFT-wing activist group GetUp! has commissioned robot phone surveys in Queensland to ramp up its campaign against Adani's Carmichael coal project. The polling has set pulses racing in political ranks with suggestions Labor ministers holding marginal Brisbane seats could be targeted over the Palaszczuk Government's support for the project. The group last night confirmed it commissioned pollster Reachtel this week but denied it was "push polling" or was set to target Brisbane MPs including Deputy Premier Jackie Trad and Environment Minister Steve Miles."
Westpac's Adani decision finds public support, despite government's disapproval
"Survey shows 41% of people support bank’s decision to rule out funding Adani’s Queensland mine, with only 14% against, as the resources minister vows to switch banks. Almost three times as many people support Westpac’s decision to rule out funding Adani’s Queensland mine than disapprove of it, a survey has found. Julien Vincent, the executive director of Market Forces, claimed the survey showed Adani’s plans were “brand kryptonite” to Australia’s financial institutions. "“It turns out that Westpac’s decision to rule out funding the Adani Carmichael mine is not just favoured by Australians, but a potential boost for their customer base,” Vincent said. These results were also taken after the government began its ill-conceived boycott campaign of the bank."
Adani may face hefty fine over environmental breaches
'The Queensland government is probing and considering a compliance action on the issue of possible breach by Adani in respect to water released from its Abbot Point facility that had eight times more sediment than allowed limit.'