Thousands of people turned out to packed out and sold out in Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne between March 28-31. The enthusiastic response is a tangible demonstration that the Adani Carmichael coalmine project can be defeated.
Other actions since then demonstrate the ongoing dynamism of this people-power movement. These include a vibrant picket outside a speech by Adani's Australian chief at the Brisbane Hilton on March 31 and an occupation of Queensland Deputy Premier Jackie Trad's office on April 4. .
At the same time, the company is adamant that . The Queensland government鈥檚 grant of a free water permit to the company demonstrates that further action is needed if the mine is to be stopped.
Indian anti-coal campaigner Vaishali Patil told the #Stop Adani roadshow meetings that coal wreaks huge environmental damage while devastating the lives of poor people in India. She also said that the Adani company is one of the worst that she has had dealings with.
鈥淢y problem is I can't get to sleep at night,鈥 she said, likening this project to a poisonous snake under your pillow. She said corporate assurances are not worth anything and no genuine compensation can be made once environmental damage had been done.
鈥淲e are fighting day and night. Not only Adani, not just this mine, not just coal: this is a fight to survive!鈥
鈥淲e are unstopable,鈥 she said because 鈥渁nother world is possible鈥.
Larissa Balwin from SEED (Indigenous youth for climate action) also spoke at the roadshow. She said 鈥渆verybody has a stake in this fight鈥 which is literally a 鈥渇ight for life鈥.
She called on everyone present to 鈥渟tand behind Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders who are leading this struggle鈥. Climate change is already affecting Aboriginal people she said and pointed out that 鈥渨hen Aboriginal people put out a call [for support] you need to be there to answer that call鈥.
She pointed out that people power is strong: 鈥淭he only thing standing in their way is everybody in this room and everyone you can bring to this fight.鈥
Danny Kennedy from the Californian Clean Energy Fund also told the meeting that coal was outdated technology and that costs of renewables are coming down. He implored the crowd not to let the government get away with making a $1 billion loan with public money to fund what risks becoming a stranded asset as the world moves towards renewables.
The meetings called for building a people's movement, 鈥渃hanging politics鈥 and stopping the money. The latter was the major focus with big divestment actions planned for the week of May 5鈥13. The immediate aim put forward by 350 Australia is to pressure Westpac to rule out funding Adani.
[Visit stopadani.com for more information about this campaign.]
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