Protestors Disrupt Coal Champion

Climate change protesters disrupted a speech by Rio Tinto Coal Managing Director Bill Champion in Newcastle today. Half a dozen protesters from Rising Tide Newcastle were removed from the premises by police after arriving at the speech with banners and a megaphone.

Spokesperson for Rising Tide Newcastle, Steve Phillips, said:

The social licence of the coal industry has been withdrawn.

The coal industry, led by Rio Tinto, is destroying the health of communities in the Hunter, destroying the land and the waterways of our region. Through climate change, the coal industry is destroying the health of all people and ecosystems around the world. 

Last week, representatives of Pacific Island nations were in Australia pleading for meaningful cuts to greenhouse pollution. In the Pacific, communities are already being forced to flee their homelands due to rising sea levels and other impacts of climate change.

Australia contributes significantly to this problem through our massive coal industry. For us to be rapidly expanding our coal industry in this time of climate crisis is a slap in the face to our Pacific neighbours. It is a death sentence for communities around the world already feeling the impacts of climate change.”

Bill Champion was appointed Managing Director Rio Tinto Coal Australia in January 2009, after serving as the head of their  diamond mining enterprises. Currently, he serves as a Director of Port Waratah Coal Services, Newcastle Coal Shippers and the Queensland Resources Council.

Champion was expected to use his speech to support the Rudd Government's proposed Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme. The position of Rising Tide on the CPRS was made clear by Phillips in today's action:  

A Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme that allows the coal industry to actually expand is a failure. If we are serious about avoiding catastrophic climate change, we will immediately stop the expansion of the coal industry, and begin the urgent transition to sustainable and renewable alternatives.

About Rising Tide

Rising Tide Australia is a grassroots Newcastle group taking action against the causes of anthropogenic climate change and for equitable, just, effective, and sustainable solutions to the crisis. They are committed to the principals of Non-violent Direct Action.

Rising Tide Australia are part of the global movement for climate justice worldwide, under a common Rising Tide banner.

Like Six Degrees, Rising Tide Australia is based in a highly coal dependent region of Australia, which has served to sharpen their perspective on the contribution that Australia's coal industry makes to global climate change. 

Related Links

• Find out more from the Rising Tide Australia website