direct action

Yesterday the court upheld a decision to fine Six Degrees activists Steve and Nathan over $4000 for their role in disrupting coal loading at the Brisbane Coal Port in October. This is a blow to citizens wanting to take real climate action in Queensland.

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Elves upended sacks of coal in the executive building at lunchtime today as others delivered 300 Christmas cards to the Premier, to the tune of a choir coal carolers.

The 300 Christmas cards were individually penned by Brisbane residents and were presented to the premier along with sacks of coal by Friends of the Earth activists dressed as elves.

This morning, immediately following the end of the climate talks in Copenhagen, Friends of the Earth activists took to the streets and bridges of Brisbane, denouncing the failure of the negotiations and imploring community members to take action.

This morning Steve and Nathan from Six Degrees were ordered to pay damages of over $3400 to Queensland Bulk Handling Corporation after a protest at the Brisbane coal port in October where they halted coal loading and had to be cut free of port infrastructure.

Protesters from campaign group Friends of the Earth will face court in Wynnum, Brisbane this morning for their efforts to halt the expansion of the coal industry in Queensland.

A brief diversion from coal to mention the inspiring efforts of some of our friends in the Climate Justice Fast. It's day 16 of the hunger strike (yep, they haven't eaten a thing for 16 days!) and today one of the Australian fasters, Paul, made a great vlog post on civil disobedience.

This is very pertinent given that Steve and Nathan from Six Degrees will be facing court tomorrow for disrupting coal loading during last month's Brisbane Coal Port Blockade.

Imagine that you arrive home to discover that the tap was left running in the laundry and your house is now flooding. What would you do? Most likely you would turn off the tap and then deal with the laborious job of mopping up the mess. Unfortunately, when it comes to climate change, Queensland seems all too happy to keep opening the tap wider and wider and vainly hoping that a few token mopping gestures will make it all go away.

It's been a great day on the river (and at the port, and in the lockup). The kayaks are all of the water, and two protestors remain in custody at the police station. We've had good media coverage so far.

Well done to all the kayakers who disrupted the port for 3 hours and the brave activists who shut down the coal loading conveyer for over an hour! Together we've sent a stong message to Anna Bligh that the community will not stand for the ridiculous expansion that she and the coal industry are planning.

This morning protesters in kayaks will blockade the Brisbane coal port to confront the Queensland Government about the expansion of Queensland's coal exports.

Protesters in kayaks and canoes will float a huge banner infront of the ship disrupting coal exports for the day.