Climate Camp TV

Climate Camp TV from camps around the world

500 protest and 13 arrested in peaceful blockade of Australia's oldest coal mine

Media Release October 12

Sunday, October 11, Helensburgh NSW – More than 500 people have
marched to the front gates of the Metropolitan Collieries where 50
Climate Camp protesters are occupying the entrance road to the
mine. They are protesting the mine's expansion and voicing concerns over water,
climate and jobs in NSW.

13 people were arrested on Sunday in total. Eight at the bloackade were given $350 fines for trespass and will not face court. Five people were arrested earlier in the day at an action stopping work at dendrobium mine and charged with trespass.

Concerned locals showed-up in Helensburgh in droves despite reports that intimidation tactics being used in the lead-up and throughout the camp.

“My family came to Helensburgh 100 years ago, there are four generations of coal miners in my family buried in the local cemetery.
My grandfathers went to war to fight for what they believe in; I
continue that legacy and believe that we need to stop mining coal and
fight to stop climate change. That’s why I’m here,” says Matt from
Stanwell Tops.

“While Peabody and the Government are playing the
‘jobs’ card, it is little more than a feeble attempt at a political
wedge – the reality is that the expansion of polluting industries is
being done recklessly and community members will not tolerate it”, says
Climate Camp Spokesperson Jess Miller.

As reported in the The Age on Friday, Peabody spokesperson Jennifer
Morgans told AAP, “[The mine expansion] would also create an
estimated 350 new jobs, doubling the current workforce to 700, while
providing about 1000 indirect jobs throughout the Illawarra region.” However according to Peabody’s own website, “[the]
operational workforce is expected to remain stable at 320 people” with an
“additional short-term construction workforce of up to 50 people”.

Rivers SOS: Loss in Court Challenge to Metropolitan Collieries

December 23, 2009 - 5:16pm

I simply wanted to leave a comment and couldn't find a location to do that.
I know that sharing misery is not necessarily always helpful, but, I wanted to let you know that we in the US have water quality legislation that only covers 90 of the more than 60,000 chemicals that have been identified over time as being in our drinking water.
For example, in any major metropolitan area in the US, several of more than 50 pharmaceutical byproducts will be found in the water.  Also, since only 90 chemicals are being tested for, any number of toxins including many agricultural pesticide runoffs are found in most areas of the Country.
So, in many ways, fighting for water purity is important.
But at the same time, acid rain kills trees in the deep forests, and fish die in wildlife preserves.
There just isn't any way to get away from the activities of man as he attempts to tame the planet and provide a living for his family.
I would appreciate this comment being placed somewhere where it is logical for it to appear.
Warm regards from the US.
Beth

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Article: Green voices: the resurgence of political activism

December 10, 2009 - 3:54pm

By John Treadgold

Published at http://www.gmagazine.com.au/node/1681/full

What would motivate you to join a protest movement? How dire would a
situation have to get before you lost faith in the powers that be and
took it upon yourself to physically demand change?

The lack of major protest actions over the past decade would suggest
that this threshold hasn't been met for the majority of Australians.
While this could be interpreted as either complacency or contentment,
the climate change debate is stirring a change. A recent rash of
protest actions is clear evidence of many people's frustration.

At the recent Climate Camp in Helensburgh, NSW
- a gathering of people peaceful protesting against coal mining - I
asked one attendee, Liam, from Newcastle, what had motivated him to
attend the protest. "Dealing with climate change is a unique issue,
there's so many resources backing up big-industry," he said. "I just
didn't feel I could rely on politicians anymore, I had to do something."

The Climate Camp was held in parklands adjacent to Australia's
oldest coal mine, Metropolitan Collieries, just south of Sydney. It
brought together grass-roots communities who were concerned about the
environmental impacts of the planned expansion of the mine. Workshops,
music and discussions sought to unite and educate the disparate
campers. The weekend culminated in a mass peaceful demonstration.

"I haven't protested before, but after seeing some horrific
environmental degredation in South America I had to act, I didn't want
to let that happen here in Australia," Liam said.

Rivers SoS's comments on BHP Billiton’s 30-year mine plan in the Southern Coalfield

October 22, 2009 - 11:48am

Media Release – 20 October 2009

Our comments on today’s release of BHP Billiton’s 30-year mine plan in the Southern Coalfield

Community campaigning keeps 70 million tonnes of coal in the ground!

October 22, 2009 - 11:38am

Mining expansion to avoid big rivers

BY BRETT COX
15/10/2009 9:36:00 AM

The region's next major mine expansion could involve the extraction of 300 million tonnes of coal from a 19,000ha area, securing 1200 direct jobs for 30 years.

In a decision designed to appease environmentalists, Illawarra Coal's plan, to be released publicly within days as part of a final detailed environmental assessment, includes buffer zones under major waterways to be kept free from longwall mining operations.

The company says about 70 million tonnes of mainly coking coal will be left untouched under the Nepean, Cataract, Georges and Woronora rivers.

The move follows sustained and high-profile opposition to the State Government's approval in June of Peabody Energy Australia's Helensburgh Metropolitan Colliery expansion project, which controversially included mining directly under the Woronora Reservoir.

It is understood Illawarra Coal, a BHP Billiton subsidiary, has now submitted its environmental assessment to the NSW Department of Planning.

If, as expected, the assessment is deemed adequate, the plans will be publicly released within days and a public consultation period will begin, before the department reaches a final decision about the middle of next year.

Illawarra Coal faced heavy criticism in the 1990s for damage caused to the Cataract River.

Illawarra Coal's general manager sustainable development and external affairs, John Brannon, said he believed the new proposal was more environmentally and economically balanced.

Climate protest coming - Climate Camp Western Australia

October 15, 2009 - 9:15pm

From the Collie Mail, Thursday October 15

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