Lockdown on Coal Super Digger at Maules Creek, Australia

MAULES CREEK, 30 Novem­ber 2014, In an extra­or­di­nary show of sol­i­dar­i­ty 8 Can­ber­rans have respond­ed to a call for help from the Maules Creek com­mu­ni­ty impact­ed by White­haven Coal’s Maules Creek mine in the Leard State For­est. The group have swarmed a ‘super dig­ger’ oper­at­ing in the Maules Creek project site and are joined by 5th gen­er­a­tion Maules Creek farmer, Rick Laird and high pro­file for­mer Wal­la­bies Cap­tain and Brumbies play­er, David Pocock.

The group of Can­ber­rans are call­ing on the ACT Gov­ern­ment to divest its shares in White­haven Coal giv­en the ACT Gov­ern­ment has tak­en tak­en a strong stance on tack­ling cli­mate change.

Maules Creek farm­ers are strug­gling with the effects of drought exac­er­bat­ed by cli­mate change. Local farm­ers are fac­ing a dou­ble blow on water, hold­ing deep con­cerns about the impact of the new mine on under­ground aquifers and their access to irri­ga­tion water.

David Pocock said “I believe it’s time for direct action on cli­mate change, stand­ing togeth­er as ordi­nary Aus­tralians to take con­trol of our shared future. It’s inspir­ing to join oth­er Can­ber­rans and Rick Laird in their call for the ACT Gov­ern­ment to quit their invest­ments in White­haven.”

Local farmer and long time vocal oppo­nent of the mine Rick Laird said “I’m out here for the sake of my 5 chil­dren. The mine is about 4kms from the school they go to and I wor­ry about their future and their health grow­ing up next a coal mine that is always blast­ing and kick­ing up dust.”

The Leard For­est Alliance, com­pris­ing of local farmer groups and promi­nent envi­ron­men­tal groups, are call­ing for imme­di­ate halt to con­struc­tion work on the Maules Creek Mine whilst there is a full inquiry into how this scan­dal-plagued project was approved by NSW and fed­er­al gov­ern­ments.

Leard For­est Alliance spokesper­son Phil Evans said, “This mine has been a rort from word go – and this is why promi­nent Aus­tralians, farm­ers and city folk are flock­ing to the area to oppose this sym­bol of cor­rup­tion and cli­mate dis­as­ter.”

There have been over 280 arrests since the estab­lish­ment of the Leard Block­ade camp in August 2012.

UPDATE 07:45AM: Local Police have arrived on site.

UPDATE 3:30PM: David Pocock and Rick Laird have been arrest­ed after com­ing down from the machine and oth­er activists are still occu­py­ing the machine.

UPDATE 6PM: The remain­ing activists have all been arrest­ed and take to Narrabri police sta­tion

UPDATE:

• Emma Pocock (David’s part­ner) and ANU Phi­los­o­phy lec­tur­er Bru­in Chris­tensen were arrest­ed ear­ly in the day.
• David Pocock and Rick Laird have been arrest­ed by Narrabri Police and tak­en into cus­tody after 10 hours occu­py­ing the ‘super dig­ger’ in the Maules Creek mine.
• Oth­er Activists from Can­ber­ra Josh Creas­er, Greg Oakes, Clau­dia Caton, Mishael J and Tim Boston were arrest­ed after 12 hours occu­py­ing the ‘super dig­ger’.
• All 9 par­tic­i­pants were charged with Enter Inclosed Lands, Remain on Enclosed Lands.
• David Pocock, Rick Laird, Josh Creas­er, Greg Oakes, Clau­dia Caton, Mishael J and Tim Boston were all also charged with Hin­der to mine equip­ment

 

Fur­ther infor­ma­tion:
Phil Evans
Leard For­est Alliance Spokesper­son
Ph: 0490 064 139
David Pocock and Rick Laird avail­able for com­ment on request.

Pho­tos avail­able from: mediafire.com/folder/pm6uzeefeetbp/External

Twit­ter updates: @FLACCoal and #Leard­Block­ade

from Front Line Action on Coal