An article in The Guardian by Bob Brown, 24 March 2017
When I rafted the Franklin in the 1970s, I knew the campaign to save that spectacular river, despite local support for damming it, would become one to test that generation. In 2017, stopping the Adani coal mine is a campaign to test this generation of Australians.
In 40 years time people will be talking about the campaign to stop Adani like they now talk about the Franklin. “Where were you and what did you do?” they will ask.
This is the environmental issue of our times and, for one, the Great Barrier Reef is at stake. The Adani corporation’s dirty coalmine is an impending disaster with effects which will reach far beyond Australia.
Everywhere I go people ask me about it. They cannot believe that, at a time when we should be drastically cutting the pollution which drives global warming, Australia’s authorities would even consider building the world’s biggest export coalmine.
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Facebook TwitterAdani also has helped and developed some pretty poor areas of the country. I’ve seen many short well produced interviews with locals bashing Adani, but they are not completely reflective of the reality or scale on ground. You can’t please everyone, all the time – but they have certainly delivered for the majority. Fact is thousands (if not millions) depend on the activity of the ports, mines & other Infrastructure projects they run for thier bread & butter.
So i don’t think they has “caused loads of trouble” as you put it. They have been accused – and courts will have to see if they are indeed guilty. Also – they are very big on solar, and water conversation. Supprising? but true. Also helped preserve and boost the population of an endangered tortoise species locally. So not all bad after all i guess.
I’d say research Adanis a bit deeper – they have better track records than most of the IR Chinese counterparts who run and profit from many mines in Australia.
According to the “Adani Brief”, under the Environment Protection Act 1994 (EP Act) of Queensland, the Directors-General of the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (Mr Jim Reeves and Mr Jamie Merrick) have the powers to cancel or suspend Adani’s registration due to the “disqualifying event”. I was unable to find a direct email address for either DG’s.
I believe Dr Steven Miles, the Qld Minister for Environment and Heritage Protection and Minister for National Parks and the Great Barrier Reef, is the overseer of their office! Email: [email protected] Do you think it would be worthwhile for us to urge Dr Miles to have his DG’s consider whether, due to the “disqualifying event”, Adani’s registration should be cancelled or suspended?
Eric Pinto, Green Brigade, Goa