Anti-coal protests in Newcastle and the environment this election
Have you ever had your Sunday stroll along the beach interrupted by a massive anti-coal protest? Onlookers in Newcastle’s Horseshoe Beach found themselves in the midst of the city’s largest anti-coal protest last Sunday drawing 2000 people. 66 protesters were arrested for trespassing including a 94 year old WWII veteran while blocking a coal line bridge to Kooragang Island. Kayakers took to the harbour to blockade coal ships from leaving.
The protest was part of a two week long global 350.org protest against fossil fuels called Break Free. Similar protests are scheduled in Dunedin NZ, Ogoni Nigeria and Johannesburg South Africa.
But where is the discussion about climate change during the election campaign? Labor released its climate policies last week, which included setting up an ’emissions intensity market’ to drive a shift to lower polluting power stations and a broad –based emissions trading scheme.
We were joined by John Connor, CEO of The Climate Institute, to help us understand where the climate change discussion lies in this election campaign.
