Banner hung from Black Mountain Tower

Two people and a banner are suspended from the side of Black Mountain Tower in Canberra as part of a global day of action for Tasmania’s native forests threatened by logging giant Ta Ann.

The action, inspired by Miranda Gibson’s 65-day tree-top protest in Tasmania, is one of over forty protests on four continents urging companies to stop buying from Ta Ann, who now drive the native forest logging of Tasmania since Gunns’ fall from grace. Whole-sale clear-felling has sharply increased in high conservation value forests promised protection by Julia Gillard and Lara Giddings.

“Tasmania’s iconic forests are essential carbon sinks and stand as a beacon of hope to future generations around the globe,” said NoPlanetB.org spokerson Jonathan Moylan.

“Why do politicians claim they are protecting high conservation value forests when their destruction is more intense than planned?”

“From Canberra to Wolloongong, from Japan to Europe, the international community is today sending a clear message to the corporate customers of Ta Ann that Tasmania’s world class forests need urgent protection,” said Still Wild Still Threatened spokesperson Ms Gibson from her 60m-high tree platform.

Tens of millions of taxpayer money has been poured into the shamefully unprofitable logging industry in Tasmania as part of a “logging exit strategy” despite the fact that logging in areas promised protection has increased and no forest areas directly threatened by logging are being protected.

The banner reads “Stop Logging Tassie Forests” and photos and video are available on request.

Visit the campaign website: http://observertree.org/

Members of climate action group, NoPlanetB.org, have today targetted the Bayswater Power Station, near Muswellbrook, unfurling a large banner reading “Rule Out New Coal Power” across the entrance to the facility.

The group is calling on the government to respect a pre-election promise to not build another dirty power station as it considers setting emissions performance standards for the coal industry.

“If the Bayswater B power station goes ahead, Julia Gillard will have failed to deliver on her election promise to the Australian people,”
NoPlanetB.org spokesperson Jonathan Moylan said.

Before the last election, Julia Gillard promised that she would “never allow a highly inefficient and dirty power station to be built again in Australia.” In May, a new highly inefficient and dirty power station was approved in Victoria.

“Twelve new dirty power stations are awaiting approval across the country, including the Bayswater B project here at Muswellbrook,” Mr. Moylan said.

“Macquarie Generation is by far the worst carbon polluter in Australia. We are stunned at the continued investment in filthy coal power, despite viable alternatives,” Mr. Moylan said.

“Macquarie’s continued resistance to the will of most Australians is a frustration to all of us who want to see a transition to a sustainable future.”

“Bayswater B will add almost another half to Macquarie’s already unacceptably high emissions.”

For comment please contact Jonathan Moylan on 0431 289 766.

Photos are available on request.

Trucks back on the road as climber blockades tunnel (Photo: Charlotte Buckton 2011)

30 May, 2011

Members of climate action group NoPlanetB.org have today stopped coal leaving Xstrata’s West Wallsend underground mine. A climber is suspended in a tunnel entrance on a haul road, used for transferring coal to the port.

The group is concerned about heavily polluting mining companies such as Xstrata demanding a free ride on pollution from coal mines under the carbon tax while the industry receives billions of dollars in public subsidies.

NoPlanetB.org spokesperson Jonathan Moylan said that the coal industry hurt local industries and was the biggest human cause of climate change.

“Australians are sick of paying for our climate to be jeopardised by outdated industries like coal,” Mr. Moylan said.

Coal mining companies receive hundreds of millions of dollars in fuel tax credits from the federal government every year.

“Diesel subsidies are lining the pockets of rich coal companies at the expense of every other industry in the Hunter. Few realise that our biggest polluters are paying 38 cents per litre less than Australians pay at the bowser.”

“It’s time for Xstrata to stop crying poor and get off the public purse,” Mr. Moylan said.

The CEO of Swiss-based Xstrata was paid $14 million in 2009, which is equivalent to 129 miners median wage.

Xstrata emits over 6 million tonnes of carbon per year within Australia, in addition to their much greater emissions from exports, making it one of Australia’s top 20 carbon polluters.

For further information contact:
Jonathan Moylan
0431 289 766

Video footage and images available on request – noplanetb.npb@gmail.com

Newcastle, the world’s biggest coal export port, is the climate change capital of the world and is doubling in size. This unprecedented coal expansion is costing us our health, damaging local industries such as agriculture, manufacturing and wineries, undermining our rivers and polluting our climate. Never before have so many people been calling for an end to coal expansion.

We join a growing chorus of people across Australia and around the globe calling for climate justice – real action on climate change that does not create more inequality or let polluting corporations off the hook. This includes phasing out fossil fuels in favour of community-controlled renewable energy, protecting our forests, recycling metals, food sovereignty and repaying our ecological debt to the Global South.

Polluting companies have never accepted any action that threatens their extraordinary profits. Our survival has never had a greater cost. But history shows us that when ordinary people take action, extraordinary things can happen. We are committed to non-violent action in the tradition of the civil rights movement, the suffragettes and the eight-hour movement.

We recognise the sovereignty of the original owners of this land who have cared for it for millenia.