As pro-Palestinian protesters sparked outrage scaling the roof of Parliament House last week, a few dozen activists at Newcastle were making an equally sharp point – mostly to less fanfare.
Over more than two weeks, campaigners under the Blockade Australia banner have been interrupting trains near the world’s biggest coal port. My colleague Jordyn Beazley reported that by Monday at least 500 train journeys had been cancelled and more than 30 people arrested.
near the world’s biggest coal port … 500 train journeys had been cancelled and more than 30 people arrested.
Laura Davy, a 21-year-old Tasmanian who was one of several who travelled to protest, was sentenced to three months jail for entering and causing serious disruption at a major facility. Without the benefit of being in court, it seems a disproportionate sentence for an act of political protest. Others have been fined $750 to $1,500. Davy was released on bail on Tuesday after their sentence was appealed.
These campaigners are at the frontline of a direct action movement that has been building steadily across the country. Last November it brought hundreds of people to Newcastle to paddle out in kayaks and other watercraft to stop ships coming and going through the port. Then, more than a hundred people were arrested. A similar event is planned later this year.
The worldview of these protesters was summarised in a banner that Ian Fox, a 67-year-old Adelaidean, unfurled while dangling 10 metres above a Newcastle rail line. It read: “Survival depends on non-compliance.”
It was a similar story on Sydney Harbour on Sunday, when protesters from the group Rising Tide paddled across to Kirribilli with a gift for the prime minister: a scroll signed by hundreds of people promising civil disobedience in response to what they see as an absolute failure to rise to the challenge of climate change.
Craig Foster, the Socceroo turned human rights activist, had earlier told a Rising Tide event that Australians should engage in direct action to take on the power of the coal and gas industries.
These are not new ideas. They have been echoed across the country in protests in Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania. Organisers say the number of people willing to sign up is growing.
Many words have been spent debating whether this is a good way to galvanise support for more rapid action on the climate crisis. You can mount a pretty compelling argument that it isn’t. But from the perspective of the people clambering across coal trains this misses the point.
They argue the failure to address the climate crisis is evidence the political and economic system is fundamentally broken and the only logical response is a campaign of resistance. They say the incrementalism of big environment organisations doesn’t cut it while new fossil fuel developments are being approved and significant parts of the world have just sweltered through what was the 13th-straight hottest month on record.
the incrementalism of big environment organisations doesn’t cut it while new fossil fuel developments are being approved
As one activist put it to the Guardian, the attitude is: “Fuck it, I’m going to do something about it.”
You don’t have to consider this for long to realise that the way state governments have responded – increasing fines and jail times – isn’t going to do much to deter the blockades.
Governments have nothing to offer these protesters. On a national scale, the Albanese government points to steps taken since it was elected two years ago: an expanded clean energy underwriting program as it aims for 82% renewables by 2030, vehicle emission standards that should gradually turn over the national fleet to cleaner models, a deal with the Greens that should initially cap emissions from industrial polluting sites, the creation of offshore windfarm zones, a Net Zero Economy Authority to help fossil fuel communities through the transition.
Some of these could lead to significant change. But Labor undermines its message when it uses flawed environmental laws to approve new fossil fuel developments and releases a gas strategy 2050 that reads as though it was written by the gas industry. It sabotages its message when a cabinet minister poses for happy snaps with the boss of a fossil fuel company that is seeking approval for a massive expansion in export production.
Labor undermines its message when it uses flawed environmental laws to approve new fossil fuel developments and [supports] a gas strategy
It is possible this complicated mix of messages could yet become a more coherent path to a clean economy. A net zero plan is promised before the election.
But it is near impossible to imagine it will be enough to win over climate protesters who are not interested in a promise to reach net zero in 26 years’ time, who are armed with scientific evidence that the current response isn’t coming close to meeting the moment and willing to dedicate their lives to making that point.
Which tells us that, like it or not, climate-focused civil disobedience is not going away. It might be time to listen up a little more and rethink our collective response to it.
climate-focused civil disobedience is not going away … [we must]… rethink our collective response to it.
“We MUST respect this earth - it is all we have
Claudio Dametto - South Australia
“I will always Vote to Preserve Our World.
Liam McGregor - Western Australia
“A simple message that even a politician can understand
Felicity Crombach - Victoria
“Please show you care about our future generations!!
Phil Harmer - New South Wales
“Save our world , Life & health before profits.
Kerry Lillian - New South Wales
“Close down all coal mines and Do not mine gas . Make these Companies
Daniel Johnson - New South Wales
“We want carbon free energy!
Edan Clarke - New South Wales
“Feels good to be taking a voter action step
Beaver Hudson - New South Wales
“Great Initiative. Let’s Hold elected officials Accountable to their bosses, us!
John Paul Posada - New South Wales
“We need actions not words we need honest democratic govt We need a pm
Bob Pearce - South Australia
“Thank you for this great resource. I was feeling helpless. Even this small step
Silvia Anderson - Victoria
“If political parties continue receiving political donations, we will rarely have politicians working for
Dan Chicos - New South Wales
“I only vote for people who will take urgent action to restore a safe
Susie Burke - Victoria
“Current government is not representing the opinion of the majority of Australian to meet
Neil Price - Tasmania
“We are fighting to rescue our kids' future from those who seek to steal
Vanessa Norimi - Queensland
“No time to waste Now or Never My vote is for NOW
Rosalie White - Victoria
“I am only 9 but I already care
Ava Bell - New South Wales
“From New Lambton Uniting Church - Caring for our world is a moral imperative.
Niall McKay - New South Wales
“Our federal govt is an International climate Embarrassment - its about time they stepped
Oriana Tolo - Victoria
“Vote earth this time!
Sue Cooke - Queensland
“We are in one on the wealthiest countries in the world. we have the
rowan huxtable - New South Wales
“The climate Emergency is the public health opportunity and urgent priority of the 21st
Mike Forrester - Victoria
“If they want my vote they better act now
Barbara McNiff - New South Wales
“We need to act locally now for the earth. Our only home. Vote Earth
Anne Miller - New South Wales
“I often look at the places I've known all my life and see how
Jim Baird - New South Wales
“Strike one For people power!!! Democracy might prevail outside the current cronyism that faces
Lorraine Bridger - New South Wales
“Our federal politicians Are Afraid to make action on climate change a major election
Jennifer Martin - New South Wales
“climate election, let's go!
Fahimah Badrulhisham - New South Wales
“Great to see this website that is a focus on action for climate change
Lynette Sinclair - New South Wales
“Let’s show politicians and the Murdoch media that climate change is by far the
Jane Aitken - Australian Capital Territory
“If you want to stay in power You need to take action to stop
Jane Bulter - New South Wales
“We are all that stands between terminal climate change and the vulnerable. We are
Carol Khan - Queensland
“We need a Government that Believes this is real and not taking money from
Ken Gray - New South Wales
“I'm voting for my childrens future
Anneliese Alexander - New South Wales