Adani protestors have defied Government requests to social distance today outside the Adani mine site in Queensland. The protestors were seeking to politicise the COVID-19 crisis through disruptive action including claiming Adani site was a serious virus breeding ground.
Adani said that the protesters placed both themselves and others at risks through their behaviour. AMSJ understands that many of the protesters have based themselves out of a near Bowen and a few hours away from the Adani site
The Camp Binbee site hosts a range of political activists who are seeking to disrupt the Adani operations.
“We’re continuing to follow all relevant advice on COVID-19 in order to keep our people, contractors and the community safe and protected. It’s terribly disappointing that activists are currently at our mine site in CQ attempting to politicise such a serious situation.”
In a social media post the group said “This morning, we were extremely disheartened to once again see that there is always one rule for mining companies and another for the rest of us.
They claimed it is disgraceful to see Adani risking the health & safety of employees and the local community by continuing work at the Carmichael mine site. As the rest of the nation is on lock-down during this pandemic, Adani has made the dangerous decision to allow its employees and contractors to travel hundreds of kilometres from around the country to get to the Carmichael site.
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“This decision puts remote and vulnerable communities, as well as fellow workers in Central QLD at risk, with the spreading of COVID-19 a likely outcome. Adani was not following protocol with their employees coming within 2 metres of these concerned citizens on a public road, even after they asked them to keep their distance. Some states are advocating for only supermarkets and pharmacies to be open. Why should the construction of an export coal mine be given priority? Adani, cease operations NOW! To continue work is irresponsible, dangerous and absolutely shameful. We will not be silenced in showing the public who Adani truly is: a dangerous and unsafe company.”
The claims by the group are largely unsubstantiated and have failed to take in significant measures that Adani has adopted to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and keep mineworkers employed.
Unemployed protestors convicted
Early in March serial protestors, Reuben Michael Anstee of Brisbane and Amy Francis Booth of Victoria pleaded guilty and were convicted in the Clermont Magistrate’s Court of charges of contravening a police direction, unlawful trespass and unlawfully damaging mine infrastructure.
The pair trespassed on the Carmichael Mine site on 7 August 2019 and climbed two poles, which were anchored to various items of mining equipment. This prevented the equipment from being used until the pair were removed and resulted in approximately $12,748 in direct damages. While the Queensland Police Service today sought a suspended sentence of imprisonment or probation, Magistrate Robert Walker fined the pair $1,500 each. This was wholly deferred to the State Penalties Enforcement Registry (SPER) and no conviction was recorded.
In sentencing, Magistrate Walker said that protest activity was disruptive towards lawful operations of mining businesses. He said the behavior of the protestors posed a range of other difficulties, such as jeopardising their personal safety, as well as the safety of others who attended the scene.
He said that we live in a society where we are lucky to be free to lawfully express opinions, however, the actions that the pair chose were not in the category of lawfully expressed opinions. Adding, the issues that prompted them to take protest action were already prominent in public debate, without them travelling all the way to Central Queensland and putting themselves on a monopole.
Reuben Michael Anstee is a 28-year-old unemployed fitter and turner. Amy Francis Booth is a 25-year-old unemployed welfare recipient with no fixed address and lives in a caravan. She is a spokesperson for Frontline Action on Coal and in October 2019 was pictured in The Australian newspaper interrupting and being removed from the International Mining and Resources Conference in Melbourne. Magistrate Walker considered the unemployed status of each offender in determining the amount each was fined.
The pair were represented by criminal defence solicitor Daniel Bakewell from the Environmental Defenders
Office. He has recently relocated from Melbourne to Cairns. Magistrate Walker refused an application by the offenders to release them from further civil proceedings.
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