Nine climate camp activists stop work at Kooragang coal loader.

Media release 14th July 2008

Nine climate campers from across Australia stop work at world’s largest coal port NSW Government chained to coal industry

6am Koorgang coal loader, Newcastle

Four climate activists have locked on to the fourth coal conveyor belt at Koorgang coal export terminal in Newcastle. Five others have attached themselves to coal loading machinery.

These actions follow from Sunday's mass community shut down of the Carrington coal rail line, also in Newcastle, as part of the Camp for Climate Action. Australia's first "Camp for Climate Action" is six days of inspiring workshops and direct action aimed at shutting down the world's largest coal port. Joanne Ferris, spokesperson for the group said, "Australian Governments are chained to coal.

In the face of impending climate crisis the NSW Government is expanding the coal industry, Australia's number one source of greenhouse emissions.

"Today we are locking on in response to reckless Government policies of so-called "clean coal" and power privatisation which are locking us into runaway climate change," she said.

"What we need, is a just transition to a renewable energy economy. International examples prove that renewabe energy wll create tens of thousands of jobs for those most affected by climate change and those long-dependant on the destricutive coal economy."

"When Governments and industry threaten our future, people have a responsibility to act. We are part of an ongoing movement committed to taking direct action against he root causes of climate change."

"We commit through our actions to make the expansion of coal politically, economically, and physcially impossible." Further comment: Joanne Ferris 0435 035 106 Hannah Walters 0424 626 774