29 people were arrested after a climate change protest by Rising Tide Australia at Bayswater power station in New South Wales on 1 November. Four people locked themselves to machinery (the conveyer belt and its motor), stopping the conveyor belts that carry coal to Bayswater’s furnaces while about 25 others occupied the coal piles.
Spokesperson, Georgina Woods, said, “Australia’s greenhouse pollution is still increasing and our addiction to coal-fired power is the main cause. We are here because every day we hesitate, we are killing the Great Barrier Reef.”
In 2006/07, Bayswater Power Station created approximately 14 million tonnes of carbon dioxide pollution, making it equal greatest single source of greenhouse pollution in the country and among the top 100 polluting power stations in the world.
The Bayswater power station near Muswellbrook in the Upper Hunter and the adjacent Liddell power station together supply around 40% of NSW’s electricity.
The protestors say power stations like Bayswater will need to be shut down over the next few years: “Where is the plan to phase out facilities like these? Why are we twiddling our thumbs?”
Congratulations to our Australian friends for a courageous and successful action!
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