Protesters stopping work at the new NCIG Kooragang coal loader

Image gallery is here.

- Here is an image gallery of images from the blockade.

- Here is a video of the train after it was stopped, here is a video with a member of Rising Tide speaking at the blockade, and here is a video of another Rising Tide person being cut-off the train by Police Rescue officers.

- Here is a slideshow of the image gallery (it's a bit erratic, you may have to bear with it).

Media Release

19th November, 2007

Coal Train Blockaded

Grassroots climate change action group Rising Tide has blockaded a coal train on its way into the world’s biggest coal export port, at Kooragang Island in Newcastle Harbour. No trains are able to enter Kooragang Coal Terminal because of the blockade.

Winners announced this morning - see below.

The Environment and Community Scam Awards, attended by members of coal affected communities from around NSW, will be held outside the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Terrigal this morning, to recognise and denounce the irreversible impacts of coal mining on communities and the environment.

The awards ceremony is a protest against the NSW Minerals Council’s Environment and Community Conference, which will be held inside the hotel, for $1000 per ticket.

Thanks to everyone who participated in the parade, it was great!
Photos here, with more to come.
Media release follows.

The proposed letter to be delivered to State and Federal Members for Newcastle during the upcoming Street March - say no to coal, on July 31st.

The Australian Labor Party

c/o Jodi McKay and Sharon Grierson

State and Federal Members for Newcastle

The NSW Minerals Council (NSWMC) has backed away from threatened legal action against Rising Tide Newcastle.

NSW Premier Morris Iemma has been confronted by climate change activists at the foot of of the world's biggest coal port this morning, about the Government's plans to double coal exports from Newcastle, massively increasing the state's contribution to global climate change.

Climate change activists today set up a barricade at the NSW headquarters of the Austrailan Labor Party, demanding the Iemma Government make an announcement on the expansion of Newcastle coal exports before the March 24^th election.

The NSW Premier, Morris Iemma, made a speech in support of coal industry expansion to the Newcastle Business Club yesterday, but was interrupted when people from Rising Tide Newcastle burst into the room to call on the Premier to act against climate change and reject Newcastle coal export expansion plans.

Newcastle coal exports will double in coming years if the proposed new coal export terminal, and expansion of the existing terminal, are approved by the Iemma Government.

Morris Iemma is attempting to portray his government as strong on tackling climate change, but asks us all to ignore the massive contribution of Newcastle coal exports. In reality, the greenhouse pollution from Newcastle coal exports exceeds NSW gross emissions from all sources. If the planned coal export expansion gets approval from the Iemma Government, then the port's contribution to climate change will exceed the pollution of every power station and every vehicle in Australia.