Media Releases

Police Rescue officers have used a cherry-picker to remove an activist from a 10-metre high tripod, at a coal protest in the NSW Hunter Valley.

Activists entered the Hunter 8 Alliance compound at Rutherford before dawn today, erecting a wooden tripod to block access to the site, which is part of a Federally funded project to increase coal haulage capacity in the Hunter Valley. Activist Ned Haughton scaled the 10 metre high structure, where he remained for the next five and a half hours. Haughton has now been arrested will be charged with obstruction.

Approvals for two massive new coal power stations were today upheld by the NSW Land and Environment Court, undermining the credibility of NSW planning law.

The court found that while the applicant, Ned Haughton, had standing to make the case and that his argument’s had merit the decision by the Planning Minister was nevertheless lawful.

“The fact that the Planning Minister’s decision was lawful underscores the reason why the law must be changed to protect our communities and our environment”, said Ned Haughton, the Newcastle student who challenged the approvals.

“If these approved power stations are built, they will increase total greenhouse pollution in NSW by up to 15% at a time when we need to be urgently cutting emissions.

MEDIA RELEASE 09/11/2011                                                                        

This morning Rising Tide Newcastle released a rip-off website to counter the NSW Minerals Council’s latest spin campaign. The Minerals Council launched its public relations campaign at the beginning of this week, which defends the mining industry and tries to paint it as ‘world class’.

 Rising Tide’s parody website, located at www.world-classminers.com.au, loosely mimics the layout and design of the original website, but points to the industry’s poor track record in the areas of environment, community, economy, health and innovation.

Coal Giants' Compo Claim Fails on Technicality

Magistrate Elaine Truscott has today rejected a $525,000 victims compensation claim brought against 7 climate change protesters on behalf of Port Waratah Coal Services in Newcastle Local court.

The defendants, while relieved that the claim was rejected, are concerned that the Magistrate's decision was based on insufficient evidence, rather than rejecting it as an abuse of NSW Victims Compensation laws. They are calling on the NSW Government to amend the Victims Compensation Act to prevent peaceful protesters from being targeted again.

 Spokeswoman for defendants Carly Phillips said: “We are very happy that the court has ruled in our favour, and dismissed this exorbitant compensation claim. However, we are very concerned with the grounds by which the decision was made. Essentially, PWCS lost their claim because they were unable to provide sufficient evidence of the exact amount of profit they forewent due to our protest.”