CALL FOR ACTION
CONFERENCE BACKLASH:
ACTIVISTS impersonating an Argentinian news crew could face charges after hijacking the Developing Northern Australia Conference in Cairns to protest the Adani coal mine.
Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility chairwoman Sharon Warburton was midspeech when protester Zelda Grimshaw stood to loudly demand answers about the controversial Adani coal mine in the Galilee Basin.
Flanked by the watchful camera of Argentinian filmmaker Martin Negri, private security guards hired for the conference ushered Ms Grimshaw from the Pullman Cairns International hotel while Ms Warburton gathered her thoughts.
The Stop Adani Cairns members had gained access to the high-security event by telling organisers they were members of the Associated Press, using replica identification.
The scene unfolded before hundreds of delegates, all in town to hear of new initiatives driving development in Northern Australia.
Police arrived in the hotel lobby as Ms Warburton continued her speech, which took a decidedly defensive tone.
As Cairns Regional Council Mayor Bob Manning earlier told the crowd, the $5 billion NAIF was heralded as “the foundation upon which the North would be transformed into an economic powerhouse” with large-scale economic projects such as airports, rail and energy infrastructure.
After two years not a single program has been funded, and Ms Warburton stressed she could not reveal details of the 60 “active deals” now in the detailed due diligence phase.
She said confidentiality protocols were imperative to the process, which was inherently time-consuming due to the responsibilities of ensuring tax- payers’ money was well-spent.
“We did not walk in on day one with an in-tray full of shovel-ready proposals,” Ms Warburton said.
She confirmed NAIF was working with Adani on its mining proposal.
“But for the reasons I have just explained, I cannot discuss the detail of any dealings with any proponent,” she said.
Outside the hotel lobby, things were heating up again.
Another eight anti-coal activists sitting at the Pullman’s cafe were asked to leave by management, with a small group of police now in tow.
Officers took the protesters’ personal details and ordered them to leave the hotel and its immediate vicinity, which included Spence, Abbott and Lake streets in the Cairns CBD. Their previous quiet demeanours evaporated as they waved “Stop Adani” signs and sang a protest song while being escorted out the door and down the street.
The group linked up with Ms Grimshaw and Mr Negri at a cafe around the corner to exchange war stories.
Senior Sergeant Gary Hunter said charges may be laid.
“It will be up to the hotel management and the conference management to see if there will be any further charges to be pursued,” he said.
The conference continues.