Adani protesters to ramp up action

OPPONENTS of Adani’s coal mine proposed for Central Queensland have warned they will ramp up their protest actions in Cairns in order to prevent the multi-billion dollar project from going ahead.

Stop Adani Cairns held a summit in Cairns on Sunday to compile a community resolution, calling upon the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) board to rule out a proposed $1 billion loan to the India-based Adani Corporation for the mine.

They also demanded the NAIF board be reformed with more transparency, a broader investment mandate, lower minimum funding requirement and representation from the indigenous community, tourism, agriculture, arts and sciences.

Opponents of the mine recently made headlines after scaling Townsville’s Castle Hill and displaying a Stop Adani banner over the natural landmark’s face. Stop Adani Cairns convener Zelda Grimshaw said the group was planning a similar action in Cairns.

“Very soon people will be heading down to Abbot Point to stop work at Adani’s coal port,” she said. “And here in Cairns, we’re going to be ramping up our pressure on MPs to veto this scandalous $1 billion loan with taxpayers’ money.

“We will also be pressuring the NAIF board to rule out funding a climate disaster.”

About a dozen people presented the community resolution to the NAIF’s office in Sheridan St yesterday.