Adani HQ protest sees former Greens candidate arrested

A FORMER Greens candidate was charged with contravening a police direction following a protest inside Adani’s headquarters in South Townsville.

Police were called to the building about 10.55am yesterday following reports that a group of people were gathered in the Indian miner’s office.

Wendy Tubman, 66, was arrested after she allegedly contravened the direction of police. The Nelly Bay resident said she knew the consequences of her actions.

“There was a few of us who went in and occupied the building,” she said.

“We continued to stay there and speak.

“We tried to get our message across to staff that we didn’t really want to upset them personally or individually but it’s such a huge issue and we don’t feel they have the social licence.”

Ms Tubman said she decided not to move.

“I knew the consequences of my actions,” she said.

“I haven’t sought legal advice.

“It ( protest) was an indication that this is not going to go away or go quiet. If anything it’s going to get noisier and noisier.”

Ms Tubman will appear in the Townsville Magistrates Court on September 12.

Adani spokesman Ron Watson said as a company, Adani worked with the community where staff live.

“We respect the right for people to peacefully demonstrate but all we ask in return is that people respect the right of our company and our people to do their jobs which in this case will generate employment for thousands of North Queenslanders and inject billions of dollars into the state coffers,” he said.

Meanwhile, a small group of Wangan and Jagalingou people, who have a native title claim over the proposed site of Adani’s proposed Carmichael coal mine, have lost an appeal against a Brisbane Supreme Court ruling that the granting of leases in the area were lawful.

Lawyers for the group argued in the Queensland Court of Appeal in May that issuing the leases to Adani was unlawful because they had not been given adequate opportunity to address the State Government on native title issues relating to the proposed Carmichael site.

But Adani and the Queensland Government argued the traditional owners had never made a proper objection to the mine under the terms set out by the Mineral Resources Act 1989.

Yesterday the Court of Appeal dismissed the matter, ruling the traditional owners failed to prove that they were denied natural justice.