Few locals among Anti- Adani petition signatures

A PETITION which attracted more than 51,000 signatures from people protesting the Townsville City Council’s support of Adani’s Camichael mine project included only 636 Townsville residents.

Peter Newey, of the Townsville Residents and Ratepayers Association Facebook page, created the petition online through Change. org and handed it in to the council’s Walker St offices last month.

It was started in protest against the council’s decision to spend $ 18.5 million on an airstrip to service the Carmichael mine in the Galilee Basin.

Mayor Jenny Hill confirmed at yesterday’s council meeting there were 51,000 signatures and addresses on the document, of which 636 were from Townsville residents.

Cr Hill went on to highlight the diversity of the addresses on the petition which included Tacoma, Auburn, Brisbane, Wagga Wagga, Budapest, Bondi and Texas.

“We need to have clear indication of what our community believes in,” she said. The document called for the council to withdraw its funding commitment at yesterday’s meeting and for all associated documents to be made public, claiming the decision was made without Townsville ratepayers’ knowledge.

Cr Hill said the petition was not a true representation of the Townsville community and no action was taken by council at the meeting.