TOWN TURNS ON BOGIE ACTIVISTS
A NORTH Queensland community is fed up with Adani protesters disrespecting locals and spruiking anti- coal messages in a town built on mining.
Collinsville has a proud mining history, with the coalrich Bowen Basin providing a livelihood for many of its residents for decades.
Scores of locals work in mines, with many more employed in businesses that depend on the mining industry.
Adani protesters have frequented the town in recent months as the community is the closest township to their North Queensland base – an allegedly illegal camp set up at a property near the Bogie River, which activists have dubbed “Camp Nudja”.
The Bulletin has been told tempers flared earlier this month at the Collinsville Workers Club when a local man shared his opinions with a group of protesters.
“There was definitely an argument along the lines of ‘ why would you come to a workers club that was built on coal mining’,” general manager Carly Grittner said.
“It did get a little heated but not out of control … there was no physical violence.
“We can’t stop them coming to the club just because they are protesting Adani but they have been putting themselves in areas where they are not welcomed by the community.
“These people are stopping coal trains that are coming out of mines that are active employers of Collinsville.”
It is not the first time the protesters have had dramas at the workers club.
Activists late last year were caught attempting to cheat the club’s food service.
Patrons ordering meals get free use of the salad bar.
Ms Grittner confirmed protesters had been caught buying one meal between four people, with everyone helping themselves to the salad bar free of charge.
Whitsunday councillor Peter Ramage said activists had worn out their welcome.
“Collinsville was built on mining and it’s starting to get a bit heated between the protesters and the locals and sooner or later something will break,” he said.
“It could get physical … that’s the fear in the back of some people’s minds.”
One local, who asked not to be named fearing being targeted, labelled the protesters “vermin”, while another said they should be “put on a boat and sent out into the ocean”.
The future of Camp Nudja, from where activist group Frontline Action on Coal has been sharing photographs showing campers establishing gardens, remains in doubt.
Whitsunday Regional Council last month issued a show cause notice at the property for operating a land use without an appropriate development permit.
The Bulletin understands up to 100 protesters were at one time living at the site, allegedly in contravention of land use regulations.
The time frame for a formal response to the notice expired last week.
Whitsunday Mayor Andrew Willcox could not confirm if the council had received a response last night.
He said the notice related to what was going on at the site, not who was there.
“The main issue is there appears to be a lot of activity on a site that is not designed for that many people,” he said.
“Council has laws that people need to obey and we just uphold them.
“Depending on what happens with the notice, our next port of call is legal action.”
Frontline Action on Coal did not return calls. THOUSANDS of people want to work for Adani.
To date 11,500 people have registered interest in jobs on the Carmichael coal mine, Adani revealed yesterday.
The company has an online jobs portal where people can see and apply for jobs with Adani and its contractors, as well as indirect jobs in the communities Adani operates in.
Carmichael Project regional content manager Ben Hughes said interest was strong.
“We’ve had a huge response; people are excited about our jobs and the majority of registrations have been from regional Queensland where we have promoted the jobs portal,” he said.
“Our strategy is to support all employers in our … region.
“This is just one of the ways that we’re partnering with the community to support diversified economic growth, resilient regional communities and to further build on our social licence to operate.”
There are already 250 people working with Adani in Townsville with a further 550 employed across Bowen, Brisbane and sites across the state.
This month Adani revealed it was paying $ 7.2 million in salaries to direct staff and seconded employees each month.
People looking for work can register their details at jobsportal. adaniaustralia. com COAL protesters plan to disrupt Labor leader Bill Shorten’s trip to Townsville today.
Mr Shorten will make an announcement at Port of Townsville and attend a community meeting with Herbert MP Cathy O’Toole at Currajong State School.
Stop Adani Townsville and Frontline Action on Coal plan to disrupt both events.
On social media, Stop Adani says: “Make sure that Bill Shorten and the ALP gets the message that we do not want Adani or any new coal mines.”