Activists’ hypocrisy runs deep

THE Sea Shepherd organisation has been travelling up the east coast, with its ship expected to travel near the Abbot Point port early today.

On a 12- stop journey, which started in Sydney, Sea Shepherd Australia’s managing director Jeff Hansen said he aimed to raise awareness about the Adani Carmichael coal project and the impact he claimed it would have on the Great Barrier Reef.

The irony of some of Mr Hansen’s comments can’t be ignored.

He’s been quoted saying the mine would bring additional ships, noise and pollution to waters surrounding the reef.

He makes these comments from the comfort of the MV – a ship that the Queensland Resource Council says weighs around 900 tonnes, with the steel component requiring up to 620 tonnes of coking coal and up to 860 tonnes of iron ore to build. The ship is powered by diesel. It’s yet another case of environmentalists protesting against the mining of the very products that make their world go round.

Sea Shepherd shouldn’t expect locals to be rolling out the red carpet. Indeed, security has had to be ramped up at Abbot Point given the dangerous nature of other anti- Adani protesters’ actions in the past.

The workforce at the port deserve better than to have their safety jeopardised by the actions of out- of- town activists.

Paying debts better strategy

ANOTHER day, another Clive Palmer stunt.

He’s on our radio, our televisions and now he even has Cowboys legend Matt Bowen backing him to reopen the QNI refinery at Yabulu in a Facebook video.

It’s unclear how much Mr Palmer has spent on his charm offensive to date but if the money is starting to get close to the money owed to creditors, it’s hard to see why the debts couldn’t have just been paid instead. Then the community would be happy for the facility to reopen.