a day ago
Week 3: Save Denniston Protesters Living In Coal Bucket 80M Up
Press Release – Climate Action Aotearoa
The pair have created a shelter, made a rainwater collection system to top up water supplies and live on dehydrated meals. They have endured high winds, rain, and intimidation attempts.
Rach Andrews and Tāmati Taptiklis have been occupying a coal bucket on Stockton coal mine's aerial ropeway for three weeks. The 2 kilometre cable car, used to transport coal out of New Zealand's biggest coal mine, has been immobilised since the pair began their protest 22 days ago. Suspended more than 80 metres above a gorge, Rach and Tāmati say they had no alternative but to take disruptive action in order to try and save The Denniston Plateau.
'We demand that Richard Tacon, Bathurst Resources Ltd CEO, pull out of his fast-track application to mine the Denniston Plateau. It's immoral to create new coal mines in a climate emergency, and it's shameful to profit from destroying a unique wildlife habitat.' Says Rach.
The pair have created a shelter, made a rainwater collection system to top up water supplies and live on dehydrated meals. They have endured high winds, rain, and intimidation attempts.
'The coalition government's fast track legislation gives us no legal way of intervening or showing opposition to mining that will destroy precious ecosystems and fuel the deadly climate crisis. Disrupting mining operations is the only course of action available to us, and it's proportionate to the crisis we face' said Rach.
Bathurst have stationed security guards underneath the coal bucket. Bathurst employees have also deployed birdscarers, a 24 hour alarm, and flown a helicopter and drones close to the pair, but have been unable to get them to come down.
Against growing local hostility[1], Rach and Tāmati remain resolute, and insist they are acting out of necessity.
'Our government is bending our legal system to let companies like Bathurst accelerate the deadly climate crisis, so we feel like we don't have a choice. If we don't want people to lose their homes and loved ones in climate disasters, we have to take action.' Says Rach.
ANZ bank became the subject of protest action around the country in early August for providing banking services to Bathurst.
'New Zealanders don't want Denniston destroyed for coal. We have been fighting to save the Denniston Plateau for years. But the government's fast-track legislation has given Bathurst Resources another chance and shut ordinary people out of having a say. So they can expect more people to take action to protect the places they love.' Says CLA spokesperson Rosemary Penwarden.
'Bathurst CEO has told us that Stockton has a few years of coal left – that is long enough to retrain and support miners who have transferable skills into new jobs. It comes down to a simple question, do we want a survivable future or not?'
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