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After 11 consecutive days and over 20 actions, Blockade Australia’s mobilisation against the biggest coal port in the world has come to a close. For 65+ hours infrastructure was blocked with 28 people arrested. Thank you to everyone who watched, shared and participated in Blockade Australia’s Newcastle mobilisation.

The past two weeks have shown that it’s possible to cause serious disruption to the Australian system, if motivated individuals unite in a coordinated way. The police came down on us through a Strike Force, excessive charges, helicopter patrols, and raids on unconnected homes and offices. With this expected state repression we continued to pull off actions around them, showing that we will not be intimidated by their flexes that guard Australia and property over all life on earth.

If you were inspired by this mobilisation, transform that into action by committing to the Sydney Dates: 27th of June – 2nd July. Through collective power and strategic direct action we can force Australia to deal with climate change. Simply ignoring it and blocking climate action will not continue under our watch.

Follow Blockade Australia and if you give a damn about your future make sure you plan, take time off, organise yourself and be in Sydney in 2022

Jacinta and Kirsten entered at dawn; with Kirsten disabling machinery and Jacinta locking on to a structure at ground level. This is the 20th action in 11 days halting operations at the Newcastle port.

“The problem is that our system is based on exponential growth, that revolves around money and power which is unjust and unequal. All life forms suffer because of the human actions of the corrupt and exploitative systems of our government and multinationals. I’ve come here to do direct actions because I feel it is one of the ways for me to stand up for what is right”

Jacinta

“I’m a law student and it is upholding the duty of care laid down in Sharma v Minister for Environment to stop coal ports fuelling the CO2 emissions that cause climate change. In July this year the Sharma case found that the Minister has a duty to take reasonable care… to avoid causing personal injury or death… arising from emissions of carbon dioxide into the Earth’s atmosphere”.

Kirsten

For the second time today, activists have shut down the World’s Biggest Coal Port in Newcastle as part of disruptions against the port that have been taking place since last Monday. Newcastle local Quinn (24), has locked on to infrastructure. Clancy (20) is dangling above piles of coal.

The pair have hung a banner that says
“Australia: climate thug”.

“Resistance is fertile and is effective when we come together. I’m calling for people to join blockade Australia next year from June 27th in Sydney the economic and political heart of this beast. The resistance to inaction on climate is growing and it needs you.”

Australia is a racket. Getting in the way of of this empire of destruction and desecration is the only appropriate action at this point in history. Action like this is our best chance at prying power away from the dominating class and create space for real solutions to the climate collapse.

Zianna and Hannah have shut down Newcastle coal port, abseiling from coal handling machinery, known as stacker-reclaimers. The port cannot resume operations until the pair are removed by police. This is the tenth consecutive day of disruption to Newcastle coal port and its supply rail network!

“The institutions and corporations of Australia are designed to work together to exploit natural and human resources. Climate collapse will be the last result of this system.”

“We are getting in the way of Australia, stopping the machine that has set our homes on fire and drained our rivers, that promises mass starvation and water wars.”

Hannah and Zia

Resist Australia where it matters. See you in June.

Isabelle and Callum, at 22 and 25, are two young people doing their best to fight for their lives. They entered Newcastle Coal Port, clambering over coal piles as big as 110 million tonnes, hit emergency stop buttons, and clambered up a large stacker reclaimer and hung off ropes.

“Australia does not support the majority of the population, there’s just a few greedy duds at the top that push the exploitation machine. I oppose Australia. I oppose this militarized economy that murders both onshore and offshore”

Izabelle

The Worimi and Awabakal people nutured this land for centuries. Australia is a leading player in the climate crisis. They are pushing life support systems to breaking point. Callum urges viewers to act:

“If you believe we are in a state of climate emergency, do whatever you can.”

Adrian has done it. He’s pressed the big red button! This means the world’s largest coal port is shut down until they find him and the button. This is the 9th consecutive day of disruption to the port and rail network.

Yesterday, a rail network owner, in an interview, said Blockade Australia is a sophisticated, well organised, well financed criminal group. What does that make Australia? We know who the real criminals are, they sit in boardrooms and the halls of parliament.

Adrian asks, “Who will own our clean energy future?” If we want a future that can be described in anyway as clean, we need to come together now and use sustained, direct action to shut down the destructive operations of this criminal group, Australia.

For the second time today, an activist is blocking all trains into the Port of Newcastle. Emily (24) is currently locked to a steel pipe concreted into the side of the railway line. This is the eighth day in a row that activists have caused disruption to the Newcastle Coal Port, a key piece of Australia’s extractive system.

This action is taking place on Awabakal and Worimi Country, where Australia has been desecrating the land, air, water, and life since this continent was invaded.

I’m doing this because I’m 24 and already grieving the loss of my planet. Australia is a violent and exploitative system predicated on infinite expansion and the extraction of wealth from the Earth. It is fundamentally incompatible with our planet’s life support systems

Emily

Emily is currently the 16th person to take direct action in the last eight days, halting operations on the rail line. Blockade Australia targets the pillars that uphold Australia’s exploitative systems. These actions disrupt the infrastructure that is leading to the collapse of life on earth

Claire is currently perched on a platform suspended from ropes attached to the rail line around the port of Newcastle on Awabakal and Worimi Country in Mulubinba, halting activity on a critical piece of Australia’s economic infrastructure.

This sustained resistance is causing major chaos in the supply chain, raising alarm for politicians and others who profit from the destruction of Country, land, water, and all life systems on earth.

The Earth-destroying practices of Australia and fuelling the climate and ecological crises and putting us, the Earth and our entire future at risk

Claire

Blockade Australia is organising crucial resistance to the trajectory of ecological collapse that Australia is fueling.

By targeting the infrastructureand systems that sustain the wealth and image of prosperity of this illegitimate occupation.Sustained and targeted directed action is the only way of forcing meaningful systematic change.

It’s up to us to hit the brakes.