Abseilers attack government light bill

By Bill Mason

BRISBANE -- Environmentalists staged a novel protest against Queensland government power wastage here on the evening of October 30 by abseiling down the side of the Executive Building in George Street, after placing banners on the fifth floor proclaiming, “Save Power”, and “Save the Tully.”

Boyd Gaffney, Douglas Hockley and Peter Squire dropped down the building before security officers could reach them and the banners.

Other demonstrators chanted support from the pavement below.

Protest spokesperson Damian Hickey, a member of the Wilderness Society, said the action was intended to push the government into more power-saving measures.

It was timed to put pressure on the government, which is soon to make a decision on the proposed Tully-Millstream hydro-electric project in north Queensland.

He said the government could not make a rational decision about the Tully if it could not recognise the importance of energy efficiency.

“The only two buildings brightly lit late into the night in Brisbane city are the Executive Building and the Parliamentary Annexe”, Hickey said.

It was recently revealed that the power bill for Parliament House was an astounding $600,000 per year.

“By ignoring energy-efficient technology, our government is contributing to the future destruction of part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage area”, he added.

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