Howard runs a climate-change gauntlet

Rachel Evans, Sydney

On July 17, 60 environmentalists heckled PM John Howard at Sydney's Convention and Exhibition Centre where he told the Committee for Economic Development of Australia conference that Australia was to become "an energy superpower, one of the world's biggest exporters of coal, natural gas, uranium and petroleum".

Activists from Save Anvil Hill, Greenpeace, the Greens, Socialist Alliance and the Nature Conservation Council joined the protest. Cate Faehrmann, NSW NCC director, said, "John Howard extols the virtues of nuclear energy and so-called 'clean coal', yet the renewable energy industry is packing up and leaving Australia because they cannot compete with the massive subsidies given to coal and oil companies".

"While Australia's renewable energy target is frozen at 2%, the European Union has a target of 21% by 2010 ... Australia's investment in renewable energy is an international disgrace", she added.

Campaigners against the proposed coalmine at Anvil Hill distributed a leaflet explaining that Anvil Hill is "the largest remnant woodland in the central Hunter and home to endangered plants and animals. All of this will be lost if the mine goes ahead. Saving Anvil Hill is the first step towards stopping more coalmines that devastate the Hunter Valley and fuel climate change, and kick-starting a clean energy future for NSW."

Greenpeace activists brought a kitchen sink to the action, and a Howard impersonator washed coal in one basin, causing black and polluted water to come out in the adjoining basin. They also distributed packets of "Carbonette chewing gum — original coal flavour" to passers-by. The gum packaging stated: "Carbonette is a 'stop polluting aid' that will help alleviate carbon cravings and withdrawal symptoms associated with Government and Industry reductions of carbon emissions. It is designed to help the habit of fossil fuels and shift to healthy, clean wind and solar energy. Warning: Keep out of reach of taxpayer subsidies."

From Green Left Weekly, July 26, 2006.

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From GLW issue 676