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Stop Adani protesters gathered outside Labor MP Meaghan Scanlon’s office this morning following news of allegedly illegal drilling at Adani’s Carmichael mine on Wednesday.
Adani’s Carmichael coal mine will be the biggest in Australia with environmental experts predicting a range of impacts.
Stop Adani Gold Coast spokesperson Luna Epeam said protesters gathered at Ms Scanlon’s office to deliver a letter and put pressure on the Labor government.
“There’s been breaking news yesterday that Adani have again breached their environmental regulations,” she said.
“They’ve started ‘illegally’ drilling bores into our Great Artesian Basin at a time when we’re facing one of the biggest droughts in recorded history. We’re saying enough is enough.”
Protester Jennifer Wilson said the group of more than 17 purposely chose to target Ms Scanlon due to her party alignment.
“She is a representative of the state Labor government. We’re hoping that Meaghan might be able to apply pressure, investigate properly and keep Adani accountable,” she said.
“We want her to keep pressure on Adani and if we don’t pressure her, she won’t pressure Adani. It’s a bit of a domino effect.
“Without the people power she’s not going to do it and without Adani feeling the pressure they aren’t going to do it either, they’re not going to show any respect.”
Queensland authorities have launched an investigation after environmental group Coast and Country released high-resolution satellite and drone images showing the allegedly illegal bores.
An Adani spokeswoman told the ABC that the company isn’t in breach of any environmental approvals.
“Drilling has been undertaken at the Carmichael mine site to take geological samples and monitor underground water levels,” the spokeswoman said.
“This is project stage one activity as permitted under Environmental Authority for the mine, which was issued in April 2016.”
Gold Coast mother Sarah Engelhart held her 18-month-old daughter in her arms as she protested.
“The reef is very important. It’s so important for marine ecology to remain healthy,” she said.
Coral ecologist and mother Marie Carvolth said she wants her four-year-old son to enjoy the Great Barrier Reef when he grows up.
“The numbers have been crunched, it’s very clear that if all the coal in the planned Adani Carmichael coal mine is burnt, the world has absolutely no chance at all of staying below two degrees of warming,” she said.
“The world’s top coral biologists have told us that if we can’t stay below two degrees of warming, it is game over for the Great Barrier Reef.
“That’s not okay and that is why we cannot have the Adani Carmichael coal mine and we cannot be burning new coal.”
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Great article and write up. If nothing is done to stop this, there will be no legacy left for our children and their children and so forth . The impact will escalate and cause a ripple effect on not only our environment but the habitants who occupy it. It should be about the value of preserving our environment and not eradicating or destroying it for a profit.
“When the last tree is cut the last river poisoned the last fish caught then only will man discover that he cannot eat money.”- Cree Indian Proverb