Brisbane,29 May: Indian giant Adani’s planned Carmichael coalmine in the northern state of Queensland, Australia, has hit double trouble as Traditional Owners today announce a landmark Federal Court challenge, on the eve of their world tour to urge Wall St and European investment banks to shun the damaging project.
The Wangan and Jagalingou people, Indigenous Traditional Owners of central Queensland’s coal-rich Galilee Basin, have vowed to stop the AUD $16.5bn Carmichael mine – the biggest in Australian history and one of the world’s largest. If the mine goes ahead, the W&J’s vast traditional lands and their ancient connection to country would be “disappeared” forever.
W&J Traditional Owner and spokesperson Adrian Burragubba said, “This is a very special day, on which we significantly step up our campaign to make sure Carmichael never gets built.
“First, we announce that we have filed an appeal and judicial review in the Federal Court of Australia. This court action challenges the decision of Australia’s National Native Title Tribunal that the Queensland government may issue mining leases for Carmichael. This challenge is unprecedented in the history of Native Title Tribunal decisions. If necessary, we will take our case all the way to the High Court”, Mr Burragubba said.
“But this disastrous mine needs billions of dollars of finance if it is to ever go ahead”, said Mr Burragubba. “We also announce today that in 48 hours, on Sunday 31 May, we will embark a world tour to hold high-level talks with investment banks on Wall St, in European finance capitals, and in Asia.
“We will communicate to the banks that we do not consent to Carmichael, and the reasons we cannot allow this mine to go ahead. We will remind them that any bank that funds Carmichael will be breaching important human rights principles to which they are signatory; principles requiring that projects that affect Indigenous Owners have their consent. We’ll urge them to honour their obligations and commit to ruling out funding,” said Mr Burragubba.
While in North America, the W&J will also meet with First Nations Traditional Owners opposing massive fossil fuel projects, including the tar sands projects in Alberta, Canada.
W&J Traditional Owner and spokesperson Murrawah Johnson said, “This tour is an incredible opportunity to meet with, learn from and form alliances with other Traditional Owners internationally. By building solidarity across the globe we can strengthen and draw inspiration for our individual battles to protect land, culture and way of life from destructive mining. We look forward to sharing stories and insights with our brothers and sisters in North America”.
Ms Johnson said, “State and Federal governments have trampled our rights and interests and approved the mine. Adani tried to divide and conquer after we rejected an Indigenous Land Use Agreement and refused their ‘shut-up’ money. Australia’s Native Title Tribunal has also dispossessed us, saying the mining leases may go ahead.
“We won’t take it. We will do whatever is necessary to stand up for Country. We will ensure that Adani and its friends in government and finance understand that when we say no, we mean no”, said Ms Johnson. “Our legal challenge and World Banks Tour are key to that plan.”
Mr Burragubba said, “We won’t rest until this disastrous project is thrown on the scrapheap of history. Our culture will live strong and thrive into the future as it has from time immemorial.”
– Based on Media release.
