Photo: Matt Hrkac
By SAT News Desk
MELBOURNE, 8 December 2021: Extinction Rebellion today visited the headquarters of National Australia Bank (NAB) to highlight the bank’s status as climate criminals who have joined the ‘dark side’.
The Star Wars-themed protest featured Darth Vader flanked by Imperial Stormtroopers arriving at the NAB building to congratulate the bank on its loyal support of the fossil fuel industry. Lord Vader presented the gift of a light sabre to “NAB CEO Ross McEwan”.
The action followed NAB’s recent release of its Oil and Gas Policy, which the bank had flagged as a change of direction but which has only underscored its massive ongoing support of the fossil fuel industry.
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XR Spokesperson Dr Laresa Kosloff said:
“NAB is definitely on the dark side when it comes to funding fossil fuels, so it’s no wonder the Dark Lord himself is turning up to show his appreciation. For the rest of us, NAB’s funding of fossil fuel developments is a death sentence for our planet and the lives of our children and grandchildren.”
“NAB is supporting the Santos Narrabri gas fields in NSW, the Beetaloo Basin in the Northern Territory and the expansion of gas at the proposed Woodside Burrup Gas Hub in WA. Woodside’s Scarborough gas project is the biggest new fossil fuel project in the country. It would be bigger than the Adani mine and twice the size of Tasmania if it goes ahead. It would release 1.69 billion tonnes of emissions at a time when we can’t afford to release any. Woodside is intending to mine hundreds of kilometers of the sea floor for gas. As if that is not enough, the project threatens priceless 40,000 year old Indigeous rock art and does not have the consent of the Traditional Owners. Despite Woodside’s claims that the project will be ‘environmentally friendly’ and in line with climate goals (it wont) it is being met with fierce resistance.
“A recent report released by the International Energy Agency has stated explicitly that no fossil fuel projects should be going ahead. The NAB makes various claims about having responsible climate goals, but if that is true, how on Earth can they possibly justify ‘investing’ in this disaster waiting to happen? It’s just more lies and corporate greenwashing and we are calling it what it is: evil.I demand that NAB stop funding fossil fuel projects, so that my 7-year old son, and millions of children like him, can have a future.”
