A new film documenting the massive community movement to stop Adani’s mega coal mine in Queensland’s Galilee Basin, A Mighty Force, will screen in Bellingen on Friday March 2 and in Coffs on Thursday February 22.
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The events will also launch a crowdfunding campaign to cover legal costs for locals arrested last month disrupting work at Adani’s Abbot Point coal port.
Since it started a year ago, the Stop Adani movement has grown to include over 30 major organisations and 160 local community groups.
“The Stop Adani campaign is the most inspiring, determined community movement this country has seen for a long time,” Liisa Rusanen from the Coffs Coast Climate Action Group said.
“It’s an uprising of diverse people saying, ‘No – this is our line in the sand. We must act now to stop climate change and dirty coal mines like Adani’s have no place in a modern, sustainable world’.
“Polling has repeatedly shown that the coal project lacks support and that the public favours a transition to renewable energy. Across Australia, ordinary people are taking extraordinary action to demonstrate opposition to Adani’s mine. Here in Coffs, we saw 800 people spelling out Stop Adani with our bodies on the beach in October.”
Coffs Coast locals have also participated in civil disobedience targeting Adani’s operations in Queensland. Liisa Rusanen was arrested at Adani’s Abbot Point coal terminal last month, along with John Ross from Coramba, and Daniel Skerrett and Ella Skerrett from Bonville.
The four, who stopped the operations of the port for seven hours by locking themselves to a coal loader, will tell their story at the film events and launch a fundraising campaign to cover an estimated $4000 each in fines. They are due to attend court in Bowen on March 13.
“We took non-violent direct action to send a clear message to Adani, our government and any potential investors that new coal projects are economically risky and lack a social licence. Every week, we see new reminders of the intensifying climate crisis – from the dying Great Barrier Reef, to Cyclone Gita in the Pacific, to Cape Town running out of water. We simply cannot keep digging up and burning coal. We’re all in this together and so we’re asking for support to cover legal costs,” Liisa Rusanen said.
The film will highlight the significant successes of the #StopAdani campaign so far, such as major banks ruling out financing the mine, and Queensland’s Labor Government vetoing a NAIF loan to Adani.
“It’s not looking good for Adani, and this film will celebrate the power and passion of this movement, but it’s not over yet. The campaign will continue until Adani’s mine is gone for good,” said Ms Rusanen. “Everyone is welcome to come to the film nights in Coffs and Bellingen to hear more and get involved in this pivotal battle to Stop Adani.”
Entry to film nights is $5, with additional donations invited for the crowdfunding campaign for legal costs.
Coffs Harbour event: 6 for 6:30pm, Thursday February 22 at the Bunker Cartoon Gallery
Bellingen event: 6 for 6:30pm, Friday March 2 at Bellingen Memorial Hall