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Community activists blocked Newcastle Habour, world's largest coal port

Society

Coal ship movements cancelled at Newcastle Harbour due to blockade

A mass community protest at the biggest coal port in the world, Newcastle, Australia has succeeded in preventing coal ship movements all day today....

by Jagath Dheerasekara in Australia on 28/03/2010

Images from the small settlement of 'Tin City', hidden among the sand dunes north of Newcastle, NSW in Australia. A total of eleven sheds were built without permission from the government and residents classified as squatters. During the Second World War the town was used as accommodation and storage for the Australian armed forces waiting for the advancing Imperial Japanese Army. Tin city, Newcastle, Australia. 12/12/2009. Rising above the mass of sand dunes on Stockton Beach, north of Newcastle, NSW Australia, is a place called Tin City. A cluster of old fisherman’s huts, which its resilient inhabitants have lived in for the past six decades. It is said that the town came to be after two local fishermen dug up an old tin shed from the dunes and started using it as a base for their overnight fishing expeditions. A total of eleven sheds were built without permission from the government and they were classified as squatters. During the Second World War the town was used as accommodation and storage for the Australian army that had been placed out along the whole length of the beach. With razor wire and tank traps they were waiting for the advancing Imperial Japanese Army. But the attack never came and the beach and the sheds were left untouched. Today the residents of Tin City are slowly disappearing. In fact, Robert makes up one third of it. His daughter Rose comes to visit once in a while, then they are four. Robert believes the town only will be around for another thirty years, it will only get smaller since the government doesn’t allow new sheds to be built. And with ever-moving sand dunes the houses needs constant excavation to not disappear, but with less people preforming the up keep, the job becomes more difficult.

Our World

Tin City amongst the Australian sand dunes

DMTX. Images from the small settlement of 'Tin City', hidden among the sand dunes north of Newcastle, NSW in Australia. A total of eleven...

by Joakim Behrman in Australia on 12/12/2009

Hundreds of Australians took part in a peaceful blockade of the world’s largest coal port, the port of Newcastle. Gathered in hundreds at the Horseshoe Beach the protesters were calling on the Federal Government to resist the lobbying of polluting industries for free pollution permits. “We would like to see a moratorium on new coal-fired power stations, mines and infrastructure combined with a plan for a just transition to a renewable energy economy.” said Rising Tide Spokesperson Carly Phillips. “Coal exports are Australia's single biggest driver of climate change, eclipsing all of the greenhouse pollution we make here at home. They are also our fastest growing contribution to climate change – with all of Australia's coal ports undergoing massive expansions. Rising Tide is a grass root organisation that campaigns for reducing greenhouse gas emissions which causes climate change of the planet. This was the fourth human blockade organised by Rising Tide at the Newcastle Port over a period of four years. Coal remains a low cost energy source and it provides usable energy at a cost between USD 1 ~2 per MBtu (One million British Thermal Unit) compared to USD 6 ~12 per MBtu for oil and natural gas (3412 Btu = 1kWh). Coal prices are stable compared to oil. However, one of the most significant challenges in addressing global climate change is reducing greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the use of coal. Coal use, primarily for the generation of electricity, now accounts for roughly 20 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions posing severe threats to eco systems and communities. Coal plays a major role in meeting energy needs of the countries like the United States, and is likely to continue to do so in coming decades. 50 percent of the electricity generated in the United States is from coal. Rising energy demand will continue to drive up coal consumption, particularly in countries with large reserves such as the United States, China and India. “If the Rudd Government was serious about reducing Australia's climate impact it would immediately put a stop to the expansion of the coal industry and put in place plans to phase it out and replace it with jobs in renewable energy. Coal is fuelling global climate change” added Ms Phillips. 250,000 tonnes of coal a day passes through the Newcastle port, which eventually turns out to be more than half a million tonnes of greenhouse pollution, when used to generate energy. Australia exports approximately 60 percent of its annual coal production, making it the number one exporter of coal (29 percent of global coal exports) in the world. Japan is the destination for over 60 percent of Australia’s coal exports. Australian suppliers set prices for their coal exports directly with Japanese utilities. The annually negotiated price of these contracts has a large effect on Australia’s coal export earnings. According to Australian Coal Association, black coal remains Australia's largest export and the country exported AUSD 24.4 billion worth of coal in 2007-08. As of 2004, Australia contained 86.5 billion short tons (Bst) of recoverable coal reserves, the majority of which are concentrated along the country’s eastern seaboard in New South Wales and Queensland. These two states account for almost 97 percent of Australia's annual coal production. Australia has more than 100 privately owned coal mines located throughout the country. Around 60 of these mines are open pit operations, with the remainder being mined underground. Over the last decade, coal production in Australia has grown by 36 percent, with new projects continuing to come online every year. As a result of several consolidations in recent years, Australia’s coal industry is dominated by four mining giants : BHP Billiton, Anglo American (UK), Rio Tinto (Australia-UK), and Xstrata (Switzerland). Australia is the world’s fourth largest coal producer. In 2004, Australia produced 390.9 million short tons (Mmst). As of 2004, Australia had 48.6 gigawatts (GW) of installed electric generating capacity and approximately 75 percent of electricity produced in Australia is from coal with around 55 percent coming from black coal according to the United States' Energy Administration statistics. Rising Tide in Newcastle who mobilised several support groups believes that It is morally culpable for the government to continue expanding the coal industry given its impacts on the global environment. Campaigners expressed their concern “The State and Federal governments need to prove to the people that if they are serious about dealing with climate change they must first deal with coal”. This symbolic gesture of people's blockade which was well attended by the people of all ages showed the community's need to get away from Australia's coal dependency. Employment is another aspect the Federal Government will have to look into in making plans to phase out coal as a source of energy as around 30,000 are employed in black coal production. “In these uncertain economic times, it is more important than ever that the Government invest in clean and renewable jobs for the future: we can have power without coal, we can have jobs without coal, but we can’t have coal without climate change.” Rising Tide spokesperson stated.

Society

Hundreds of protesters occupy world largest coal port, Newcastle

One day human blockade was organised at the world largest coal port, port of Newcastle, Australia on 21 March 2009 by Rising Tide, a grass root...

by Jagath Dheerasekara in Australia on 21/03/2009

28/03/2010 - Coal ship movements cancelled at Newcastle Harbour due to blockade - Australia - A mass community protest at the biggest...
12/12/2009 - Tin City amongst the Australian sand dunes - Australia - DMTX. Images from the small settlement...
21/03/2009 - Hundreds of protesters occupy world largest coal port, Newcastle - Australia - One day human blockade was organised at...
20/03/2009 - Protesters close world’s largest coal port - Australia - A flotilla of small craft has blockaded...

Latest News

Coal ship movements cancelled at Newcastle Harbour due to blockade

Society

Coal ship movements cancelled at Newcastle Harbour due ...

A mass community protest at the biggest coal port in the world, Newcastle, Australia has succeeded in preventing coal ship movements all day today. Hundreds of peaceful protesters have ...
by Jagath Dheerasekara, on 28th of March 2010
Tin City amongst the Australian sand dunes

Our World

Tin City amongst the Australian sand dunes

DMTX. Images from the small settlement of 'Tin City', hidden among the sand dunes north of Newcastle, NSW in Australia. A total of eleven sheds were built without permission f...
by Joakim Behrman, on 12th of December 2009
Hundreds of protesters occupy world largest coal port, Newcastle

Society

Hundreds of protesters occupy world largest coal port, ...

One day human blockade was organised at the world largest coal port, port of Newcastle, Australia on 21 March 2009 by Rising Tide, a grass root organisation who campaign for phasing out...
by Jagath Dheerasekara, on 21st of March 2009
Protesters close world’s largest coal port

Environment

Protesters close world’s largest coal port

A flotilla of small craft has blockaded the world’s largest coal exporting port at Newcastle, Australia today. The Newcastle Port Authority cancelled all shipping movements for the day,...
by Jack Carnegie, on 20th of March 2009

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