Shout out to all Rising Tide activists!
A big thanks to the Ethinvest clients and staff who took part in the recent Rising Tide kayak event in Newcastle Harbour – the world’s largest coal shipping terminal – last weekend. Thousands of Australians travelled from around the country to take part over several days with 170 arrested on the water and more arrests expected.
In addition to those on the water, thousands chanted and created a huge human sign demanding ‘no new coal and gas’ projects. Rising Tide is campaigning for a 78% tax on fossil fuel profits to be used for a “just transition” for workers and communities, including in the Hunter Valley, where the Albanese government has approved three massive new coal mine extensions since 2022.
The protest continued in Canberra on Wednesday, where Rising Tide staged an overnight occupation of the lawn outside Parliament House and a demonstration at which they will demand to meet with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to discuss the urgent need for Australia to end authorisation of new fossil fuel projects and more urgent action to move to cleaner and more affordable renewable energy.
The Rising Tide event was one of the first and biggest peaceful climate protests since before COVID. It was timed to take place as the international UN climate talks, COP29, were finishing in Azerbaijan and as the Australian government is considering its decarbonising incentive bill, the Future Made in Australia.
Despite Transport New South Wales (TfNSW) having secured a 97-hour exclusion zone over the navigable waters of Newcastle Harbour, a Minns government-backed attempt to stop the People’s Protest of the World’s Largest Coal Port event, the exclusion zone was lifted by the NSW Supreme Court ruling its application illegal. The court ruling was a much-needed win for the right to peaceful protest at a time when state governments around the country have established draconian sentences for all types of protests including climate and conservation activists, students, and human rights advocates.
Watch the Rising Tide Documentary Below
