People's Occupation of the World's Biggest Coal Port

Rising Tide organised the event.

Why

Because Newcastle port exports 80 million tonnes of coal per annum (240 million tonnes of carbon dioxide).
Because industry and government are planning an increase in theport’s export capacity of up to 70% by 2010. This is a 50 million tonne per year expansion of Hunter coal exports (over the next 5 years) compared to Australia’s total consumption of 67 million tonnes.
Because the Commonwealth money committed to renewable energy nationally over the next 5 years ($250,000) is a fraction of the amount committed to upgrading the Hunter coal rail infrastructure alone ($270 million).
Because part of the planned export expansion includes a new coal loader and the dredging of 7 million tonnes of the Harbour floor, 250,000 cubic metres of it highly toxic.
Because the export expansion will inevitably result in the approval of many proposed coal mines in NSW including Centennial Coal’s proposed open-cut coal mine at the iconic and bio-diverse Anvil Hill site.
Because our export credit agencies have foisted coal power onto new and expanded export costomers (eg. Thailand), while they still have the opportunity to invest in sustainable energy industries.
Because global greenhouse emissions need be cut swiftly and dramatically to avoid the most catastrophic effects of climate chaos.
Because it’s about multi-national corporations colluding withgovernment at greatest expense to the world’s poor and the planet’s biodiversity.

More details on their site