Freedom of speech and civil rights are the benchmark of a democratic society, but if you put them to the test, you’ll be deeply disappointed, or worse still, you could find yourself behind bars!
We might get the opportunity to vote, but we’re not the policy makers and today there’s a fine line between democracy and dictatorship and it’s becoming more pronounced.
According to the Federal Government Australia is undergoing a major transformation to reach net zero emissions by 2050, their goal being a safe climate future. Come on now, who says China leads the world for propaganda?
We’re the pin-up nation of the world for mining, and when you’re living in the lucky country, you can have your cake and eat it too while frantically juggling the mining industry and magically reduce emissions!
In 2016, I was compelled to do a petition after the NSW government passed legislation targeting climate activism.
The penalty had risen to $5,500, along with a possible gaol term, just for peacefully protesting. On the other side of the coin, illegal drilling, originally a fine of $1,200,000, was reduced to $5,000 and no mention of gaol!
Since then, the penalties for standing up for what is right have risen and all the states have introduced similar laws, excluding Western Australia, the NT and the ACT. These are clearly anti libertarian!
In 2024, a study under the heading of ‘Criminalisation and Repression of Climate and Environmental Protest’ was conducted by researchers at Bristol University in the UK, taking in 14 countries to determine those with the harshest climate activism laws.
Australia was top of the list, with more than 20% arrested, triple the average global rate, followed by the UK with 17.2% and Norway 14.5 %. We even surpassed the US at 10%, a nation that took until 2022 to make lynching a federal crime.
I guess we should consider ourselves fortunate our climate activists aren’t executed after reading a report from the UN. More than 2,000 people defending the planet were murdered between 2012 and 2023.
Back here in Australia, there’s a helluva lot needs defending. These laws have given mining corporations full protection. There’s lots and lots of money lying down below.
A report from Investing News Network, shows mining accounts for roughly 60% to 66% of Australia’s exports, $369 billion worth per annum and THE most important industry for the nation’s economic growth.
According to the Australia Institute, roughly 10% of the country’s GDP comes from mining.
However, figures from the Federal Treasury reveal roughly 86% of mining corporations are foreign owned and almost all of the profits, 80% to 86%, head overseas or end up in the pockets of Australia’s wealthiest: the government is prioritising international corporations’ use of our diminishing natural resources over the welfare of the nation’s civilians and environment!
Adani might have gone out of fashion, but its operations haven’t, after the Queensland Government in August this year, gave approval for the company to increase their production to 16 million tonnes annually. In the last financial year Adani generated nearly a $1 billion in revenue from coal, and according to Tim Buckley, the director of Climate Energy Finance, Adani has been structured to avoid paying corporate tax in Australia, so they didn’t pay a single cent.
We’re living under a regime that rewards those who destroy the country’s environment, while others are penalised and persecuted, attempting in my eyes to carry out a citizen’s arrest!
Woodside is another, with big plans for the future, all with a helping hand from our Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt. Scott Reef is situated 300km off the Western Australian Kimberley coast, home to giant barrel sponges, glass fish, endangered pygmy blue whales, rare sea turtles and a multitude of species found nowhere else on Earth, including the dusky sea snake.
The proposed site lies only three kilometres from this wonderland under the sea and an oil spill would be catastrophic. Not only that, but seismic blasting (a deaf whale is a dead whale) and industrial noise alone would disrupt migration and feeding grounds for years to come.
Scientists and activists believe Woodside will indirectly be responsible for emitting up to six billion tonnes of greenhouse gases in future decades, in their words “ a carbon bomb”, which would result in the Paris Agreement being well beyond reach.
Despite all this, an extension was granted to expand and continue operating until 2070, making it one of the largest liquid natural gas projects in the world. Australia needs all the climate activists it can get after reading Murray Watt’s explanation for his decision.
While gas is a fossil fuel, he wasn’t required to consider the impact of the project on the climate crisis:
“Climate change is not grounds to refuse or limit a development application under the Australian national environment law.”
This is environmental sabotage! These are only two examples of the mining activities taking place, and what’s extremely disturbing is the Australian Federal Government has no human rights act or constitutional bill of rights that explicitly guarantees a general right to peacefully protest, which means state laws stand strong.
When democracy fails, courage of conviction steps in with acts of desperation, shock tactics being the only option and why Extinction Rebellion and Scientist Rebellion were born. Change isn’t attainable without people power. Regrettably, Extinction Rebellion passed a “We quit” resolution in early 2023 after receiving a public backlash.
Scientist Rebellion is still actively fighting across 30 nations, but not surprisingly there are many, including high profile scientists, whose actions have led to the termination of their research in universities and institutions. Their careers brought to an abrupt end!
Society is so self-absorbed, the disruptions these unsung heroes created will look like a storm in a tea cup compared to what’s on the horizon.
What a blatant mockery governments and society have made of the Paris Agreement! How many detours, twists and turns have we taken following the money trail? And as always society followed like a herd of sheep, they didn’t even bleat!!
We were surrounded by the most priceless commodity of all and it came for free! No rising share prices, a non-profit organisation, Mother Earth, and we sold her off for a pittance. So no yellow brick road to follow, we’re heading for the front line to meet global warming head on.
So, it’s time to build your bunkers, it’s restitution time!
