The Greens claim to stand for the natural environment yet are possibly the most urbanised voting bloc in Australia. The Greens’ vote is almost exclusively concentrated in the innermost of Australia’s biggest capital cities. Venture more than a few kilometres from the CBDs of Melbourne and Sydney and their vote evaporates. Meanwhile, the people who live closest to the natural environment, in Australia’s regions and farmlands, are almost uniformly hostile to the activists who want to shut down their livelihoods and wreck their communities.
Nowhere has this become more apparent, recently, than in the reception meted out to Green has-been, Bob Brown’s “Stop Adani” caravan. In the name of climate change, this cavalcade of unemployed, students and nosey nannas has belched exhaust fumes all the way along Australia’s east coast and hacked off a lot of locals. Quote:
Former federal Greens leader Bob Brown’s “Stop Adani” protest convoy — designed to elevate the issue during the federal election campaign — will return south today after a hostile reception in the central Queensland coalmining town of Clermont.
Counter-protesters had greeted the 400-strong convoy on arrival in Clermont earlier shouting “Go home” and waving placards declaring “Start Adani”.
Dr Brown said rocks were hurled at cars, Stop Adani flags were torn from vehicles and young families and women were abused and threatened.
About 40 convoy members had their dinner reservations cancelled…The town’s three pubs refused to serve the visitors, with a sign hung from a hotel saying: “Go home and turn off your power and walk.” Another read: “Mr Brown and `Stop Adani’ protesters, you may have travelled far and wide but you won’t get food inside.”
Resources Minister Matt Canavan, United Australia Party leader Clive Palmer, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson and Senate candidate Malcolm Roberts arrived in Clermont in support of the coal industry…The town of 3000 is the closest to the proposed Adani coalmine in the Galilee Basin. End of quote.
Bob Brown can babble his “think of the children” nonsense all he likes: these are the people whose livelihoods, and thus the actual future of their kids, are on the line. Quote:
Senior Sergeant Mike Bailey said claims of violent clashes were exaggerated. “There was a bit of heckling yesterday, but it is all very under control. Today is even quieter. They are at the showgrounds, where they are allowed to be. There’s been no official complaints from either pro or anti- Adani protesters.” End of quote.
theaustralian
The one genuine incident seems to have been the accidental result of a particularly foolish counter-protest stunt. Quote:
A Queensland man who rode his horse into an anti-Adani protest has been charged after a woman was knocked over by the galloping animal…Opponents of Adani’s contentious coal mine had gathered in Clermont to listen to live music when the rider disrupted the concert, galloping his horse around the stage and waving his hat in the air.
The horse knocked over the woman as the rider headed for a gate and then rode off into nearby bushland. End of quote.
theaustralian