In the wake of the recent environmental approval granted to Adani, the company is gearing up to commence as many groundworks as possible whilst waiting for further approvals to actually extract the coal.
This despite the fact that the Wangan and Jagalingou Traditional Owners are still waiting for their case to be heard in court. History has shown that it is difficult for the poor, and for Aboriginal peoples, and Aboriginal communities, to find justice through our legal processes. At a bare minimum these processes must be allowed to play out, without the conclusion being effectively presumed by allowing groundwork to begin.
Therefore, Common Grace has written to the various ministers involved to call for an immediate halt to any groundwork until the appeal is heard.
Take Action
Write your own letter to the relevant ministers who will decide whether or not to halt the groundwork (see below).
Watch the NITV documentary that offers An inside look at how Adani dealt with Traditional Owners.
If you would like to support the Wangan and Jagalingou people in their opposition to the Adani mine, you can donate here.
Open Letter
Jason John, our Climate Justice Team Leader sent letters to the various ministers listed below.
Read Common Grace's letter and list of relevant members below to send your own letter.
To: [ministers listed below]
Seeking an immediate halt to groundworks at the Adani mine site
Common Grace is writing to call for an immediate ban on any groundworks relating to the Adani coal mine. We especially call for this at least until the appeals process for the Wangan and Jagalingou Traditional Owners is completed.
To do otherwise is to assume that the Wangan and Jagalingou Traditional Owners have already lost. Damaging the Earth for a project which is not yet certain is grossly irresponsible.
Common Grace is a movement of over 43,000 Christians from many parts of the Australian church, who know that following Jesus means pursuing justice, especially for those who are repeatedly and systematically denied it.
History has shown that it is difficult for the poor, and for Aboriginal peoples, and Aboriginal communities, to find justice through our legal processes. At the very least, these processes must be allowed to play out, without the conclusion being effectively presumed by allowing groundwork to begin.
Aunty Reverend Alex Gater, a Wangan Jagalingou Elder and Nobel Peace Prize nominee, reminds us that Aboriginal people have lived in the Basin for thousands of years, taking only what was needed to survive and not exploiting resources to scarcity. Mining companies and their owners continue to concentrate profits in their own hands, at the expense of Aboriginal communities. Aunty Rev. Alex Gater has seen firsthand how the Adani plans are destroying the beautiful creation which God gave to all to enjoy and is jeopardizing the sacred water upon which all life relies. She wants her Country to remain for the benefit of many generations to come.
We call on you to exercise servant leadership on behalf of the Wangan and Jagalingou peoples, indeed all people, rather than Adani, a company whose ultimate parent company has caused significant environmental damage elsewhere through oil spills, illegal forest clearing and has failed to remediate this damage. And which is under further investigation for trade-based money-laundering and other corrupt practices.
We call on you to immediately halt any works at the site, thereby ensuring that the land of God’s appointed custodians is not damaged further, as the Wangan and Jagalingou peoples await their day in court.
Jason John, Climate Justice Team Leader
On behalf of the Common Grace Movement - www.commongrace.org.au
List of Ministers
Scott Morrison
Prime Minister
Parliament House, CANBERRA ACT 2600
PO Box 1306 Cronulla, NSW, 2230
Ken Wyatt
Minister for Indigenous Australians
PO Box 325 Forrestfield, WA, 6058
[email protected]
Angus Taylor
Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction
[email protected]
Po Box 700 Goulburn NSW 2580
Sussan Ley
Minister for Environment
517 Kiewa Street Albury, NSW, 2640
www.twitter.com/SussanLey
www.instagram.com/SussanLeyMP
www.facebook.com/SussanLeyMP
Email form http://sussanley.com/contact/
Annastacia Palaszczuk
Premier
PO Box 15185 CITY EAST QLD 4002
[email protected]
[email protected]
Hon Jacklyn (Jackie) Trad
Deputy, minister for ATSI partnerships
GPO Box 611 BRISBANE QLD 4001
[email protected]
Hon Leeanne Enoch
Member for Algester (ALP)
Minister for Environment and the Great Barrier Reef, Minister for Science and Minister for the Arts
GPO Box 5078 BRISBANE QLD 4001
[email protected]
Feature image: Twitter: Matthew Canavan via ABC