A Coalition MP from North Queensland has described the actions of anti-coal activists protesting the development of the controversial Abbot Point Coal Terminal expansion as “terrorism,” aimed at destryoying Australian jobs and lifestyles.
In a media statement released on Wednesday, the National Party member for Dawson, George Christensen – who this week has also voiced his opposition to the burqa, describing it as “alarming,” not conducive to human connection and a security risk – said North Queensland would “no longer bow down to eco-terrorists” and would “defend our jobs and our lifestyles and call out these gutless green germs for the terrorists they are.”
The Abbot Point expansion project – which would cater to what would be one of the world’s biggest coalmines, in Queensland’s Galilee Basin – won approval from federal environment minister Greg Hunt in December 2013, including the dredging and dumping of 3 million tonnes of sludge in the Great Barrier Reef’s waters to expand coal export terminals.
Since then, two legal challenges have been launched against Hunt’s decision, the latest in April from the Mackay Conservation Group, using $150,000 raised by activist group GetUp!
Christensen said the political agenda of the “Extreme Greens” was overshadowing good work being done by community groups and individuals who “genuinely cared about the environment” and were working hard to protect it.
“The extremists are the large, well organised, and very well-funded organisations who use fear and blackmail to coerce the government and the public into adopting their extreme political and ideological views,” Christensen said.
He said that activists “hanging themselves like daft bats from a ship-loader,” or threatening to lie on train tracks were acts of stupidity and of terrorism.
“To circumvent their frivolous court action against the Abbot Point Coal Terminal expansion, which they know is baseless, I sought another solution – a land based solution – that would nullify the reef blackmail.
“Such a solution has been announced by the State Government and by continuing to fight the project, the eco-terrorists have proved their protest was never about the environment.
“The eco-terrorists butchered the international tourism market, which sources tell me is down 30 per cent as a result of their campaign, not for the sake of the reef but for the sake of their political ideology.
“They threaten to kill off thousands of more jobs in the resource industry because they don’t like coal, they don’t like capitalism, and they don’t like people working hard to earn a decent living.”
Mr Christensen praised the local community for supporting last week’s rally in Bowen, saying the tide was turning against the green extremists.
“Today, I put the Extreme Greens on notice,” he said. “North Queensland will not bow down to eco-terrorists. We will not allow them to lie, to smear, to defame, and to break the law for their own political purposes.
“We will call out their falsehoods and call for the Extremists to be treated the same as anyone else who commits a crime or an act of terrorism.”
Sophie is editor of One Step Off The Grid and deputy editor of its sister site, Renew Economy. Sophie has been writing about clean energy for more than a decade.
Gees i wish the Greens – extreme or not – were as well-funded as the fossil fools
He’s also a great supporter of sugar cane – sugar cane fertiliser is a major threat to the reef too. I’d call him the eco-terrorist.
Let them build it and watch them fall on thier fat a##es and go broke when they fail to sell thier coal
Ronald: My problem is that its my taxes that will be wasted on this dirty white elephant
Your absolutely right, you can chuck in a few white elephant power stations as well that we are paying for!
Yup, if you’re in Queensland you’re shelling out big time for fossil fuels. The Australia Institute has found that Qld provided $9.5 billion in subsidies to the mineral and fossil fuel industries between 2008-09 and 2013-14. In WA it was about $6bn and NSW $872 million.
WA for one is now flogging off schools and hospitals because they can’t balance the budget…
My taxes pay for all the green alarmists, its bs.
Whose falsehoods are we calling out, Mr Christensen? Because it seems the current government might be in trouble if you start that little contest….
So by that definition the the Abbott government can be regarded as terrorists for wilfully destroying Australian jobs and lifestyles by wrecking the RET? Appears so.
Short sighted hypocrisy is becoming a trademark trait of this government. Look a bit further ahead at what climate change does to families/ jobs, have a chat with a farmer. Then understand why the liberals are environmental terrorists.
If anything is going to destroy Australian jobs and lifestyles it will be the coal industry itself bringing on climate change but not it the way he perceives disruption.
Find me some proof climate change is man-made.
How much do you get paid for spouting this drivel? Or do you provide your denier services for free?
Show me the proof climate change is man made, oh wait you can’t. There would be no money if it was discovered climate change was not man made.
Denier? Nearly 18 years without any evidence.
Squid, your statement clearly reveals you don’t understand the science in the first place.
‘Climate change’ is not ‘man-made’ and no climate scientist has ever said that, anytime, anywhere. However, the physics of greenhouse gases (which you clearly don’t grasp) has been well established for more than 100 years. I guess that you still believe that pumping 35% more CO2 into the atmosphere and 150% more methane since industrialization won’t have any effect whatsoever on the earth’s climate, huh?
Most people who do understand this can’t be bothered engaging with ignoramuses who are adamant in maintaining their wilful ignorance . You’re obviously so bored and your life so meaningless that you feel the need to bait people on online forums. Grow up and get a job or find some other hobby.
Once again my friend, absolutely no science regarding greenhouse gases causing global warming. How about you get a job with some real meaning…not based on a myth.
Look no further than https://theconversation.com/human-hands-are-all-over-australias-hottest-ever-year-32267?utm but we all know nothing will persuade you because you have your head in the sand. And if you were a betting man you would put your money where you mouth is.
Mass civil disobedience is now a necessity
The right of dissent is the linchpin of Democracy – Georgie Baby is so used to the Great Australian Apathy that his self-assumed sense of “Divine Right to Govern” (common to all his lot) won’t let him hack it!
National Party member for Dawson, George Christensen Is on he wrong side of history. Leave the coal in the ground or the new port will be under water as the sea level rises and gets batted by cyclones.
Sorry to say THIS IS NOT THE USA THIS IS AUSTRALIA that bull sh*t terrorist branding doesn’t stick with us and for any body who doesn’t no the meaning of the word look it up for sore it does not mean anti-coal activists
I love this guy, stuff the green extremists.
Ha, ha! You’re so witty. I’m surprised you can even spell ‘extremists’. Why don’t you find some other website to spout your drivel?