Bob Brown’s mob of revolting protesters liken coal mines to gas chambers
Update: Former Greens leader Bob Brown has rejected comments that compared coal workers to Nazis as hundreds of people flocked to attend a Stop Adani protest in Brisbane.
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FORMER Greens leader Bob Brown has rejected comments that compared coal workers to Nazis as hundreds of people flocked to attend a Stop Adani protest in Brisbane.
Mr Brown was greeted with applause when he arrived at Queens Garden today, as part of a contentious convoy that’s making its way to the Galilee this weekend.
Speaking to media, Mr Brown said he “absolutely” rejected comments made by protesters on social media, however claimed it also had no place being used in the media.
“This (Adani) has become a litmus test for coal mining around the world,” Mr Brown said.
“Bloomberg indeed described it as the most contentious coal mine on earth.
“We are the people up against enormous corporate interest who are taking coal out of Australia and exporting 70 per cent of the profits.
“It will lead to six more mega coal mines if this one goes ahead.”
When asked whether he expected to be met with hostility when visiting towns that relied on coal mines, like Clermont which the convoy will visit this weekend, Mr Brown said he respected the mayor of Isaac Regional Council for allowing democracy.
Elizabeth Street has been blocked off for the #StopAdani march pic.twitter.com/GQVDNI2Gtg
— Domanii Cameron (@domaniicameron) April 22, 2019
The crowd cheered “Stop Adani” throughout the rally as various placards condemning the mine, the State and Federal Government and coal mining were waved.
Black-throated finch cut outs were also seen as children carried posters that called for climate change action.
Greens leaders Larissa Waters and Richard Di Natale also attended, praising the large turnout and spruiking the party’s 100 per cent renewables target for 2030.
EARLIER … Militant anti-Adani activists supporting the Bob Brown-led convoy compared Queensland coal miners to Nazis who exterminated millions of Jews in gas chambers during the Holocaust.
The provocative comments, slammed by Australian Jewish leaders, come as protesters — who also labelled Queenslanders “red necks” — will today rally in Brisbane before marching to Adani’s city headquarters.
Former Greens leader Bob Brown, environmental warrior Geoff Cousin and “school striker” Sara McKoy will address the activists at Queens Gardens.
Clermont businesses refuses to serve anti-Adani protesters
Let’s keep Adani protests peaceful as Bob Brown’s convoy heads north
Queensland pulls the welcome mat on anti-Adani protesters
The Courier-Mail revealed last week residents in Clermont, which is the closest community to the Adani mine, will refuse to serve anti-Adani activists who will descend in their tiny town this Saturday and camp in their show grounds.
In response, activists have made fun of their plight, describing it as “a town intent on going the same way of the dinosaurs”.
A private Facebook group called the Stop Adani Convoy, which shows the Bob Brown Foundation logo, has posted a number of repugnant messages in response, targeting Queenslanders, coal miners and Clermont residents, and arguing miners could re-skill into hemp industries.
One wrote, “all of us will be faced with this dilemma, a job or the future,” to which a user named Ringo Dingo responded, “There were jobs for locals in the gas chambers in Nazi Germany too. There is such things as a bad job”.
Another chimed in, saying, “exactly”.
It’s not suggested Dr Brown or Ms McKoy had anything to do with the comments.
The coal industry directly employees 36,700 workers in Queensland and delivered $43.4 billion in gross regional product in 2017-2018.
Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council international and community affairs spokesman Jeremy Jones labelled the post “offensive” and said Dr Brown had a responsibility to seek to have the material taken down
“It’s delusional on the verge of derangement that Australia has anything in common with Nazi-occupied Europe,’’ he said.
The private Facebook group also took at swipe at Queenslanders.
A person calling herself Carolyn Gross wrote, “be careful it is QLD redneck territory (and) they hate greenies with a passion”.
A post from an activist named Deborah Wood said, “I got plenty of compassion but the writing is on the wall 4 jobs in those industries (and) if they continue to be in denial about these facts that is their choice.
“I am all in favour of a gradual transition bit we are not doing them any favours by implying that they got a god given right to ongoing jobs in this sector of work. they don’t and if they r too arrogant to retrain in more sustainable sectors like renewables then they don’t deserve any other preferential treatment to the rest of us.”
Between 500-800 anti-Adani activists are expected to join the convoy, which will be part of 10 rallies in four states over 18 days.
Resources Minister Matt Canavan said Greens’ politics was extreme.
“The Greens have had to bring a whole bunch of rent-a-crowd southerners up here to oppose the Adani mine because they can’t get locals to do their dirty work,’’ Senator Canavan said.
“Locals where I live in Central Queensland don’t have a lot of time for people telling them what to do.
“They especially don’t like a bunch hypocrites who benefit from every modern convenience but then oppose the modern industries that provide their comforts.
“These green activists have no respect for Queenslanders and I have no time for their radical extreme politics.
“It is unfortunate that the Labor Party won’t similarly distance themselves from these extreme activists (and) instead will have to do a preference deal with the Greens while they are here campaigning against Queensland jobs.”
After Dr Brown was contacted about the Nazi comment, The Courier-Mail was told it would be removed.
Queensland Resources Council chief executive Ian Macfarlane and CFMEU mining and energy Queensland district president Stephen Smyth have this morning issued a statement condemning the comments.
They called on Bob Brown to “immediately repudiate” them.
“These Queenslanders work in skilled jobs to keep both the Queensland and Australian economies strong. Their work supports local jobs, boosts exports, pays royalty taxes for the Queensland Government to reinvest in schools and hospitals, and stimulates company taxes that the Australian Government can spend across the nation including Mr Brown’s home state of Tasmania,” Mr Macfarlane said.
“I cannot think of a more offensive comment for one Australian to call another. Bob Brown needs to repudiate this rubbish — Brown needs to stick to the facts, and drop the disgusting attacks.”
Mr Smyth said Queensland’s mining workers deserved an apology for Mr Brown.
“Bob Brown is stirring up hysteria and these claims that jobs in Queensland coal mines are like Nazi gas chambers in World War Two are the bottom of the barrel,” Mr Smyth said.
LNP Deputy Leader Tim Mander slammed the anti-Adani activists supporting the Bob Brown convoy.
“The comments made by the anti-mining extremists are offensive to Queenslanders and the Jewish community,” he said.
“To compare coal mines to gas chambers is a terrible slur on our Queensland miners.
“These protesters are not on a road trip, they are on an ego trip and they need to go back to where they came from — the southern states.”
Mr Mander said if the convoy were “fair dinkum, they’d be riding their push bikes to protest, not driving petrol guzzling cars”.
Mr Mander also said it was “very possible” to protect the environment and generate jobs and said the people of Clermont had a right to turn away the activists just as they have a right to protest.
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