Adani miners face sex slurs, abuse from cashed-up activists

Protesters are hurling sex slurs at female miners, chasing staff in cars and even flying in booze at Adani’s Carmichael coal site.

Cashed-up activists are hurling sex slurs at female mine workers, chasing staff in cars and even flying in booze as part of an almost daily confrontation of abuse and intimidation at Adani’s Carmichael coal site

The tension created by environmental protesters is putting lives at risk, CEO Lucas Dow said, with staff forced to wear body-worn cameras and the mine company forced to spend $9000 a day on security to keep workers safe.

The “outrageous” display of abuse included one female worker being called a “slut” by activists, merely for going to work.

Protesters also chartered a helicopter stocked with beer and wine to their camp.

In another shocking act, activists drove a 4WD at a female staffer as conflicts become more aggressive in what Mr Dow describes as attempts to “create a confrontation with our people for their PR cameras”.

Activists unload beer and toilet paper from a chopper which landed on Adani’s mining site.

With protest activity dragging into its fourth month, Mr Dow said it was “outrageous” the Queensland Police Service and state government were valuing the sensitivities of activists above worker safety.

“They’ve verbally abused and threatened our employees, often targeting women, they recently chased one of our female workers in a four-wheel-drive, and flew a helicopter onto the mine to deliver supplies including alcohol to their camp,” he said.

“We’ve made several complaints to the Queensland Police Service about the presence of the activists and their behaviour, however, after nearly four months, police refuse to move them on.

“This is outrageous given the camp is within 200m of our operational open-cut mining pit.”

A spokesman for Queensland police acknowledged they had received several complaints relating to incidents involving people associated with the camp.

“The Queensland Police Service continues to investigate these complaints as part of an overall engagement and negotiation strategy,” he said.

The spokesman said the service would ensure public safety while working towards an appropriate resolution.

“The QPS also acknowledges the response to these issues are complex, we have and will continue to engage with all relevant stakeholders,” he said.

An activist shouts obscenities at a female Adani worker in protest on the site. Picture: Supplied

About 10 million tonnes of coal will be extracted each year from Adani’s $2bn Carmichael Mine in central Queensland’s Galilee Basin.

Following a decade of controversy and rigorous approvals construction of the mammoth mine, which will employ 2000 workers, started in June 2019.

Mr Dow questioned why protesters were exempt from strict site rules imposed on workers, and called for the government to step in and protect miners.

“It’s the behaviour of the professional activists using it that makes a mockery of the workplace health and safety laws the tens of thousands of people who make up the resources industry abide by every day,” he said.

“Like any other business in Queensland that operates within the law and within its approvals and conditions we expect our government to enforce the rule of law and protect our operations and our people from premeditated activist intimidation, harassment, or sabotage – that shouldn’t be too much to ask.”

An activist confronts a mine worker.

Camp activists could not be reached for comment.

Queensland Resources Council chief executive officer Ian Macfarlane called for tougher penalties for protesters who illegally disrupt mining activities and abuse and harass workers.

“It’s no exaggeration to say people’s lives are being placed in danger – not only the lives of protesters, but that of honest, hardworking people whose workplace safety is being threatened on a regular basis,” he said.

“Protesters are entitled to lawfully express their views, but they’re not entitled to abuse or harass people or to disrupt our workplaces and make them unsafe just because they don’t like our industry.

“The constant harassment, abuse and law-breaking happening on Queensland mine sites and at port and rail facilities has got to stop.”

Adani Australia CEO Lucas Dow said the company was tired of activists harassing workers. Picture: Caitlan Charles

Resources Minister Scott Stewart said Adani could apply to the Land Court for an order to have people removed from their lease.

“Those people then have to show why they shouldn’t be removed, Bravus have been informed of this multiple times,” he said.

Mr Dow argued Mr Stewart’s proposal to file proceedings in the Land Court was an abrogation of responsibility.

“The failure of the Queensland Government to propose an immediate and effective solution shows a lack of leadership by politicians who are more worried about protecting inner-city seats from the Greens than protecting hard working people in Queensland’s coal communities,” he said.

Police Minister Mark Ryan declared he would not order the Queensland Police Service to act, but acknowledged investigations into the protest activity were ongoing.

“While people have the right to protest, they don’t have the right to do so in such a manner that impinges upon the rights of others to go about their lawful business,” he said.

“The fact is Queensland has some of the toughest laws in the nation and protesters who damage certain types of infrastructure could go to jail for 14 years and face substantial fines.

“I am advised the Queensland Police Service is continuing to investigate this matter.”