Adani activist Ben Pennings tells mining giant: ‘F--ck you, I’m not going to do what you tell me’
Adani wants a court-ordered injunction against one of its most outspoken opponents, claiming he is targeting contractors for secret information.
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Adani wants a court-ordered injunction against one of its most outspoken opponents, claiming he is targeting contractors for secret information about the mine and posted videos online telling the company: “F--k you, I’m not going to do what you tell me”.
In an application for injunctive relief held in the Brisbane Supreme Court on Friday, the mining giant asked Justice Glenn Martin to order Brisbane environmental activist Ben Pennings cease his online campaigns, which they claim are frustrating the operations of the mine and costing them money.
The “Dob in Adani” and “Infiltration” campaigns are designed to induce Adani employees and affiliates to disclose the company’s confidential information, court documents state.
According to the statement of claim, Adani alleges Mr Pennings as a spokesman for the Galilee Blockade group, had been involved in ongoing action to disrupt the business over a number of years.
It claims Mr Pennings helped orchestrate an “infiltration campaign” whereby people were encouraged to apply for jobs with the company and then leak confidential information back to the mine’s opponents.
Adani want the court to order Mr Pennings remove statements from his social media, restrain from future publishing and using any information that may assist him with protest action.
They also want him to stop making threats against the company and their lawyers and cease encouraging others to turn over confidential information about the mine.
Galilee Basin miner Adani and its Carmichael Rail Network today argued the former Greens mayoral candidate posted a video online which showed disrespect to the rule of law.
The video, which was played to the court, showed Mr Pennings telling his followers Adani had issued him with a “big scary legal letter”.
The video was posted online to more than 12,000 followers on his public Facebook page where he regularly posts about his opposition to Adani and fossil fuels and shares posts from the Galilee Blockade page.
Adani claim Mr Pennings is now threatening and targeting lawyers acting for the mining giant.
In the recording, Pennings says Adani are “on the attack” with “bulls--t threatening stuff”.
“The simple message from me, as the person who got this letter, is f--k you, I’m not going to do what you tell me,” he said in the tape.
“The simple message from the hundreds and hundreds of climate activities around the country … is f--k you, we don’t do what you tell us. We’re the resistance, we don’t listen to you, we don’t do what you say …”
But Pennings today told the court there was no evidence he had any confidential information.
“I’m still grappling with the fact that Adani made two court applications to intimidate my family by raiding our home. Adani’s attack-dog legal strategy could ultimately bankrupt my family, making us sell our home so a billionaire gets richer. I want to protect my family and the precious environment we all share,” he said outside court.
Brisbane-based Mr Pennings is a key spokesman and organiser for the activist group Galilee Blockade and is heavily involved in campaigning with the Stop Adani movement.
He previously worked for Greenpeace and also ran for the Greens as a candidate for lord mayor of Brisbane in 2016.
The decision relating to the injunction will be handed down next week.