Spanish light rail contractor Acciona’s social media mission to save the world with celebrities
THEY can’t even build the light rail, yet the Spanish contractor holding Sydney to ransom has embarked on a star-studded social media mission to save the world led by Aussie heart-throb Liam Hemsworth to “start a conversation about climate change”.
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THE Spanish light rail contractor holding Sydney to ransom has embarked on a mission to save the world with a celebrity-backed climate change campaign led by actor Liam Hemsworth.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal Acciona — accused by the state government of a deliberate “go slow” approach in building Sydney’s $2.1 billion light rail — has launched an international campaign urging governments, companies and consumers to “invest in the planet”.
But a spokeswoman for Transport and Infrastructure Minister Andrew Constance said last night: “They should just get on with it like most reputable contractors do.”
In a “paid” video endorsement shared by Hemsworth on Facebook, the Hunger Games star applauded Acciona for “already delivering sustainable solutions for infrastructure and renewable projects across the world” but said more could be done.
“I’ve been invited to be a part of Acciona’s new initiative to start a conversation about climate change and how it affects life as we know it on planet Earth,” Hemsworth said in the clip.
“Each and every one of us should be thinking of ways how we can invest in our planet’s future ... any ways at all we can help our planet’s future and minimise the footprint that we leave on it.”
Hemsworth, crowned PETA Australia’s Sexiest Vegan Celebrity last year, is one of several “local brand ambassadors” who have lent their endorsement to Acciona’s campaign, which targets the company’s key markets in Spain, Mexico, Chile, the US, Canada and Australia.
Others include Mexican-American actor Karla Souza, Spanish basketball player Marc Gasol and Chilean actor Leonor Varela.
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Acciona is a Spain-based renewable energy and infrastructure group and is a member of the ALTRAC consortium building and operating the 12km light-rail project, to run from the CBD to the southeastern suburbs.
Light rail services were expected to be running by 2019 but the project has been crippled by delays that could see the opening date pushed back to March 2020.
An Acciona Australia spokesman said the campaign was funded from global headquarters and “not tied to any specific project in any country”.
“Our new marketing campaign is a global initiative designed to encourage investment in projects that benefit people around the world,” he said.
“It reflects our values as a company, and the importance of responsible investment in infrastructure, water and renewable energy.
Great investments are not just ones that happen on the stock market. Each and every one of us still has time to invest in and save our planet from the effects of climate change. Take a step forward with me and #InvestInThePlanet. @ACCIONA_EN #Adhttps://t.co/YIJmKv9E6x pic.twitter.com/AcfamR1xe5
— Liam Hemsworth (@LiamHemsworth) 22 April 2018
“With 37,000 employees, a presence in 65 countries, a track record of successful project delivery and a strong balance sheet, we play a significant role in these markets internationally.
“Allegations of a ‘go slow’ on SLR have been strenuously denied by ALTRAC, and at no time has any real detail been given to support the allegation. We remain fully committed to the completion of the contract.”
Acciona is suing the government for $1.2 billion for “misleading” conduct, threatening to further delay the project.
Mr Constance’s office said that the government “expects all contractors to meet their obligations”.
Acciona’s campaign is scheduled to end on June 5.