Climate protesters block coal trains bound for major Australia port

SYDNEY – A total of 19 trains carrying coal to Australia’s flagship export hub for the fuel were disrupted after a protester was found suspended from two poles over the rail tracks.

Part of a rail line in Kooragang, close to the Port of Newcastle in New South Wales state, was halted for more than four hours from 7am local time (5am Singapore time) on Monday, according to the Australian Rail Track Corp, which manages the network.

A 22-year-old woman was arrested at the scene after law enforcement removed the structure from the tracks, New South Wales police said in a statement. 

Blockade Australia’s demonstration at Kooragang was “a response to Australia’s destruction of the climate”, the campaign group said in a message posted on Twitter.

Two separate protests also took place on Monday near the Port of Melbourne and the Port of Brisbane, the organisation said.

In Brisbane, a Blockade Australia activist scaled a pole and caused disruption on a major road leading to the port.

Australia’s status as the world’s No. 2 coal exporter has long been a focus for activists who argue the nation’s sales of the fossil fuel are a key contributor to global emissions. While Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has legislated more ambitious national climate targets, his government has also shown support for a coal sector forecast to generate about A$128 billion (S$117.5 billion) in export earnings this fiscal year. 

Newcastle Coal Infrastructure Group, which handles coal exports for producers including BHP Group, Yancoal Australia and Whitehaven Coal, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

BHP declined as much as 1.1 per cent in Sydney by 1.08pm, as Yancoal fell by as much as 2.8 per cent and Whitehaven by as much as 3.9 per cent. BLOOMBERG