The community group STOP BRISBANE COAL TRAINS has signalled a sharp escalation in its fight against the coal trains that are currently hauling up to one million tonnes of coal per month through the streets of Brisbane.
SBCT say they are not satisfied with the August 20 concession by Minister for Transport Scott Emerson to undertake air pollution monitoring in ‘some’ Brisbane Suburbs.
Spokesperson for the group, songwriter and former environmental engineer John Gordon, says the minister’s offer amounted to tokenism and that the group had no confidence that the Government could be trusted to carry out the monitoring objectively and fairly.
‘Scott Emerson used to work in PR, and from what we can see, he’s showing his old stripes in making these statements on the run’ says Gordon.
‘We have followed up his statement with his Department (Transport) and Department of Health (Qld Health) and Department of Environment (DEHP). Basically this is spin. If he was even half serious he would immediately offer to cover the trains. That would be the reasonable and right thing to do. Instead he comes out with a hasty statement to do some ‘air monitoring in Brisbane suburbs’? He sets out no terms and conditions, doesn’t say who or what departments will be involved. Doesn’t even mention Toowoomba and Ipswich?
Gordon says SBCT is not satisfied at all with the Minister’s proposal and has signaled the groups intention to escalate the fight to stop the coal trains.
‘We think that putting QR in charge of any air monitoring, is akin to leaving dracula in charge of the blood bank. It’s ridiculous. They haven’t bothered to do any air monitoring for the last 10 years! This despite an exponential increase in output from 3 major Multinational Coal Mines West of Toowoomba. New Acland – New Hope (Aus); Wilkie Creek – Peabody (US); Cameby Downs – Yancoal (Chinese).
Gordon says that basically the Queensland Government (and by inference its various Departments) is primarily in the business of aiding and abetting the coal export pit-to-port process.
‘They are not to be trusted because they are so desperate for royalties, they’ll try anything to expedite the process.’
‘They couldn’t give 2 hoots about the local noise and air pollution and the global climate change consequences brought on by these trains.’
Gordon says SBCT will increase its protest presence outside Brisbane railway stations along the Coal Train route.
‘We aim to let the general public know exactly what is going on. The Government is happy to keep the coal flowing under the radar. We’re not. Simple as that.’
