Call the Labor Cabinet: Stop Adani's mine

Tanya Plibersek’s electorate office. Went very well. Mind you if I’d had a poor response from a Labor Left young Labor mother of young children, heaven help a so-called Labor party.

Anthony Albanese – Maria took the call – told me the phones have been working hard and that AA has already spoken about Adani and guided me to look at his website. My message was that the time for talking and words is over – we simply need leadership and action. Maria said she would see he gets my message.

I phoned both Bill Shorten and Tanya Plibersek’s Canberra Offices. I spoke to a staff member in Tanya Plibersek’s office and explained the reason for my call which is my concern over Labor supporting the Adani mine. I explained that it has been publicised that Labor could potentially support the mine if it stacked up financially and economically and I stated that the devil is in the detail and that Labor should not be supporting a coal mine under any circumstance. I mentioned that I don’t often make phone calls on issues however I feel very strongly about this and I have been involved in various campaigns over a period of time in order to get the mine halted as I am very concerned for the future of the Great Barrier Reef. I asked that my concerns be passed to Tanya Plibersek. Bill Shorten’s Canberra office phone rang out – no opportunity for a voice message to be left.

I called every fed labor member in SA as well as albo and tanya and thought blow it so pyne got a call to most interesting some said they new nothing about it others said they had heard many saying not going to happen and three said their bosses were against the mine

Tanya Plibersek – Cane said she is very committed to renewables and I urged her to stand strong to have this appalling project stopped.

Shorten – officer Harry thanked me said he’d add my name to the list of people supporting ALP move away from Adani
Burke – officer Michelle has had over 15 calls today, taking names & states
Butler – long chat with Jacobus, Mark’s position remains clear, doesn’t support Adani, but media misrepresentation to claim ALP caucus in next 24-48hrs, will make position clear before next election
Dreyfuss – offsider Bill said I was ‘one of many’ who’ve rung in last few days, will pass name onto Mark, whose position is that “this coal mine should not go ahead as it is not good for the country”.
Albanese – Anni Elkar answered & has had many calls on this topic this week
Bowen – office answer, only taking numbers if outside electorate – I made point, as shadow treasurer Bowen will no doubt consider the risk of stranded assets

I’ve just called Jim Chalmers office and spoke to a friendly staff member called Pip. Jim is out in the community and normally does not correspond over the phone, which sound a bit weird to me. She toke notes of my concerns regarding the Adani mine and will pass it on. She also took all my details and I might get a respond from Jim by email. She could not tell his stand on this matter nor could she tell what Bill Shorten’s decision will be. She was getting a lot of phone calls today about Adani so looks like ALP is getting a wake up call. lol

I think Mr Shorten’s office has given up answering. I tried 5 times, but the line was busy 3 times and twice there was no answer. Tanya’s office told me the mine is “not stacking up economically or environmentally” and that they do not support it.

Called Bill Shorten. Spoke to staffer. I’m urging Shorten to vote against the Adani mine in Queensland, saying it doesn’t stack up environmentally for the climate, not for health of the reef. It doesn’t stack up economically for creating jobs nor contributing to our economy. The Coalmine will destroy Indenous ancestral lands.
Staffer took my details and said she would make sure Shorten gets my message.

I called Tanya Plibersek’ office and spoke to staffer, Cane. I asked him to pass on a message to Tanya that I wanted Labor to withdraw its support for the Adnai Mine as it did not meet the following standards: economic, environmental (local, national, global), cultural. I sighted the sham EPBC referral process as one environmental example that failed to protect 2nd largest population of the critically endangered Southern Black-throated Finch population that was identified on the Adani Mine Lease. Cane replied Tanya was very passionate about this issue and was currently preparing a public statement and would email me a copy. I will forward this to the ACF FB page as soon as it arrives.

Called Ms Plibersek’s office, spoke to Christine who said Labors policy remains unchanged namely no government money will be put into coal mining and any project must finance itself and meet environmental conditions. I emphasized that environmental effects of coal burning continue to pollute atmosphere which is unsustainable on current scientific evidence, so why not clearly state opposition to Adani and any new mine and phase out current mining quickly ?

phone catherine king’s office and said if labour supported adani we would not be voting for the alp and on the positive side praised the alp for its anti corruption policy and policy on wages i was told the comments were recordred

I called 4 of them: Bill Shorten, Tanya Pibisek, Mark Butler and Tony Burke. Had a good conversation with each staffer and made it very clear that Labor needs to come out with a strong and clear message that it does not support the mine. I related the issue to the ’83 No Dams stance that Labor took to that election and won in a landslide and explained that we are all looking for Labor to take a similar stance on Adani.

Tried Bill Shorten’s in Canberra 3 times. Cut off then engaged twice.
Got through to Mark Dreyfus’ electorate office. Good pleasant conversation with staffer who said he had had about 350 calls and was getting the message. Couldn’t tell me MD’s specific stance on Adani but said MD had been key player in Gillard’s previous carbon reduction scheme also ‘Labor has always said they do not want taxpayer $ going to Adani’. I challenged that and said it had been ambiguous and asked him to reiterate the urgency of a clear anti-Adani statement and strong leadership on renewable energy investment and deployment and a progressive carbon reduction plan. He was personally supportive and hoped things would change at election. I said election would be lost without urgent plan of action to slow down climate change. I asked him to times my call by 20 to make up for people I knew who felt the same way. Fingers crossed that they listen.

Bill Shorten’s office, and spoke to Joe. I expressed my concern that the Labour Party are even considering the Adani mine, when we want renewable energy for Australia’s future.
He took my name and said he would pass on my concerns to Bill Shorten.

I called Bill Shorten’s office, and raised the following three additional concerns:
1/ Child labour (Adani uses child labour in some of its operations overseas – I thought there was bipartisan agreement to eventually ban our government doing business with companies who use child labour?! How can Labor support a company who profits from child labour?).
2/ The myth of ‘India needs our coal’. Imported coal in India ends up being used in a rather complex and corrupt process to power large, wealthy factories. The coal is usually burnt near poor, rural villages – who then suffer terrible illness because of the pollution. The villages don’t get to see any electricity generated… they remain without electricity. Everyday Indians, especially those in poverty, want clean, reliable electricity supplies… this is often best achieved through solar power etc., as this can be localised rather than having to travel through an unreliable grid. This is a humanitarian issue as well as an environmental one – India does not want our coal, and neither do any other developing countries. Only the rich and corrupt do.
3/ Adani is facing many court cases in various countries for corruption and environmental devastation. Why on earth would we let them come here to do more damage, and why would Labor trust their promises? A leopard doesn’t change its spots.
Anyhow, the staffer I spoke to was polite and listened well, and said he would pass on these additional concerns.
The environmental concerns are huge of course – but even if Labor doesn’t care about the environment, there are so many other reasons not to support Adani.

Mark butlers office. I was informed that the shadow cabinet is apparently not in any process of decision making regarding the mine, but nevertheless mark butler is against it on environmental and economic grounds .

Tanya Plibersek’s electoral office. I left a message there with a staffer expressing my concerns regarding the risks of the mine to the Great Barrier Reef. Also my concerns that Australia should be providing long term employment for people away from coal mining and into jobs for our future.

I called Bill Shorten’s office as I live in his electorate. Spoke with a staffer, who was very supportive and happy to take my name and request to pass on. they are basically collecting stats. They did not ask me to put in writing or for a return phone number. I also left a message with Phoebe in Tanya P’s Canberra office. similar staff stance, they also seem concerned that the Adani mine not go ahead.

I called Bill Shorton’s office & spoke to Rod, he said he has had a few calls today about Adani. He assured me Bills stance is that it wont be supported if the mining activity would affect the reef & funded by our Government. He also stated that Bills pres club speach has been taken out of context. Rod was very polite & said he would pass my concerns on to Bill Shorton.

I called Mr Shorten’s electorate office, and said that I wanted to see the ALP come out publicly against the Adani mine, because of the effect that burning coal has on climate change. The staffer took my details and said that Mr Shorten would be advised of my call.

Call to Bill Shorten’s office was politely received by staff member.
Assurances given that my disgust that the Labor party would consider supporting the Adani mine would be forcefully conveyed to Mr Shorten.
I am a constituent of Bill Shorten’s Maribyrnong electorate.

I rang Bill Shorten’s office and spoke to Harry Theophanous, who was very polite and directed me to Bill Shorten’s web site which includes his speeches. I am following up to find the ones directly relating to the Adani mine development.
MARY E NIXON

Mark Butlers office: staffer: not true that cabinet is making a decision, Markhas always been against the mine. Me: not clear enough to the public particularly because of Bill Shorten’s qualified comment pivoting on the word “if”. Can you please ask Mark and Bill to allay concerns and be more clear and categorical if they want our support..
Bill’s office: very polite. Took my name and synopises of my comment as above

I spoke with a staffer at Tanya Plibersek’s office. They were confident that the mine would not be supported by the ALP. I asked why the Queensland government was still seeking to extinguish native title on the proposed mine site , she did not know about that and suggested I speak with Bill Shorten’s office. She promised to pass on my comments to Tanya.
I then spoke with Road Gurry at Bill Shorten’s office. He was not so positive that the mine would not receive ALP support. Neither did he think that there was a court case to extinguish native title, so I have forwarded a letter from Adrian Burragubba, seeking donations for the Wangan Jagalingou People’s legal battle with the Queensland government.
Richard Stanford

Tanya. The person in the office was very polite and said he was pleased so many people had called to voice their concerns.

Mark Butler

Who did you call? How did your call go?