Australia’s PM flags crackdown on ‘selfish’ activists

CANBERRA, Nov 1, 2019, News.com.au. Environmental activists have responded to Scott Morrison signalling a crackdown on what he calls their “selfish, indulgent and apocalyptic” actions with more protests, News.com.au reported.

In a speech to the Queensland Resources Council on Friday, the prime minister urged companies to ignore rowdy protesters waging “economic sabotage”.

Instead, he wants businesses to listen to their “quiet shareholders”.

After a week of anti-coal demonstrations in Melbourne that were marred by violence, the prime minister warned activists were testing the limits of their right to protest.

“Let me assure you this is not something my government intends to allow to go unchecked,” Mr Morrison said.

“Together with the attorney-general, we are working to identify mechanisms that can successfully outlaw these indulgent and selfish practices that threaten the livelihoods of fellow Australians.”

The Australian Conservation Foundation pointed out that the wider business world was moving away from coal because it could see the economic damage climate change would wreak.

Chief executive Kelly O’Shanassy cited concerns raised by the head of the Defence Force, the deputy governor of the Reserve Bank and the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority.

“Big institutional investors are turning their backs on coal because they can see the damage climate change is doing to their portfolios and because the financial returns are better from clean technology,” she said.

“To paint this broad community concern as being about ‘fringe-dwelling extremists’ is an insult to all Australians who want a better future for themselves and their children.”

But the Business Council of Australia backed efforts to prevent activists “unfairly targeting responsible businesses”.

“Australians outside the major capital cities should have their voice heard in this debate, they shouldn’t lose out on projects that strike the balance between investment, jobs and environmental outcomes for no good reason,” chief executive Jennifer Westacott told AAP.

The prime minister labelled the protesters “anarchists” hell-bent on harming small businesses.

“It is a potentially more insidious threat to the Queensland economy and jobs and living standards than a street protest,” he said.

Protesters in Queensland have targeted engineering company GHD over its work for Adani and on Friday gathered at the Townsville office of BMD, a contractor on the massive coal mine project.

A spokesman for the activists said if the prime minister would take care of Australia’s people and ecosystems they wouldn’t need to target these businesses.

“Scott Morrison dining with his mates in the mining industry and promising them he will stamp out protest says everything you need to know about our government’s priorities in the face of a climate emergency,” Andy Paine said.

Mr Morrison has not set a time frame for introducing legislation.

Labor deputy leader Richard Marles said there were extensive laws around interfering with contractual relations already in place at a federal level that should be enforced.

But he promised the opposition would look at whatever the government puts forward.

Greens senators were unimpressed with the prime minister’s plans.

“Morrison is a fascist who will try to arrest his way through the civil disobedience that will blossom while he ignores the destruction of climate and nature. He will soon find out that he hasn’t got the jail space,” Tasmanian senator Nick McKim tweeted.