Trevor Scott, Central Vic Climate Action, Castlemaine
I’d like to share this poem and my thoughts on my recent involvement in the People’s Blockade organised by Rising Tide.
Flotilla (a small fleet of boats)
Millions of tonnes of coal
Leaving the Port of Newcastle every day
A crime against humanity
Brightly coloured hulls swarming
On a choppy sea.
The black shape of the police boat looms
Representing no colour, no thinking
The flotilla, although threatened
Fearlessly holds on in the waves
A thousand unsilenced voices
Holding it against the tide.
At the end of this year’s People’s Blockade of the world’s largest coal port, organised by Rising Tide, three coal ships had been turned around and prevented from entering the harbour. For the very first time, the port had been closed to coal ships by our actions, rather than by negotiated agreement. In previous blockades, up until 2023, in meetings between the protestors, the police and the harbour master, it was agreed that the port would be closed down for a given amount of time. That time in the past was 30 hours and was usually from 10am Saturday morning to 4pm on Sunday afternoon. It was agreed that the harbour would be closed to coal ships for this period, leaving it free for swimmers and kayakers to protest safely.
Since 2023, presumably due to breaches of these rules by the protestors, there is no longer any agreement. Although it makes it more difficult and less safe for police and protestors alike, it is necessary if we are serious about getting our message across. If our governments had listened to the scientists’ warning, going right back to expert advice from James Hansen, NASA scientist in 1988, we would have a transition plan in place by now and we wouldn’t be exporting the huge quantities of coal and gas that we are. Unfortunately, our government has let us down again on this vital issue of climate change, and we have to try and put a halt to this madness ourselves. There were up to 8,000 of us at this year’s blockade. If you agree with our stand, please join us at the next one.