We began in November, 2021 by blocking coal trains and halting operations at the world’s largest coal port in Muloobinba (Newcastle) Australia. Over 11 days, 20 actions and 28 arrests, we hindered and materially stopped the coal port from operating as usual. With over 65 hours of disruption; politicians, billionaires and governments were forced to face the unrelenting efforts to hide themselves from this destruction. We gained international media, and our campaign was launched.
In March 2022, we hit the Port of Botany. Port Botany was chosen due to its significance in upholding the Australian economy, its cultural significance of the first invasions and its use as both a fossil fuel and container port. Port botany was disrupted and operations were halted for five consecutive days with nine arrests. Using a variety of blockading tactics including devices such as monopoles, bipods, tripods, lockons, and truck blockades. Our actions were successful in causing maximum disruption with fewest arrests. The state responded with immense police funding and rushing through new laws, specifically designed to hinder or block climate activists.
June 2022 was the biggest challenge yet. After debilitating raids and repression, activists from across the continent took to the streets of Sydney, causing chaos in the CBD. Australia reacted to the peaceful protests as expected, with extreme bail conditions, trumped up or made up charges and excessive sentencing.
One year later, the Ports of Melbourne, Newcastle and Brisbane were simultaneously blockaded over five consecutive days. The 15 actions used a variety of non-violent blockading tactics, demonstrating how to cause material disruption by targeting weak points in the system. Despite the massive scale of Australia’s environmental terrorism, the actions in June 2023 proved that all it takes is a handful of dedicated and courageous people to shut down business as usual.
Messaging
The ecosystems which support human and non-human life are collapsing. That food and water scarcity combined with destructive and lethal weather events will escalate disease, conflict, injury and deaths. The trajectory of this crisis leads to a hot house earth, and the annihilation of complex life as we know it.
Australia and its institutions were designed to maximise the exploitation of this continent and are actively blocking the changes we need to protect the climate and ecosystems. It’s laws and political systems were set up to promote economic expansion at the expense of everything else. A credible climate response requires the prioritisation of an ecological recovery above the private right to exploit, something Australia will always block.
A climate response can only be made possible when Australia’s foundational principals and operating systems are substantially challenged by an organised and determined political resistance movement. Disrupting the movement of resources, goods and labour through roads, ports and rail is a legitimate and appropriate response to Australian expansionism.
Purpose
Corporate and institutional power is driving the climate crisis and blocking climate action. Australia plays a leading role in organising this destruction. Blockade Australia is a coordinated response that aims to develop a culture of effective resistance through strategic direct action.
Blockade Australia coordinates mobilisations at economic bottlenecks and centres of political power. These mobilisations use centralised, sustained and disruptive action to force the urgent broad-scale change necessary for survival.
By utilising direct action in this way, Blockade Australia builds grassroots power focused on opposing the colonial and extractive systems of Australia as a whole.
Action that generates social, political and economic disruption cannot be ignored. It creates political leverage that is needed to make real change. This requires stepping outside of the rules and regulations which maintain and protect Australia’s destructive operations.
The climate collapse threatens all life on earth. The only chance we’ve got of creating a liveable future is by uniting in solidarity and using our collective power to fight for climate justice. Remaining divided risks everything.
Blockade Australia is non exclusive and values collaboration, skill and information sharing. Discrimination, dominating behaviours and aggression towards each other or the public is not accepted. The system is the issue, not the people in it.
