Over the last few days, there has been much talk about the recent protest at Bluesfest which saw some of music’s biggest names come together to protest the proposed Adani coal mine, but unless you were there, you may have been left confused as to what just went on.
As The Music reported on Tuesday, during the John Butler Trio’s Sunday night performance at Bluesfest, an onstage protest was held which criticised the proposed Carmichael coal mine by the Adani Group in Queensland.
A number of local and international musicians, including Tash Sultana, Mia Dyson, Michael Franti, William Crighton, Promise Of The Real, and Ziggy Alberts all joined in the displaying of a large banner onstage which boldly pleaded for “Coral not coal.”
While the Adani mine has been a topic of discussion for close to a decade now, opposition of the massive project has gained major support in recent years, thanks in part to the efforts of Australia’s musical community. The main topics of controversy around the mine have concerned the impact it will have on the Great Barrier Reef, as well as its predicted carbon emissions.
“Coal has had its time. We need to give renewables everything we’ve got now,” said John Butler during the protest.
“We must stop this mine. If we allow Adani to go ahead, the mine will not only be the one of the world’s largest, it will be one of our generation’s greatest regrets. We owe it our children, and their children’s children, to make sure this environmentally reckless mine never sees the light of day.”
Adrian Burragubba, musician and traditional owner of the proposed site, also took to the stage to make an empassioned plea for Australians to stand up for the environment.
“We will continue to fight because we are responsible for those who cannot speak for themselves — the environment,” Burragubba said. “The environment is so fragile that if the mine was to progress and go ahead, it would devastate the whole of Queensland. It is our responsibility to turn against this fossil fuel industry.”
“Together we will stand, and together we will say ‘Adani: No means no.'”
Check out footage of the Bluesfest Adani protest:
https://www.facebook.com/GreenMusicAustralia/videos/1391360414343585/
