Climate protesters gather on Newcastle beach to protest coal exports after a NSW supreme court ruling

A multi-day climate protest at Newcastle’s coal port has begun, despite the New South Wales government’s efforts to stop it.

Transcript

00:00Protesters have assembled here this morning on Newcastle's Horseshoe Beach as part of

00:07a multi-day protest action, protesting mainly against coal exports from the Port of Newcastle.

00:14Now the Port of Newcastle is the world's largest coal port, it exports more coal than anyone

00:20anywhere else in the world, so that's why these climate activists have chosen to hold

00:25this multi-day action here in Newcastle.

00:28Now we are hearing from police here on the beach this morning, there are a number of

00:33officers here who are reminding these protesters about safety.

00:37The New South Wales Police Force was successful in a Supreme Court bid to prevent protesters

00:43who are due to take the water in kayaks, canoes and other watercraft, that they aren't able

00:48to enter the waterway and the shipping channel in specific.

00:52They are able to enter some areas of the waterway, but have to keep a safe distance from the

00:58coal ships and other ships that we see like the one behind me.

01:01So there are constant reminders coming from police here on the beach this morning, reminding

01:06them of their safety obligations and warning protesters that if they do breach that, they

01:12could be arrested and could face charges.

01:16Protesters here this morning have said that this action is necessary, they are demanding

01:20more action from the New South Wales Government on coal and stopping new approvals for things

01:26like coal mines, several of which have happened in the Hunter region recently.

01:31And the New South Wales Government has really echoed the New South Wales Police Force's

01:36calls to be safe in this protest action.

01:39And the Police Force and the New South Wales Government though have recognised that these

01:44protesters do have the right to protest against what they value, but they must do it safely.