6 Aug 2009

Greenpeace protest in Australia continues despite arrests

2:20 pm on 6 August 2009

Four Greenpeace activists are still hanging 50 metres high from a coal loader at Hay Point Export Coal Terminal in Queensland, blocking operations since Wednesday morning.

Six other activists were arrested by police and charged with unregulated high risk activity, but have now been released on bail.

One of those arrested was Fiji Greenpeace's Fenton Lutunatabua, who says the view from the coal loader reminded him Pacific Islanders are most affected by climate change.

"The first thing that caught my eye were the tonnes and tonnes of coal that were around. For every tonne of coal that I saw, that represented one more island going under water, one more family being displaced, one more child without a future. And I also saw more than a dozen coal ships waiting to be loaded."

Mr Lutunatabua says Australia's and New Zealand's Prime Ministers need to take a stand against climate change.