Protesters To Face Hefty Fine And Gaol For Blocking Railways

 BY IAN CROUCH

The state government is cracking down on people who block and disrupt railway lines following recent protests on the Hunter Valley rail network.

The government will introduce new legislation this week which will put in place a maximum fine of $22,000 for the offence of obstructing a railway.

People found guilty of the offence would face up to two years gaol, a $22,000 fine, or both.

Currently, the offence does not specify a fine under the Crimes Act.

The new law will also cover people found to have assisted those who directly commit the offence.

Protesters face big penalties for blocking railway lines in future

Climate Activists Disrupt Trains On The Hunter Line For A Ninth Day

 BY IAN CROUCH

Climate activists are again causing disruptions to the rail network on the Hunter line this morning (Wednesday 3 July, 2024).

Police were called to Church Street Maitland and Brunswick Street at East Maitland just after 4.30am to reports of protest activity and alleged trespassing.

The Hunter line has again been closed overnight, with buses replacing trains between Newcastle Interchange and Dungog and Newcastle Interchange and Scone this morning.

It comes as a 35-year-old man and a 69-year-old woman, both from Victoria, were arrested for disrupting coal trains in separate incidents at Farley and Thornton.

 

Climate Protests Close Hunter Line

 BY IAN CROUCH

Police and transport authorities have taken the unprecedented action of cancelling train service at the weekend after several days of climate protests.

There have been daily disruptions to services since last Tuesday leading to the weekend cancellations on the Hunter line.

The Australian Rail Track Corporation says 111 services have been affected as a result of the protest action.

In the latest incident, a 40-year-old woman was arrested after causing obstruction to trains at Lochinvar on Sunday morning.

She's been released on bail to face Cessnock Court on July 10.

Climate Protesters from Blockade Australia have disrupted the Hunter Valley Coal chain since last Tuesday Picture: Blockade Australia

67-Year-Old Charged Over Kooragang Island Protest

BY OLIVIA DILLON

A woman has been charged following an unauthorised protest at the Port of Newcastle today.

The 67-year-old entered Kooragang Island on her bike just after 6:00am, and locked herself onto a coal ship loader. 

She was removed by police, arrested, and taken to Newcastle Police Station, where she was charged with seriously disrupting work at a major facility and breach of bail.

The woman was refused bail to attend Newcastle Local Court later today. 

Image: Blockade Australia

UPDATE! Climate Change Protesters Face Court After Stopping Trains Near Singleton

 BY IAN CROUCH

For the 5th day in a row, an activist has stopped operations on the Hunter Valley coal chain.

A grandmother has scaled a stacker reclaimer at Kooragang Island on Friday morning and locked herself onto the infrastructure.

It comes after a 64-year-old woman and a 16-year-old girl were charged for climbing onto a stopped coal train next Singleton Railway Station yesterday morning.

The woman has spent a night in the cells pending her appearance at Muswellbrook Court today.

The teenager was granted conditional bail to face the children's court on July 17.

EARLIER:

Two climate change activists have been charged following an unauthorised protest at Singleton.

A 64-year-old woman and a 16-year-old girl climbed on top of a stopped coal train near Singleton Railway Station early Thursday morning.

They were arrested and charged with cause obstruction to railway locomotive or rolling stock and enter enclosed non-agricultural lands.

The woman was refused bail to face Singleton Court today (Friday 23 June 2023).

The teenager was granted strict conditional bail to face the children's court on July 17.

 

UPDATE! Climate Activists Face Court Over Protests At Branxton And Kooragang

 BY IAN CROUCH

 

Climate protesters are again blocking the Hunter Rail Line as they target coal supply to the Port of Newcastle.

Two female activists aged 16 and 64 climbed onto the top of a coal train at Singleton before dawn on Thursday morning.

The Premier wants to meet with Facebook's parent company to discuss a plan to block the demonstrators from being able to live stream
 

EARLIER:

A climate activist who suspended himself over railway tracks at Branxton for more than five hours has been granted bail.

22-year-old Angus Hearn began his protest just before 4.00am on Wednesday, halting coal, freight and passenger trains.

He was safely removed from a tripod structure at about 9.35am and faced Cessnock Court charged with causing obstruction to railway locomotive or rolling stock and enter enclosed non-agricultural lands.

He was granted conditional bail to face Singleton Court on July 13.

Meanwhile, 18-year-old Canberra woman Grace Ilbery faced Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday after allegedly gluing herself to a railing at the Kooragang Coal Loader on Tuesday night.

Magistrate John Chicken told the court Ilbery's offending was incredibly dangerous and put her life and the lives of emergency services at risk.

She's also been granted conditional bail to face court again on July 5.

Grace Ilbery faced court on Wednesday Picture: Blockade Australia

Environmental Protestor Blocks Coal Train Line at Kooragang

BY OLIVIA DILLON 

An environmental activist is protesting in Newcastle this morning, blocking off trains at a vital rail bottleneck. 

The Blockade Australia protestor is suspended from a tri-pod above the trainline, blocking access to the Kooragang Island terminals at the Port of Newcastle. 

Zelda Grimshaw from Blockade Australia, says the organisation believes the entire network of systems Australia has in place to exploit and extract, including, but not limited to, coal, is a problem for the climate. 

"We're hoping to build a resistance movement that will continue to disrupt the destructive machine that is Australia, until we get a system in place that can sustain life," she said. 

Ms. Grimshaw says it's part of a coordinated action, aimed at ending climate destruction. 

"Our young person will be up there as long as she possibly can. She's in a very inaccessible position where she is, so I think it will take them a while to get her down." 

The protest has been reported to Newcastle police, and it's believed they are on the scene. 

BREAKING! More Protesters Charged With Disrupting Coal Operations At Kooragang Island

 BY IAN CROUCH

Police have again been called to the Port Waratah Coal Loaders on Wednesday morning where two people have attached themselves to equipment out of reach of officers. 

It comes after Police arrested two protesters overnight at the Port Waratah coal loaders.

Officers were called to Kooragang Island around 6.00pm on Tuesday.

They arrived to find a 22 -year-old man glued to a coal loader, while a 25-year-old woman was using an abseil to disrupt the operation of the coal loader,

Coal transport operations were halted for around two hours while the Police Rescue Squad worked to remove the man and woman from the equipment.

The pair were taken to Newcastle Police Station where they were charged with hinder working of mining equipment and enter enclosed non-agricultural lands.

They've been refused bail to face Newcastle Local Court today (Wednesday 17 November 2021).

21 people have now been charged with causing disruptions to the rail network.

Two protesters were removed from a coal reclaimer at Kooragang Island  Picture Getty Images.