'Stop Adani Convoy': Pit Stop Melbourne

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I'm not really a petrol head, but even I was impressed by this beauty - Tesla's electric car. I was also impressed, though not really surprised, that the Stop Adani Convoy features lots of electric cars.
The convoy, with its initial 80 vehicles (to be joined en route by many others), started out from Hobart on Wednesday. And even on Day 1 it was attracting attention, with THE AUSTRALIAN's predictable negative headline trumpeting: 'Bob Brown compares coal miners to heroin dealers as convoy begins'.

 

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Bob Brown is leading the convoy. With the Federal election only weeks away, he and his team have hit the road to argue the anti-Adani case in a range of venues, focusing particularly on the key states of Queensland and New South Wales. The route is Hobart - Devonport - Melbourne - Albury - Sydney - Coffs Harbour - Mullumbimby- Brisbane - Airlie Beach - Galilee Basin - Canberra. And at each of these venues there will be a rally just like yesterday's at Birrarung Marr, with enlightening speakers, entertainment and of course banners galore.

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A highlight of the trip will no doubt be the protest at the proposed site of the Adani mine in the Galilee Basin. After that the convoy will move on to Canberra, where it will stage its final rally outside Parliament House on the 5th May, less than 2 weeks before the election.

Bob has taken this break from his beloved bird-watching and post-politics tranquility to step back into the political limelight because he feels the stakes couldn't be higher: 'The proposed mine is an assault on the right of every young Australian who looks forward to a secure future. This outrageous, job-killing economy-wrecking mine in Queensland is the wrong way for this nation to be going.' Luckily, he is not alone in his concern. Nor his generosity.

At last count almost 2,000 people had enquired about joining the convoy. And this requires no small commitment. All these convoy members are suspending their ordinary lives. Instead in 'an epic act of community defiance for the future of our planet' they have signed on for a 3-week-long, self-funded, extensive and likely arduous road trip. I have no doubt the rewards will be great and that I was not the only person in the audience wishing they were going too. I salute them! Below are photos of a few of them - and their vehicles:

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All the speakers, including Bob Brown himself, Wurundjeri Elder Uncle Dave Wandin, together with representatives from the Australian Conservation Foundation and Tesla shared a positive determined attitude. The organisers of the convoy had decided in advance that a non-partisan approach would maximise their chances of converting listeners to an anti-Adani stance. For that reason, even though there were politicians in the audience, especially Greens, none of them were invited to join the speakers up on the stage. And that is how the rally will proceed. However there will be a single exception to this exclusion clause.

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By trek's end the organisers hope they will be reaching out a hand to help the Opposition Leader, Bill Shorten, join them, to stand tall on stage.