We’ve been helping coordinate the campaign to support Jonathan Moylan – a young man who has been targeted by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission, and threatened with 10 years jail and $765,000 in fines for a simple act of good conscience.
The announcement that ANZ should have made in January 2013 was that they were withdrawing their $1.2 billion from Whitehaven coal. But unfortunately it turned out to be a hoax – Instead their ongoing investment in toxic futures was exposed – and a conversation got started.
We support action in highlighting the issues around coal finance and divestment, and believe that Jono’s actions opened up an important conversation that Australia needs to have. How long are we willing to directly contribute to the root causes of climate change by profiting from coal? And why are our banks using our money to prop up these industries that are directly impacting our future in this way?
It seems divestment is on everyone’s radar these days. From Bill McKibben talking it up on his Australian tour, to Obama, and the European Investment Bank… coal is now being seen for what it is – a bad investment in so many ways.
Jono and Rick Laird, a farmer from Maules Creek, who travelled 500 km to stand at Jono’s side at court on the 23rd July – both got some great media on the day – with an excellent piece on ABC Business news, and prominent pieces on Radio National and the business pages.
You can find out more at the ‘We Stand with Jonathan Moylan‘ facebook page. The Australian Financial Review has noticed the campaign, and the momentum is building, so it would be great to get more hands on deck.