The New South Wales coal industry has strongly criticised plans for a pro-Palestinian protest involving a mass paddle-out in Newcastle Harbour next weekend. The event forms part of the broader 'People's Blockade of the World's Largest Coal Port,' organised by activist groups including Rising Tide, City of Sydney for Palestine, and Mums for Palestine.
Protest Details and Industry Backlash
Organisers are promoting the 'Paddle out for Palestine' as a peaceful, on-water action scheduled for next Saturday. Participants are encouraged to bring kayaks and fly Palestinian and Lebanese flags to oppose all coal trade with Israel. A social media post from the groups describes it as a 'non-arrestable action' and links the fight against fossil fuels to global justice, stating that 'the same colonial and extractivist forces driving the horrific genocide in Palestine are also destroying the planet's life support systems.'
However, the protest has drawn sharp condemnation from the state's mining sector. Stephen Galilee, chief executive of the NSW Minerals Council, slammed the event, citing Rising Tide's 'lack of credibility.' He pointed to official data showing that NSW has exported no coal to Israel in the current year, and only a minuscule amount in 2024.
The Data Behind the Dispute
The conflict centres on the actual volume of coal exports. According to Coal Services data, a single shipment of 130,000 tonnes of coal was sent from the Port of Newcastle to Israel on September 24, 2024. This shipment represented less than 0.1 per cent of the port's total coal exports for that year.
Mr Galilee reinforced this, stating, 'There were also no NSW coal exports to Israel in 2023.' A spokeswoman for the Newcastle Coal Infrastructure Group confirmed its company had not loaded any vessel destined for Israel in the past three years, adding that subsequent trades after coal leaves Newcastle are outside its control.
Activist Justifications and Wider Context
In response, Zack Schofield, a spokesman for Rising Tide, defended the planned action. He told the Newcastle Herald that Australia has a duty under international law to act to prevent genocide, which includes 'halting the supply of energy and weapons to states charged with genocide.' He framed the protest as a consistent extension of the group's climate activism, saying, 'Rising Tide stands with anyone taking peaceful action to protect lives.'
The protest is not the first to link the harbour's coal exports to international conflicts. The Newcastle Herald has previously reported on concerns regarding the shipment of F-35 fighter jet parts from RAAF Base Williamtown to Israel, highlighting the complex ways in which Australian exports can become entangled in global disputes.
As the date for the harbour blockade approaches, the clash of ideologies between environmental and social justice activists and the powerful resources sector is set to play out dramatically on the waters of Newcastle.
