Speaking at the formation meeting in Port Macquarie, Climate Change Australia Hastings branch president Harry Creamer said everything about the project ‘stinks’.

“Yet the rich and powerful are not listening,” he told the crowd at last week’s launch at the Glasshouse.

“For them, there is no red line they will not cross. No limits to the destruction of the (Great Barrier) Reef, the land, water resources, traditional culture, tourism jobs and disruption to local communities, they are not prepared to unleash to realise their coal dreams.

“No amount of commonsense will change their minds. 

“Yet the evidence is compelling. The Adani mine is the whitest of white elephants. A final decision is due soon – they need to raise $10 billion just for phase one.

“Most banks have said no, leaving Westpac sitting on the fence. We will join in non-violent actions targeting Westpac in May.”

Mr Creamer said two thirds of Australians oppose this project but as we know, we no longer live in a democracy where politicians listen to the people.

He pointed to ‘the rash of promises made by the Queensland Labor government – all approvals granted, unlimited rights to any amount of underground water at no cost, and even perhaps, a royalty holiday’.

“We can assume that as a multi-structured trans-national corporation, there will be no federal company tax payable,” Mr Creamer added.

He called on the federal government to hold a plebiscite on the matter.

Mr Creamer said the mine is opposed by the traditional owners and would put the Great Barrier Reef in further jeopardy.

He said the mine would also threaten tourism jobs while the size of the proposed mine beggars belief – about 450 square kilometres, equivalent to an area from Port Macquarie to Kempsey, and nine kilometres wide.​