Antinuclear

Mining Corporations’ lackey Martin Ferguson undermining Australia’s democratic rights

His moves to spy on peaceful anti-coal protesters is a clear case of ideology politics trumping democratic principal.

Let’s hope that he comes to feel the impact of his political manoeuvres on Election Day.

Democratic freedoms under attack from Ferguson, The Drum, James Norman, 17 Jan 12,  In Australia in 2012, it seems that all pernicious roads lead to Martin Ferguson. Whether it’s selling uranium to India, dumping radioactive waste on Indigenous people in the Northern Territory or spying on peaceful protesters – chances are it has his fingerprints all over it.

In a Machiavellian twist, it seems Mr Ferguson is better able to advance his rapacious anti-environmental, pro-resource extraction agenda within Gillard’s Labor Government than his counterparts on the other side of politics – even though the Coalition would seem a better fit.

The latest revelations that Martin Ferguson has authorised spying on environmental protesters is just his latest salvo to undermine the right and might of peaceful protesters to take a stand against Australia’s continued reliance on fossil fuels…….
In truth, one of Hazelwood’s eight coal burners was delayed for a
matter of hours as protesters blockaded its entry. The action caused
no disruption what so ever to the state’s power supply, it is
estimated to have affected approximately 0.5 per cent of power on a
low energy intensive day. Yet it was on the back of this that Minister
Ferguson evoked the language of terrorism and caste a group of
peaceful protesters as enemy combatants worthy of communist style
surveillance.

No matter where you might sit on the political or environmental
spectrum, such tactics should be a real concern to anyone who values
democratic freedom in Australia.

The real story here is that the protests at Hazelwood in 2009 and 2010
were successful in drawing national and international attention to
this dinosaur of a power station. Successive state governments have
since agreed to shut the power station down due to overwhelming
community protest (the shutdown could take place as soon as the end of
2012 according to a recent Environment Victoria report).

Martin Ferguson has made a show of political brinkmanship by doing
everything in his power to demonstrate to the industry that he will
not sit back and let a bunch of greenies dictate government energy
policy.

His moves to spy on peaceful anti-coal protesters is a clear case of
ideology politics trumping democratic principal.

Let’s hope that he comes to feel the impact of his political
manoeuvres on Election Day.
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/3773418.html

January 17, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | General News