Contributed by Galilee Blockade

A group of Brisbane Grandparents occupied Queensland Labor HQ for 10 hours on Monday. Prepared with food and bedding, the grandparents vowed to stay until Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk signed a legal letter rejecting the proposed $Ibn loan to Adani.

Under the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Act, the Queensland Government can provide “written notification that financial assistance should not be provided to a project”. The Grandparents for The Galilee personally delivered a legal letter for Annastacia Palaszczuk to sign and send to the NAIF board.

Both the Queensland Labor State Secretary and the Queensland Council of Unions General Secretary were called to negotiate/deal with the Grandparents. The grandparents didn’t budge, demanding the Premier sign the letter to the NAIF board.

Queensland Labor were reluctant to call the police, especially with TV news doing live crosses and media photographers waiting. However, they were happy to hire security who blocked off the grandparents’ access to toilets and supporters. One security guard regularly threatened to drag the grandparents away, threatened to take away bedding and provisions, and man-handled grandparents on 2 different occasions.

Towards midnight we decided to call the police ourselves as the grandparent occupiers were feeling unsafe with the behaviour of the security guard. The occupation ended after 10 hours with vows to return soon.

All the Grandparents involved remember when Australians stood up to save the Daintree, to save Fraser Island, including getting arrested. What makes the ALP think people won’t stand up and do what’s necessary to protect the Reef?

This action was the start of a massive civil resistance. Over 9000 people have committed to direct action against Adani and their friends. Over 2000 of them are grandparents who will fight tooth and nail for their kids and grandkids.