Thirty Years of Creative Resistance - Friends of the Earth Australia

At the film’s premiere, February 6 1973, FoE
issued a detailed analysis of the lies and half
truths told by BHP.
Gabriel Lafitte blew the whistle on the whole
mess. He also provided a very interesting
insight into the workings of large companies.
The debate over cans continued well into 1974,
when another demonstration was staged, this
time with people dressed as Coke cans, in
support of can deposit legislation.
French Tests in the Pacific and
FoE Australia
June 1972 saw a focus on the French nuclear
tests in the Pacific, with a double page spread
in On Dit, a public meeting, and a march from
Elder Park to the French Consulate. This was
the first sign of FoE’s concern with all aspects
of nuclear operations.
At this time, the group at Adelaide Uni wasn’t
officially connected to FoE groups interstate
or overseas. In 1973, FoE at Adelaide Uni was
visited by Peter Hayes, from FoE Melbourne.
He had permission from overseas to use
the name Friends of the Earth in Australia,
and was worried about the illegal use of the
name. Close cooperation developed between
the groups, particularly on the uranium
broadsheets subsequently produced.
FoE Melbourne shared offices with Greenpeace
Australia. In 1974, FoE groups around
Australia organised the national “Greenpeace”
actions against nuclear testing in the Pacific.
Chain Reaction magazine started life as the
Greenpeace Pacific Bulletin in 1974, with the
idea of providing a united front against the
Pacific tests.
RedCliff and Public Transport
1974 saw major campaigns on uranium,
petrochemicals, and public transport. FoE
continued to follow up issues such as RedCliff
- a site on the Gulf which was proposed for a
petrochemical plant. Considerable concern was
expressed about pollution from vinyl chlorides
during the processing.The campaign started in
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July, with a series of broadsheets on Redcliff,
which covered health and employment, effects
on the environment, and ‘Blue waters or
Redcliff”!
About 200 people joined a protest march
on 26 July, from the University to the State
Administration Centre in Victoria Square,
where further access was blocked by police.
FoE also prepared a 15 page submission to the
Redcliff Public Inquiry.
A public transport campaign developed which
involved Friends of the Earth, the Plumbers
and Gasfitters Union, Australian Railways
Union, AFULE, the Cyclist Protection
Committee, the Bowden Brompton Antifreeway
group, the Radical Technology group,
and others. The campaign worked to protect
and improve public transport with stated aims
being:
‘to upgrade public transport and encourage
the use of bicycle transportation as well as
opposing the construction of freeways.’ Some
activists got a car wreck, sprayed it bright
yellow, and deposited it outside the State
Transport Department in Victoria Square to
highlight the dominance of the motor vehicle
in transport planning. A request to University
Council for more bike racks on campus
brought the response, “we don’t want unsightly
bicycles scattered around the place…”
Anti-uranium campaigns
Late 1974 saw discussions with the Australia
Party, and the Plumbers and Gasfitters Union
to set up a Campaign Against Nuclear Energy.
FoE’s uranium subgroup met regularly in
January 1975 and public meetings were held
at the Adelaide CAE. CANE was set up in
the first week of March, and a workshop was
held with Peter Hayes and Dr. John Coulter
on March 15 on the problems associated with
mining uranium. On April 19, CANE held a
demonstration at Elder Park.
Nationally FoE groups participated in the antiuranium
bike ride. On May 20, 150 cyclists
from around Australia converged on Canberra.
FoE 30 Years 100