Big international banks have publicly backed out of funding the destruction of the Great Barrier Reef, but now our government is secretly lobbying them to change their minds.
Our government should be protecting our already vulnerable Reef, not advocating for its destruction.
If we're to make sure these mystery banks don't bend to Tony Abbott's will, we need to find out which ones the government's been talking to so we can keep up the pressure.
Tell the Abbott government to disclose the list of big banks that it's been lobbying.
The government is hell-bent on expanding the already huge coal port at Abbot Point, which is smack bang in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef. One bank after another has balked at financing the project -- these banks are starting to realise that this is an unprofitable venture that could damage their international reputations. No bank wants to be known as the one destroying a stunning, natural wonder of the world.
But now, the gains we've made could be under threat. Nick Minchin, our consul general in New York and former Minister in the Howard Government, has made stealthy visits to big banks' headquarters to "discuss" the coal terminal.
We can stop this.
It starts with finding out just which banks the government is lobbying. Then, we can amp up the pressure on these banks to make sure they don't cave to Tony Abbott. But we need to act quickly if we're to stop the banks from changing their minds. SumOfUs members have already come together to stop major international banks like Citibank from sacrificing our Reef. And this time, we'll do it again.
Join us -- demand that the Abbott government release the list of banks it has been lobbying.
Let's stop this corporate destruction of our Great Barrier Reef.
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More information:
Nick Minchin lobbies foreign banks over Abbot Point investment, The Guardian, 11 February 2015
'Thousands' rally for banks to rule out reef projects, The Courier Mail, 14 February 2015