XRSA September Newsletter

Greetings Rebels,

Welcome to the XRSA September Newsletter. We hope this email finds you safe and well.

Today marks the Spring equinox, a time where our days begin to fill with more daylight and warmth. As the darkness of Winter recedes many feel a building of imaginative and creative energy.

Beyond the changing seasons we have reasons to feel buoyed. Yesterday we saw China vow to stop financing new coal plants beyond its borders, in what’s been described as a “Killer blow” to the Australian thermal coal industry. We also saw a shareholder revolt at AGL, Australia’s largest corporate greenhouse gas emitter, as 55% of investors defied the board in support of a motion for decarbonisation.

This is all happening in a moment of rising far-right extremism, heavy handed and violent policing. As XRSA spokesperson Ben Brooker wrote in a recent piece for Overland, the failure to “build solidarity over such tactics will only ensure the creep and normalisation of their use”.

It is imperative that we pull together and build solidarity. That’s why XRSA is leading a collaborative, “movement of movements” outreach venture called the Festival of Climate Action. Bringing together a unique coalition of community groups around the climate crisis.

Locally, we have lots planned for the coming months. If you’re able, please join us this Sunday for our All-In meeting. Let’s do this together!

Next Steps for New Rebels

Watch the Heading for Extinction Presentation (upcoming event, recording)
Come to our monthly All-In Meeting this Sunday
Get trained in non-violent civil disobedience.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!
If possible, support us through a once off or recurring donation.

Festival of Climate Action

The Festival of Climate Action is just 3 weeks away and is creating quite the buzz! We have over 20 groups involved including such diverse groups as SA Unions, Hutt St Centre and the Adelaide Festival Centre.

A grant of $2000 from Adelaide City Council has been approved to help cover our costs. We are still in need of more funds though – an event like this has many hidden costs. Please donate and share the crowdfunding campaign.

You can still book a session you’d like to run over the weekend. We are looking specifically for children’s activities and perhaps some meditational/stillness options for those needing a space of reflection. If you could run something for a small group, that would be a great contribution.

We need everyone to volunteer a few hours – many hands make light work.

Please let us know which role/s and times you can commit to using the roster or contact Izzy at izzy_jane@protonmail.com or @izzy_jane on Mattermost (XR’s internal communication platform).

Specific request: We need an electrician to check the site before the event starts. Do you know anyone who could do this for free or low cost?

Event program due for release on Wed 29th. Sign up on the website to receive updates.

Recent Actions

Museum of Economic Complicity

On Father’s Day rebels held a funeral procession highlighting the dirty partnership between the Adelaide Botanic Gardens and Santos. The procession ended with eulogy for the species lost since both parties entered into a partnership, one that lends social consent to dangerous oil and gas projects.

Our demand is that organisations like the Botanic Garden – a cherished Adelaide icon with the internationally recognised jewel The Museum of Economic Botany at its heart – reject fossil fuel money and the naming rights it buys. Santos’ sponsorship is not in keeping with the spirit or letter of the Garden’s charter, which emphasises the profound importance of conserving the natural world and taking action on the climate crisis.

It’s worth noting that these partnerships are the result of aggressive lobbying by Santos for changes to caps on company ownership. In 2007 Santos entered into a “Deed of Understanding” with the Rann government. In exchange for increases to the caps Santos agreed to maintain a significant presence in South Australia and commit to a Social Responsibility and Community Benefits fund of $60 million. They’re not doing this out of the goodness of their hearts.

Watch Livestream | Watch Action Video | View Photos

Stitch It. Don’t Ditch It.

Rebels returned to Rundle Mall for our second ‘Stitch It. Don’t Ditch It.’ street stitching action. Forming a line of over 20 stitchers sitting in chairs as they mended clothes, sewed patches and talked to passersby.

The line started in front of H&M, the world’s second largest clothing retailer. While H&M does offer a recycling program it is widely seen as green washing. They recycle an extremely tiny fraction of what they sell. Recycling is an important part of solution but the fashion industry will never be sustainable if they don’t address the vast amounts of clothing they produce.

With emissions of 2 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year it’s clear that the global fashion industry needs to act now.

Video of Street Stitchers | View Photos

Don’t NAB Our Future Actions

Rebels have continued to keep the pressure on NAB in the lead up to their oil and gas policy announcement. We recently adopted a new branch in Unley and have continued regular actions at branches in Adelaide and Edwardstown.

These actions have involved not just spray chalking, holding banners and chants but conversations with customers, the public and NAB staff. We know the pressure is working and look forward to an announcement soon.

Head to the Don’t NAB Our Future website to find out how to get involved.

Reclaim Our Future

Starting 16th October there will be a series of peaceful, spectacular, disruptive and sacrificial actions – in Canberra and across the country (where it is safe to do so). Covid restrictions will be a challenge to numbers in some locations, but it has already been demonstrated that, even with a small number of dedicated rebels, a lot can be achieved.

For October, all climate activists are invited to get involved in Reclaim Our Future. There will be a range of actions – from pram parades and grandparent actions to high-level civil disobedience.

After MPs return to their electorates on 29 October, a further wave of actions in state capitals will begin, escalating during the 12 days of the COP (November 1-12). These will be linked to actions around the world, focusing on a message from the Global South: Your greed is killing us.

Come to our All-In Meeting this Sunday to find out how you can get involved in our local actions.