Press release – 21 October, 2010Greenpeace activists have ended today’s protest at ANZ after the company agreed to high level discussions on the future financing of polluting power.The climbers had been in place since 8.15 am (EST) this morning, having scaled ANZ’s Queensland HQ to hang a giant banner displaying Australia’s dirtiest bank’s new logo: ‘ANZ: We Pollute Your World"
The redesigned logo reflects ANZ’s status as the biggest financier of coal power stations and coal mines in Australia.
"We’re pleased ANZ is prepared to discuss their dirty energy funding. Australians want to see their savings invested in large-scale clean energy projects for the future, not the last gasps of dirty industries," said Greenpeace Campaigner John Hepburn.
"The community can see through ANZ’s sustainability spin, and want them to simply put their money where their mouths are. ANZ should be true sustainability leaders, and publically announce they won’t finance any new polluting coal power stations," Mr Hepburn said.
A report released by Greenpeace last week, Pillars of Pollution, reveals that while all four of Australia’s big banks are major financers of coal, ANZ is officially the dirtiest bank in Australia.
Over the past five years, ANZ has poured nearly $1.6 billion dollars into coal infrastructure.
The four activists, who have all been arrested, are Frank Deevson, Cat Dorey, Kristen MacDonald and James Mather.
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Notes:
Greenpeace report: Pillars of Pollution: How Australia’s Big Four Banks are Propping Up Pollution
http://www.greenpeace.org.au/climate/pdf/Climate_Banking_Report_Final.pdf