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Protesters against Whitehaven’s Maules Creek coal mine have kicked off a Halloween-themed campaign on the Tarrawonga haul road. A man dressed as Batman has scaled a tripod blocking the access route to and from Whitehaven’s Tarrawonga coal mine. Phil Evans, 33, a climate campaigner with 350.org and Leard Forest Alliance spokesperson, said he climbed the tripod to call attention to concerns over the Whitehaven mine. “I’m here to call ‘trick or treat’ on Whitehaven coal,” he said. “Whitehaven need to be held responsible for the destruction of the community, water and the climate. “We hope the NSW parliamentary inquiry into the planning process will send the Maules Creek project back to square one.” Fellow Leard Forest Alliance spokesman Murray Drechsler said protesters were calling for a stop to work on the Maules Creek project, and an audit of the planning and approval process.” “ We need a federal level ICAC and we need to take our democracy back,” Mr. Drechsler said. There have been more than 265 arrests this year as part of the campaign against Whitehaven Coal. Whitehaven have said work on the mine is continuing ahead of schedule, with the first coal due to be railed in January.

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