Blockade Australia, a notoriously disruptive climate activist group, has made an outlandish statement that denounces the name of Australia and claiming it represents ‘oppressive and exploitative’ systems.
The group, which is known for its aggressive and disruptive tactics, made the statement in response to the Australian government’s decision to allow the Adani Carmichael coal mine to go ahead.
Blockade Australia claims that the name ‘Australia’ is derived from the Latin word ‘australis’, meaning ‘southern’, and that it is a ‘colonial construct’ which is ‘rooted in oppression and exploitation’.
The group goes on to claim that the country was ‘founded on the genocide of Indigenous peoples’ and that it is ‘built on the backs of slaves’.
Blockade Australia’s statement has been met with criticism from many quarters, with some accusing the group of being ignorant of history and of making false claims.
Four tiles were released by Blockade Australia on their Twitter and Facebook social media pages just two days after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
“Australia is not the name of this continent,” reads one of the four slides.
“Australia doesn’t refer to this land, these waters, or the many communities that calls this place home.
“Australia is the name of the economic and political systems which work to oppress and exploit this continent and its peoples.
“These systems are complex, corrupt, and have been designed to maximise extraction and maintain hierarchies of power. They have been in place since invasion.”
The group has been active in protesting against coal mines and other fossil fuel projects in Australia.