'Coal Is The P Of The Fuel World' - 'Bomber' Bradbury

Whangarei, Sunday 5 November 2006: Pirate`Climate Rescue' Radio station, Heatwave FM, today issued a challenge to Prime Minister Helen Clark to explain how she intends to lead New Zealand into a carbon-neutral future without first halting the development of proposed coal-fire power station, Marsden B.

Broadcasting from a secret location and streaming live on www.heatwavefm.net until 6pm Monday night, Heatwave FM co-host, Martyn`Bomber' Bradbury, believes Helen Clark is misleading New Zealanders with her recent comments on New Zealand's climate sustainability, and that she also underestimates the strength of feeling from the public.

"It is outrageous and hypocritical - last weekend she announced New Zealand could be a world leader in sustainability and yet she plans to open this dirty, filthy coal-powered station," argues Mr. Bradbury, "Coal is the P of the fuel world, at a time when we are trying to kick our addiction. 'Clean coal' is like 'good cancer', it's an oxymoron."

Heatwave FM has garnered more than 1000 signatures over 36 hours on a letter calling on the Government to take action on climate change. Several NZ community radio stations have now picked up the pirate station and are relaying it out on their networks around the country.

Bradbury, has spent the weekend interviewing people from around the world for the radio station this weekend. A relative newcomer to the issue of climate change, he has been astounded at the growing awareness and numbers of people turning out to call for action on climate change.

"Everyone we talked to - in Sydney, the Netherlands, London, Bulgaria, Sweden, Brussels, Auckland and Darwin - told the same story of exponential growth of concern from the grass roots about this issue. It wasn't just the same old activists turning up. People are saying that they are simply not going to put up with this issue any more."

"The numbers say it all - last year in Sydney there were 1500 people, this year 50,000; last year in Darwin they had 40 - this year 5000. In Wellington there were a few people delivering pamphlets last year - this year there were 2000 people at their event. It was the same story absolutely everywhere."

But in the developing world, the issues were different, he says. "In many developing countries people are fighting for freedom of speech and so many other issues. Everyone keeps pointing to China as the big problem - but Australia is selling them coal - Australia has a vested interest in China continuing to burn fossil fuels."

"We, in the industrialised world, have the responsibility to take the lead - and the first steps will be in Nairobi at the Kyoto talks over the next two weeks."

People can sign onto the open letter (1) by texting 898 with their name and town or through the Heatwave FM website. Names will be added until 6pm on Monday 6 November after which a copy of the letter will be delivered to the New Zealand delegation at the international climate meeting in Nairobi.

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