Extinction Rebellion (XR) activists disrupted the start of the Tour Down Under (TDU) Men’s Stage 5 race in Stirling on January 25 in protest at the fossil fuel company Santos’ sponsorship of the event. Five activists were arrested following the action.

XR South Australia also protested the TDU at Willunga and co-organised a rally in Tarntanyangga/Victoria Square with Conservation South Australia.

Cathy Cox and Lucille Bruyand from XR SA told Green Left that they wanted to highlight Santos’ dangerous sportswashing practices,

“Santos and the fossil fuel industry more broadly have merely picked up where Big Tobacco left off; they are using sportswashing to buy public approval and discourage questioning of their abominable track record as a major polluter and a greenhouse gas emitter.”

Cox said XR SA initiated 14 protest actions, including two where they tried to delay the start of the race. Four activists were arrested at Stirling.

“Santos is cashing in on oil and gas operations that drive the worsening of bushfires, floods and dangerous heatwaves. It should not be allowed to greenwash its image by attaching itself to a beloved community event like the TDU.”

The greatest security threat today comes from climate change, Cathy said, and oil, gas, and coal are key drivers. “Fossil fuel execs have known this for decades. Any sponsorship by fossil fuel corporations at this stage in the climate emergency is unconscionable and needs to be outlawed.

“Fossil fuel lobbying has white-anted state and federal governments. If our elected representatives focused on their basic duty of care, they would put an end to all fossil........

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