ACTIVISTS ARE preparing a campaign to stop a massive new coal mine at Anvil Hill, in the remnant forest of the NSW Upper Hunter region.

Despite the talk of cutting carbon emissions at the recent NSW election, the Iemma government seems determined to expand the state's coal industry.

This is also despite a landmark ruling last November in the Land and Environment Court.

The Court found that impact assessments for new mines had to take into account the effects of carbon emissions produced from the use of coal in energy production.

Now Iemma wants a new coal-fuelled power station-and he wants to privatise the NSW energy retail sector.

Activists will gather in the Hunter on June 3 to form a giant human sign that reads "Save Anvil Hill". Protesters are asked to wear a blue shirt and bring blue ribbons or other blue things.

Fun activities and entertainment are planned for Saturday June 2 and Sunday June 3, with free camping on the Saturday night.

There will be tours of the Anvil Hill site on Saturday and workshops on Anvil Hill, climate change and renewable energy.

Protesters can come anytime after midday on Saturday and camp on a private property right next door to the mine site.

Unfortunately, the federal and NSW governments attempt to portray environmental activists as "anti-jobs".

Instead of putting every effort into tackling the causes of the climate crisis, they continue to defend the interests of the coal capitalists.

They piously wrap this in the language of protecting jobs, despite coal jobs declining sharply with highly mechanised open-cut operations replacing labour intensive underground mines.

Both Labor and the Liberals continue to deny the huge number of hi-tech and trades jobs which would result from developing a renewable energy sector and retro-fitting all homes and businesses with efficient water and energy systems. A just transition from coal to renewable energy manufacture could protect the welfare of all the workers currently in the coal industry.

The truth is that the campaign is arguing against the expansion of the industry, and its phasing out over time.

One way to undermine government attempts to isolate protesters is to link-up with concerns about the proposed electricity sell-off.

A decade ago the NSW government's attempt to privatise the whole industry was beaten by a union revolt at the ALP state conference.

Activists can strengthen the campaign by linking up with the concerns of unionists and also organising demonstrations in Sydney, in solidarity with protests organised in the Hunter.

It's also important that on June 3 activists promote the APEC protest in September, where the federal government plans to bolster Australia's uranium and coal exports across the region.For more information about the protest, contact the Save Anvil Hill Alliance, ben.pearson@au.greenpeace.org or 0407 008 917 www.anvilhill.org.au.

Tom Barnes