Zombie koalas invaded bank in protest over funding of coal mine

Zombie koalas invaded a bank in Brisbane, Australia, on Sunday to launch protest action against coal port expansion and coal mining in Queensland. Activist group Beyond Green sent a horde of the undead marsupials into the ANZ branch in the Queen Street Mall as part of its "Animals Now Zombies" campaign.



Spokesman Ben Pennings said they wanted to highlight the risk Galilee Basin coal mines and port expansion projects posed to native animals from the Great Barrier Reef to the Great Artesian Basin. "The last unnecessary coal mine ANZ financed killed koalas and other endangered animals in Leard State Forest," he said.





"These animals will continue to haunt ANZ as zombies until ANZ commit to never finance Galilee Basin coal mining projects." Whitehaven Coal is constructing the Maules Creek Coal Mine in the Leard State Forest in northern New South Wales. Mr Pennings cited an Essential Research Poll released on May 12 that found 63 per cent of people would disapprove of their bank helping to finance coal port expansions on the reef.





82 per cent believed banks should consider the social and environmental projects they fund. "Australians clearly want their financial institutions to keep away from the dangerous port expansions on the Great Barrier Reef," he said. "ANZ should respect their customers wishes and commit to never risk the reef through financing another unnecessary coal mining project."