No place for oil and gas companies at SA’s premier sports events
Extinction Rebellion Australia, 2 Feb 2022
XR SA rebels staged banner drops at the Tour Down Under Stage 2, with lots of support from the public and cyclists.
The Australian Open has dropped Santos as a sponsor and now the pressure is on for the Tour Down Under to do the same.
Banner drops at Echunga Road and the finish line for the Stage 2 Race, and other actions by XR South Australia challenged the social license of Santos at the Santos Festival of Cycling.
A company that pursues the most polluting oil and gas projects in the world, does not fulfil its tax obligations and continually ignores the wishes of Traditional Owners does not deserve any community support.
Santos continues to pursue massive oil and gas expansion in Australia and around the globe. Their actions will drive global emissions to tipping points from which there is no return. EventsSA must find a new naming rights sponsor for the Festival of Cycling/Tour Down Under in 2023. XR SA says it’s time for EventsSA to read the room. People don’t like it. Taking sponsorship from Santos for the TDU Festival of Cycling is like taking Big Tobacco sponsorship for Little Athletics.
XR SA promotion for a family-friendly, peaceful action at the Festival of Cycling Village in Tarntanyangga explained: “We love cycling. We love cyclists. We don't love that this great cycling event is partnering with dirty fossil fuel company Santos. We want Santos to stop expanding their damaging oil and gas extraction projects, start listening to Traditional Owners, and stop fuelling climate change.
“If you are proud of SA's leadership in renewable energy, our world-class food and wine, and pristine natural beauty, and want to see this showcased instead of Santos' fracking fields - then join us.”
The XRSA stall set up on the footpath outside the Willunga Environment Centre during the Festival of Cycling invited passers-by to say what SA wonders they would rather showcase than a fossil fuel company. Ideas included renewable energy, South Australia’s great food and wine, beautiful coastline and beaches and SA’s unique marine and land-based species.
