Greenpeace takes action against ANZ - Australia's dirtiest bank

Hanging out for change!

Tuesday, 19 April Australia's dirtiest bank – ANZ – has been re-branded by Greenpeace climbing activists this morning.

Right now, Greenpeace climbing activists are suspended in the ANZ atrium at its commercial centre in Collins Street, Melbourne. Below them are hundreds of ANZ staff and other downtown workers watching the spectacle while tucking into their lunch. The activists have hung a huge banner displaying the new logo and tagline of Australia's dirtiest bank: 'ANZ: We pollute your world.'

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ANZ is the largest financer of polluting coal power in Australia. Banks like ANZ are in a powerful position to decide whether Australia builds a new generation of dirty coal power stations; or, if Australia joins the clean energy revolution. ANZ's decisions affect us all and we can help the big bank – which claims to 'live in your world' – make the right decisions.

We're taking action today because time is critical. There are currently plans to build 11 new coal power stations around Australia. If ANZ makes a commitment to not finance any of them, it will be part of the solution to climate change – rather than the problem. But ANZ needs to put its money where its mouth is.

Despite spruiking its sustainability credentials, ANZ has poured over $1.6 billion dollars into coal mines, coal ports and coal power stations over the past five years. We're calling on ANZ to clean up its act and rule out financing a new generation of polluting coal power stations in Australia.

The action today is an escalation of our campaign, building on activities that have taken place at ANZ branches all over Australia. Hundreds of volunteers, community members and activists have taken to the streets in a variety of creative peaceful protests to pressure the big bank.

View images from community actions

While governments dither on climate change action, we're urging big businesses like ANZ to stand with the Australian community and lead the way to a clean energy future.

Take more action against Australia's dirtiest bank.

Follow the action and join in the conversation on Facebook or on Twitter - #dirtybanks. Or see the live Facebook and Twitter feeds below for the latest updates.

Yesterday we were pumped up!

Wednesday, 30 March - Yesterday our massive inflatable cooling tower really couldn't go unnoticed by staff and management. What will we think of next?

Another day but the same message, no financing of new coal power stations, use this opportunity to become leaders in the banking sector and move towards a clean energy future.

Take more action against Australia's dirtiest bank.

On your bike ANZ

Picture: ANZ AGM Adelaide Activists hand out Bruning Globe award

Tuesday, 29 March - Yesterday it was Men In Black who caught the attention of ANZ staff and management.

Today it was a cycling convoy. Cyclists took the message 'ANZ pollutes your world' and rode it around ANZ's HQ and Melbourne streets. They chatted and handed out information to ANZ staff and passersby, urging them to support our campaign. We're calling on ANZ – currently the dirtiest bank in Australia – to rule out financing new coal power stations. So get on your bike ANZ and lead the way to a clean energy future.

Take more action against Australia's dirtiest bank.

(Wo)Men In Black pay a visit to ANZ staff for some covert business…

Monday, 28 March - At the bank's Melbourne HQ this morning, Greenpeace dressed as secret agents alerted staff to ANZ's dirty little secret.

Our campaign to target the dirty money behind dirty power is back in full swing. Yesterday, (Wo)Men In Black paid a visit to ANZ staff for some covert business. They urged staff to check out our new website www.anzsecrets.org.au and join the campaign to get ANZ to stop financing polluting coal power.

Our ANZ Secrets website allows staff, who want to be proud of where they work for, to take part in our campaign. It encourages them to share ideas or information that can help pressure ANZ into becoming a clean energy leader. Yet ANZ management had a different idea. Within four hours, they blocked staff viewing our site. If ANZ feels it has nothing to hide, why such a harsh reaction? Why doesn't it let ANZ staff make up their minds about this campaign?

Staff will be key in helping convince ANZ to lead the way to a clean energy future. They were key in pressuring ANZ to stop financing the Gunns Pulp Mill in Tassie. And again when ANZ finally ruled out financing the manufacture of cluster bombs last year. Now it's time for ANZ to stand with its staff and with the rest of the Australian community and rule our financing new polluting coal power.

Take more action against Australia's dirtiest bank.

ANZ wins the Burning Globe Award

Friday, 17 December - At the bank's AGM in Adelaide this morning, Greenpeace awarded the inaugural Burning Globe Award to ANZ CEO Mike Smith look-alike for polluting our world.

ANZ is the biggest financer of polluting coal power in Australia and despite coming under fire from shareholders, customers and the public, it refuses to rule out financing new coal power stations. Greenpeace volunteers are at the AGM distributing information to shareholders and working with them to question the bank on its polluting policies.

Why won't ANZ rule out financing new coal power stations when it poses financial, reputation, and environmental risks?
Why does the bank claim to be environmentally sustainable if it insists on financing an energy source that is the biggest contributor to global warming?
Why did ANZ ask for a confidentiality clause on a recent financial deal to prolong the life of the old polluting Muja coal power station? What else is it hiding?

Although ANZ takes out the 'honour' of Australia's dirtiest bank, it is not alone. The other big banks – Westpac, NAB and Commonwealth – are also guilty of propping up pollution. Greenpeace and sympathetic shareholders have attended these bank's AGMs, mostly held this week, to seek a commitment to rule out financing new coal power. Chairmen and directors came under sustained questioning about their polluting lending practices. While no bank has yet to make the commitment, they are definitely feeling the heat and are struggling to justify their role in financing polluting coal.

Also this week, four Greenpeace activists attended court for hanging a banner off ANZ's Queensland HQ. They pled guilty to Unregulated High Risk Activity, but the Magistrate didn't record a conviction – vindicating their right to protest.

This festive season, we're asking ANZ to be the responsible corporate citizen it should be. Rather than being part of the global warming problem, it needs to be part of the solution. Help ANZ make the New Year's resolution to stop financing new coal power stations in Australia.

ANZ feeling the heat in Sydney

Tuesday, 7 December - At 7.30am Greenpeace activists re-branded ANZ as Australia's dirtiest bank – right in front of its NSW HQ in Martin Place.

The activists scaled 12 metre flagpoles, hung our re-branded banner and shone a spotlight on the offending bank.

"ANZ claim to be sustainable, but in fact, it is the biggest financer of polluting power in Australia," said Greenpeace Campaigner John Hepburn. "We're helping ANZ begin a new era of honesty with its customers."

The peaceful action is part of Greenpeace's campaign to convince ANZ to become a responsible corporate power. We want ANZ to make a commitment not to finance new coal power in Australia.

ANZ says it is "committed to fund only new projects that can be developed and operated according to sound social and environmental standards." But over the past five years, it poured $1.6 billion into polluting coal power and refuses to rule out more of the same.

ANZ is deceiving its customers. Just last month it was revealed that the bank insisted on a confidentiality clause on a secret $150 million deal to prop up Australia's second dirtiest power station – the 40-year-old Muja plant in WA. –This took place only two weeks after ANZ boasted winning the Dow Jones Sustainability Award.

You can tell your bank to stop the sustainability spin – email or call your bank, we've gathered all the details to make this simple and easy to do.

"ANZ has got away with greenwash for too long," said Hepburn. "It can't claim to be a sustainable bank while financing new polluting power. If ANZ is serious about 'living in our world,' it would help if it stopped trying to ruin it."

Rather than propping up polluting power, ANZ is in a position to lead the way to a safe, renewable energy future. Tell ANZ to stand with the Australian community and make a commitment not to invest in new coal power.

Follow the action and join in the conversation on Facebook or on Twitter - #dirtybanks. Or see the live Facebook and Twitter feeds below for the latest updates.
Read the Pillars of Pollution: How Australia's big four banks use your money to fund polluting power.

In the news...

SMH: Banks put on notice over coal power

Activists send message to ANZ state HQ in Brisbane

Thursday, 21st October - Four Greenpeace activists scaled ANZ's Brisbane state HQ to hang a giant banner displaying Australia's dirtiest bank's new logo and tagline:

'ANZ: We Pollute Your World'

While all the Big Four banks are some of the biggest financiers of pollution, ANZ is the biggest of them all, having poured nearly $1.6 billion dollars into coal ports, mines and power stations over the past five years.

Read the Pillars of Pollution: How Australia's big four banks use your money to fund polluting power.

It's time the big banks came clean on their investments, and started using your money to invest in a clean energy future, instead of the polluting power of the past.

You can tell your bank to stop the sustainability spin – email or call your bank, we've gathered all the details to make this simple and easy to do.

The new logo we designed for ANZ is currently being displayed at their Brisbane HQ, corner of Creek and Queen Streets, Brisbane. We are handing out information to staff and customers, and urging ANZ to stand with the community by refusing to finance new coal fired power stations.

In the news...

Greenpeace illuminates ANZ as Australia's dirtiest bank

Tuesday 19th October - Greenpeace launched a new campaign to illuminate the role of ANZ as the biggest financier of polluting coal power in Australia.

Greenpeace activists projected a redesigned ANZ logo and tag line "We Pollute Your World" onto a cooling tower at Yallourn - the third most polluting power station in Australia and one of ten across the country financed by ANZ over the last five years.

A new report we commissioned exposed the role the big four banks play in propping up pollution. While Commonwealth, NAB and Westpac are all big dirty players, ANZ is the largest financer of coal in Australia.

Over the past five years, ANZ has poured nearly $1.6 billion dollars into coal infrastructure and is the biggest financier of coal power stations and coalmines.

This is despite ANZ topping the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for four years running and adopting a policy to be carbon neutral.

"ANZ have made much of its environmental awards," said Greenpeace campaigner, John Hepburn. "But these are meaningless if the bank continues to pour billions into financing pollution."

"We are at a major turning point," said Hepburn. "Today, we are faced with a new generation of 12 new polluting coal plants in the pipeline. That's why we are asking ANZ CEO, Mike Smith, to commit not to finance new coal power stations in Australia."

We're calling on ANZ to stand with the Australian community and make a commitment not to invest in new coal power. It has the power to lead us towards a clean energy future.

How you can help

Let ANZ know what you think of their dirty behaviour. Email ANZ CEO Mike Smith using our online email tool. It's easy to do and will only take two minutes.