Climate activists have again held a demonstration in front of Kiama’s NAB branch following a report by climate change researchers, Market Forces, that has identified NAB as the ‘bank of choice’ for the coal industry.

Members of Move Beyond Coal – a group which aims to achieve a cessation of coal mining by 2030 – and the national multifaith group, Australian Religious Response to Climate Change (ARRCC), began their dispute with NAB in March [Kiama joins NAB coal protest] when protests were held around the nation in an attempt to stop NAB funding the leading Australian producer of coal, Whitehaven Coal.

According to climate activists, NAB has increased its fundings of the fossil fuel industry by $4.5 million and is currently negotiating a $110 million loan with Whitehaven Coal for its expansion.

In response to the report on the 'Big 4 Banks' and their lending to fossil fuels, Move Beyond Coal and ARRCC members visited Kiama and Nowra NAB branches to deliver copies of the report’s findings to management and staff.

A spokesperson for the group, John Brentnall expressed his disappointment that despite NAB requesting feedback from customers and other stakeholders on their commitment to addressing climate change, the managers of the branches at Nowra and Kiama were unwilling to accept copies of the Market Forces report.

“NAB’s Stakeholder Engagement policy, available on its website, states that: 'we [NAB] value constructive feedback and engagement with a wide range of stakeholders', however, this was not how we experienced the NAB at local branches yesterday,” Mr Brentnall says.