#climatestrike

Today school students led us in (yet another) climate protest at Sydney Town Hall. I was there. Here are a few photos and a few thoughts.

Lots of people, lots of noise.

Lots of original banners and signs.

Scott Morrison’s support for harmful fossil fuels and lack of effective action on climate change was a particular target.

Several passionate speakers focused on the enormous amounts of money the government spends to prop up the fossil fuel industry, when this money could go to subsidising renewables and assisting re-training and job creation for current coal workers.

There were several aboriginal speakers, and strong sympathy from the crowd for aboriginal peoples whose land was affected by current mining projects.

Many of the speakers drew chants and boos from the crowd. But there were also important facts.

A high school student from Port Macquarie clearly outlined the effect of drought, flood and fire on his community, and the impacts of climate change around the world. A Samoan woman shared the perspective of Pacifica nations who are seeing their traditional way of life literally eroded by increasing storm surges and rising water levels.

It is abundantly clear that the Government is divorced from reality and serving fossil fuel companies rather than the interests of Australia. And the Opposition seems scared to live up to its own principles.

There is one solution. Concerned citizens need to express themselves and vote for committed climate-action independents.

Thank you school students. I dearly hope we hand you a world in a better state than it is now.

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