The Beagle Editor,
Voices of the South Coast were heard on the lawns of Parliament House this week -- two busloads of Eurobodalla residents travelled to Canberra to tell our federal government that we won’t accept this horrific bushfire season as our way of life.
Members from groups including 350.org Eurobodalla, Australian Parents for Climate Action Eurobodalla, Southcoast Health and Sustainability Alliance (SHASA) and Doctors for the Environment Australia travelled by bus to Tuesday’s Climate Emergency Rally, a part of this week’s People’s Climate Assembly. Australian Parents for Climate Action Canberra also attended with their children, greeting the government with a message: Enough hot air -- our kids need climate action!
Photo by Gillianne Tedder of some of the many South Coast protestors
Diverse groups of protestors -- including students, farmers, doctors, fire fighters, parents, Indigenous Australians and conservative voters -- called on the government to take emergency-level climate action, including deep emissions cuts.
Speakers, including Bruce Shillingsworth, environmentalist Bob Brown, newly-elected Greens leader Adam Bandt, former Liberal leader John Hewson, Bob Hawke’s granddaughter Sophie Taylor-Price and scientist Dr Karl Kruszelnicki spoke of the range of climate solutions that could be broadly implemented right now, if only we had the political will. Yet, our government continues to back coal and gas projects, and to prioritise 'resilience and adaptation' over stronger mitigation measures.
Australia’s horrific bushfires and drought are a preview to a dangerous future and if we don’t stop climate pollution now, things will get worse. In recent weeks my young daughters have endured bushfires threatening their home, days of 40+ temperatures and relentless toxic air quality. Enough is enough –- we are stealing our children’s future. Legitimate climate action means Australia sharply increasing its emissions reductions targets and taking climate solutions to the world. Anything less is simply hot air.
Kathryn McCarthy (Broulee)
Australian Parents for Climate Action Eurobodalla
