More than 400 people marched in Gadi/Sydney on World Environment Day on June 5, chanting "No new coal and gas" and "Repeal the anti-protest laws". The protest,聽organised by the Sydney Climate Coalition (SCC), was聽endorsed by more than 50 unions, environmental and political groups.
These included: School Strike for Climate (SS4C), Sydney Knitting Nannas, Workers for Climate Action, Water for Rivers, NSW Nature Conservation Council, , NSW Civil Liberties Council, Wage Peace Disrupt War, Construction Division of the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU), National Tertiary Education Union (NSW), Electrical Trades Union (NSW), Maritime Union of Australia Sydney, NSW Nurses and Midwives Association, Lock and Gate, Amnesty International, Move Beyond Coal, Independent Education Union, Socialist Alliance, Solidarity, NSW Greens, Extinction Rebellion Drummers, Australian Religious Response to Climate Change (ARRCC)聽and Australian Youth Climate Coalition.
Gomeroi man Raymond 鈥淏ubbly鈥 Weatherall told the rally in Hyde Park about the campaign to save the Pilliga Forest from Santos鈥 coal seam gas mining plans.
Weatherall said that defeating Santos would 鈥渋nspire other Aboriginal people to say no, stop coming onto our land and killing it鈥. He said mining companies and governments 鈥渨ork hand-in-hand to destroy every single part of Aboriginal land across this whole country, and it鈥檚 unacceptable.
鈥淓ver since the federal and state Labor governments got in, they've done nothing to support us.聽Climate change is happening out on Gomeroi country right now.聽There has to be a change. With a collective voice, it can happen.
鈥淲e're willing to fight for our country with all our strength. It's happening right now 鈥斅燼ll across Australia, from the Tiwi Islands south鈥.
Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi said Australia was an 鈥渋nternational climate criminal鈥 because of how much coal is exported to other countries. Australia is one of the biggest coal exporters in the world.聽
world_environment_day_sydney_2_peter.jpg
Protesters marched down Macquarie Street, occupying the road outside NSW Parliament for almost an hour. CFMEU Construction Division NSW secretary Darren Greenfield, Olivia Freeman from the Environmental Defenders Office, Deen Kafina from SS4C and Fahimah Badrulhisham from the ARRCC, addressed the crowd highlighting聽the need for urgent action on the climate.
They also called for the draconian anti-protest laws聽across the country,聽which are targeting climate protesters, to be聽scrapped.聽
鈥淭he United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says urgent action to drastically reduce emissions is required to avoid catastrophic climate change. This means an immediate end to the expansion of the fossil fuel industry and a rapid transition to sustainable industries for workers and communities currently reliant on fossil fuels,鈥 the SCC said.
It added that new Labor government must stop聽expanding fossil fuels, including the Santos Pilliga (Narrabri) gas project and stop supporting draconian anti-protest laws 鈥渁imed at stopping climate activism.鈥
world_environment_day_sydney_4_peter.jpg
Sue Bull reports that climate and anti-war activists came together in Djilang/Geelong聽on June 4 for World Environment Day.聽
Speakers included Greens MLC Sarah Mansfield, Andy Meddick from the Animal Justice Party, Jaimie Jeffries from IPAN Geelong & Victoria South West, Tony Gleeson from Extinction Rebellion and Darcy Dunn, a campaigner from Australian Conservation Foundation Community Geelong,聽who has聽been leading the campaign against Viva Energies proposed gas import terminal in Corio Bay.
geelong_climate_rally.jpg
Rally organiser and MC Sarah Hathway said聽the world is facing a 50% chance of rising above 1.5掳C聽within five years.聽
鈥淵ou would think that the federal government would be doing everything it can to limit the climate catastrophe. Instead [environment] minister Tanya Plibersek has recently approved聽a new coal mine in Central Queensland 鈥斅爐he Isaac River coal mine聽鈥斅爓hich will produce about 500,000 tonnes of metallurgical coal each year for five years. She has also allowed three other mines 鈥斅爐wo in New South Wales and one in Queensland 鈥斅爐o proceed to the next stage of environmental assessment.鈥
Mansfield and聽Meddick spoke about the importance of grassroots community campaigns to get MPs聽to take action.
no_new_coal_and_gas.jpg
geelong_climate_chour.jpg
Niko Leka reports that Rising Tide organised a candlelit vigil in聽Muloobinba/Newcastle to mark World Environment Day. More than 40,000 tonnes of coal are exported from Newcastle Port every day.
Rising Tide delivered letters to the CEOs of coal companies, calling on them to suspend coal exports for the day.
He said there was an eerie and solemn atmosphere, while聽speakers were occasionally drowned out by passing coal trains.
Attendees laid out 226 pairs of shoes聽to mark the people who each day will lose their lives due to聽climate change.
Rev Alan Stuart, from聽the Uniting Church,聽said 鈥渨hen you think of the 82,000 people聽[will die from climate change impacts]聽don't think, 'Oh that's 226 a day', think instead: 'Those 226 funerals mean families have been devastated, parents are grieving for their children, children are grieving for their parents.
鈥淣ewcastle contributes so much to climate change and I ask you all to continue your opposition. Only if we can stop climate change can we reduce these horrific statistics.鈥
Retired Minister Doug Hewitt read out a Dolly Parton lyric as a testament to resolve to end coal exports: 鈥淟iar, liar, the world's on fire;聽What'cha gonna do when it all burns down? Fire, fire, burning higher, we still go time to turn it around.鈥
[Rising Tide is聽planning a two-day blockade of Newcastle port over November 25鈥26. Find out .]
rising_tide_vigil.jpg
[The Sydney Climate Coalition is organising a Climate Action Conference on聽July 29, from 11am at Redfern Town Hall, 73 Pitt Street, Redfern. Contact climatecoalionsyd@gmail.com.聽[Rising Tide is聽planning a two-day blockade of Newcastle port over November 25鈥26. Find out .]