A string of protests erupted across the country in angry response to the Federal Government’s announcement yesterday that Australia would only cut its greenhouse gas emissions by between 5 and 15% by 2020. In March, more protests will happen as the Government continues its wrong-headed “pay-the-polluter” approach and fails to start reducing greenhouse emissions. Read more in this post about what happened in December.
Protests erupt across the country.
Three female protestors had to be wrestled from the National Press Club during the announcement of the Governments 5-15% target range. Rising Tide’s Georgina Woods was one of those three and says further protests can be expected.
Protests also occurred at Kevin Rudd’s electoral office in Queensland, and at Climate Change Minister Penny Wong’s office in Adelaide.
Today, further protests are expected at electoral offices of MP’s and Ministers in NSW and Victoria, and a rally is planned at the Commonwealth Government Buildings in Sydney at 11am.
Damien Lawson, from Friends of the Earth Melbourne said, “This is an expression of the community’s disgust with the cringing climate policy Kevin Rudd announced yesterday. If Kevin Rudd doesn’t have the brains or the ticker to choose the Reef, the wetlands and the people over coal and other polluting industries, then he should get out of the way.”
Tessa Dowdell, of the Australian Student Environment Activist Network said, “We have everything to lose by sitting on our hands. Kevin Rudd has very clearly sided with polluting industries over the people of this country and has betrayed the promise on which we elected him.”
Further comment:
Georgina Woods 0438 223 771
Damien Lawson (Victoria) 0419253342
Tessa Dowdell (NSW) 0424 808 639
Step-In to Step it Up on Climate Change 