Cairns Regional Parliament: Climate Action Now protesters welcome politicians

Protesters have welcomed politicians with shouts of “climate action now” as they entered the Cairns Convention Centre for the first Queensland Government regional parliamentary sitting in the city in 15 years.

Protesters have welcomed politicians with shouts of “climate action now” as they entered the Cairns Convention Centre for the first Queensland Government regional parliamentary sitting in the city in 15 years.

Protesters chanted “Your climate policy needs a check, your emissions targets are weak as heck”, and “life in Cairns is getting tough, your climate targets aren't enough”.

The demonstration — hosted by Cairns and Far North Environment Centre (CAFNEC) and the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS)— featured around 50 people demanding stronger emissions reduction targets to help protect the Great Barrier Reef and the 64,000 jobs it supports.

Mayari Holland, 8, and her brother Ilaw Holland join their father and other climate change protesters on the street in front of the regional sitting of Queensland parliament, held at the Cairns Convention Centre. Picture: Brendan Radke

AMCS Great Barrier Reef community campaigner Tanya Murphy said: “It’s time for the Queensland Government to take stronger climate action to protect our precious Reef”.

“In the past seven years, the Reef has suffered four mass bleaching events driven by climate-fuelled marine heatwaves,” she said.

“The Queensland Government’s current target of 30% by 2030 is one of the lowest in the country and is not aligned with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C, which is a critical temperature threshold for coral reefs.

“The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s latest report states that in a 2°C warming scenario coral reefs are projected to decline by 99%.

“This puts the Great Barrier Reef and the region’s $6 billion tourism industry in grave danger.”

Cairns and Far North Environment Centre community campaigner Bronwyn Opie and Australian Marine Conservation Society Great Barrier Reef community campaigner Tanya Murphy lead climate change protesters in chants on the street in front of the regional sitting of Queensland parliament, held at the Cairns Convention Centre. Picture: Brendan Radke

CAFNEC’s community campaigner Bronwyn Opie said reporting by Accenture has demonstrated that Queensland could reduce emissions to 60% below 2005 levels by 2030.

“Climate change is the greatest threat to our region’s irreplaceable ecosystems, our coastal communities, and our tourism and agriculture industries. Scientists tell us that we need rapid reductions in emissions to safeguard our future, and 30% by 2030 won’t cut it.”

Cairns GP and member of Doctors for the Environment Australia Nicole Sleeman said that climate change and the health of the community are linked.

“I see the health impacts of climate change in general practice. In Cairns, heat-related illness is on the increase. During heatwaves there are increased ambulance call outs and increased hospital admissions, increased presentations of heat-related illness to general practices,” Dr Sleeman said.

“Climate change is a health issue. The Queensland Governments 30% emissions falls short and puts the health of our community at risk”.

“What we need is emissions reduction in line with the science, to protect human health.”

Originally published as Cairns Regional Parliament: Climate Action Now protesters welcome politicians