Kingsford Smith protesters heated over hot topic climate
School students protested outside Kingsford Smith MP Matt Thistlethwaite’s office on Friday, just days after Randwick Council declared a state of ‘climate emergency’.
Southern Courier
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Students joined protesters outside Kingsford Smith federal Labor MP Matt Thistlethwaite’s office on Friday, calling for greater action to halt climate change.
About a dozen teenagers from Randwick Girls High School, and two youngsters from Bondi Beach Public School, held signs and met with Mr Thistlethwaite as part of the School Strike 4 Climate’s National Day of Action.
They were joined by climate activists from local organisations including Stop Adani Maroubra, Little Bay and Coogee.
Stop Adani Coogee group’s Dorothee Babeck said about 60 people stood together outside the office, showing climate change was an issue that is “burning” in the community.
Friday’s strikes were held outside the offices of federal MPs to highlight the issue ahead of next weekend’s election.
“They (MPs) need to know how their electorate thinks,” Ms Babeck said.
“This is a concern that everyone identifies with.”
She said Mr Thistlethwaite was supportive of the residents’ concerns over the impacts of climate change.
However, Ms Babeck said he stumbled when pressed on Labor’s controversial plan for a $1.5 billion gas pipeline in Queensland and the Northern Territory.
“Unfortunately Matt said he didn’t know much about it,” she said.
The student strikes have called for three actions from the next government: no Adani coalmine, having 100 per cent renewables by 2030 and no new fossil fuel projects.
It came three days after Randwick councillors supported a motion to declare a state of “climate emergency”, saying it was an issue requiring urgent action from all levels of government.
The motion was successful nine votes to five, with councillor Harry Stavrinos arguing against the motion as he believed it should not be a priority of the council.
However, several residents attended the meeting to show their support for the motion from Greens councillor Philipa Veitch, which called for a report into how council can address the “climate emergency” at a local level.
Solar energy researcher at the University of NSW, Oliver Kunz said the council had shown “outstanding” leadership.
“I am a very concerned Randwick resident and father of a lovely six-year-old daughter,” he said.
“The scientific evidence on climate change and human caused mass-extinctions has become so overwhelming and pressing that I now feel permanently distressed about my daughter’s … future on our rapidly heating and dying planet earth.”
Allan Brcic from South Coogee, told councillors last Tuesday that they were acting on behalf of the next generation.
“When you vote on this motion, please don’t just think about me,” he said. “Please think about my children — and perhaps more relevant to you, think about your children.”
Randwick became the 17th council in Australia, and more than 500 worldwide, to declare a state of climate emergency.
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