‘Not council’s role’: Randwick Council backs student climate strike
Two councillors walked out of Randwick Council’s last meeting refusing to take part in a vote to support a student climate strike, which they believe encourages wagging.
Southern Courier
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Randwick Council has been accused of encouraging children to skip school after voting to support the upcoming School Strike 4 Climate.
Two councillors walked out of the council’s last meeting on Tuesday refusing to take part in the vote to support the strike.
The remaining councillors voted to publicly declare the council’s principle support for the student-led event — consistent with the council’s climate emergency declaration — which will be held on September 20 from 12pm to 2pm at The Domain in Sydney’s CBD.
The event will likely see thousands of students skip school to take part and put pressure on the Federal Government to address climate change.
The strike has been scheduled three days prior to the UN Emergency Climate Summit and similar strikes will be staged worldwide.
As part of the motion, Randwick Council also voted to encourage community participation in the strike and for all available councillors to attend.
However, Councillor Anthony Andrews highlighted that under section 23 of the Education Act of 1990 it is an offence for a parent to fail to send their child to school.
“Encouraging parents to take kids out of school and take them to a demonstration or strike … you are asking parents to commit a criminal offence,” he said.
“It is not council’s role to encourage people to attend demonstrations or rallies.
“This motion should have been ruled out. It has nothing to do with Randwick Council.”
He said it was also setting a bad example encouraging students to skip school and both he and councillor Tony Bowen decided to walk out of the meeting rather than take part in the vote.
However, Councillor Noel D’Souza said it was vital to take a stand over such a big issue.
“We inherit the earth from previous generations and we have an obligation to pass it on in reasonable condition to future generations,” he said.
“Led by our young and future generations, this strike will demand national action and local councils have a decisive role to play by declaring their support for the strike.”
Councillor Philipa Veitch agreed and said she attended a similar strike in March with her two sons and it was a wonderful event attracting thousands of people.
International Grammar School student Hugo Griscti spoke to council on Tuesday urging it to get behind the strike.
“Left without interruption the people responsible for this disaster (climate change) will not make necessary changes in time,” he said.
“The specific goal (of the strike) is to keep the average temperature from exceeding an increase of 1.5C from the pre-industrial average.
“This is only possible if we become carbon neutral before 2050.”
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