ScoMo in firing line as frustrated students fill streets of Broadbeach
Climate change activists brought streets to a standstill during one of the largest environmental protests the Gold Coast has ever seen — and one student was particularly succinct in how she felt about the problem.
Lifestyle
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CLIMATE change activists brought streets to a standstill during one of the largest environmental protests the Gold Coast has ever seen.
At least 2500 enthusiastic protesters rallied at Victoria Park at Broadbeach on Friday for the Global Climate Strike, coinciding with the School Strike 4 Climate action.
Members of the controversial Extinction Rebellion were among the crowd, but did not resort to their usual disruptive tactics, including gluing themselves to roads.
Students at the protest were frustrated by what they consider government inaction around a critical issue.
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Palm Beach Currumbin State High student Georjie Stegman carried a sign reading “Not old enough to watch porn, but old enough to watch our planet get f----d”.
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Asked if she had a message for Prime Minister Scott Morrison, the student replied: “F--- ScoMo”.
“I guess the whole aim of today was to grab attention and show people we’re not messing around,” she explained.
“We’re not here to make pretty posters though. We want action, and we need it.”
The protest precedes the United Nations Climate Action Summit to be held in New York on Monday.
Mr Morrison has jetted to the US to meet with US president Donald Trump and will reportedly not attend.
Protests across the country were expected to draw up to one million strikers, calling on the Federal Government to commit to no new coal, oil and gas projects in Australia.
Strikers also want to see 100 per cent renewable energy generation and exports by 2030 and the funding of a “just transition” to newly created jobs for fossil fuel industry workers and communities.
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Many at the event were students skipping class, some wearing uniforms.
However, all ages and demographics were at the colourful protest, which was scrutinised by a considerable police presence.
Speeches and chants were followed by a march to the beachfront, which drew the attention of residents and businesspeople.
Some stuck their heads out of buildings to watch the crowd pass, capturing imagery on smartphones.
Student organisers Narii Salmon and Tadhg Salmon, of Miami State High School, led the march.
Narii said he was “inspired” by the turnout and “how many people care about attaining a safe climate future”, while Tadhg said he was confident global protests “will create the push for change our world is in dire need of”.
Parents at the protest said they were proud their children were speaking up for the environment.
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