Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews blasts climate protest ‘for diverting resources’

As thousands gather across the country while police resources are spread thin, the Victorian Premier has hit out.

Climate protesters have turned out in force in Sydney, left, and Melbourne. Picture: AAP/Ian Currie

Victorian Premier Daniel ­Andrews has blasted climate change protesters for diverting ­resources from critical needs.

Thousands gathered outside the State Library in Melbourne on Friday for a protest organised by the Uni Students for Climate Justice­ group.

The protesters demanded more action on climate change, more funds for firefighters and for Scott Morrison to be sacked.

“The protest against the advice from police and in the middle of a disaster, that’s when you start ­losing public support — not adding­ to your public support,” Mr Andrews said.

“Common sense tells you there are other times to make your point.

“There’s a time and a place for everything and I don’t think that a protest tonight was the approp­riate thing to do.”

Police had earlier said no ­officers would be pulled from bushfire-affected areas, but other officers would need to be re­deployed, including some who had just returned from the firegrounds.

“This makes it difficult for us to manage fatigue and means officers who have been working around the clock at the bushfires may not receive a sufficient break,” police said in a statement.

In Sydney, people gathered at the Town Hall armed with placards calling for the Prime Minister to be sacked. Speakers included Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi, who told the crowd there had been insufficient leadership from the government on climate change.

“Scott Morrison and his ­government are cowardly,’’ ­Senator Faruqi said. “They are dishonest. They are completely incompetent. They have behaved like climate criminals.’’

Flanked by students, a young woman channelled Greta Thunberg and asked the crowd: “What have you done with our future, our hopes, our lives, our dreams?”

On facebook, the organisers of the protest demanded a “rapid transition away from fossil fuels”, a “just transition for workers in fossil fuel industries” and “genuine relief and aid for affected communities”.

Thousands of people also gathered­ in Brisbane’s King George­ Square, near Parliament House in Canberra and outside South Australia’s parliament in Adelaide to protest.

The United Workers Union­ ­issued a statement of support for the protesters on its Facebook page and said there would never be a convenient time to protest.

“The unprecedented destruction we are witnessing is the direct result of decades of climate denial and political inaction,” it said.

Climate change protesters Imogen and Marie during a rally in Melbourne on Friday night. Picture: Tessa Akerman

“This government’s ongoing refusal to take meaningful action constitutes an immediate threat to the health and safety of every working person in Australia and beyond.”

Michele Grubnic, who has attended­ about a dozen climate protests in the past, went to the Melbourne event on Friday out of concern about her children’s future­.

“I’m desperately worried about the trajectory the planet is on with rising emissions,” she said.

“We’re seeing the consequences of climate change already.”

Ms Grubnic said climate change was a threat multiplier, and the world would see food shortages and supply lines breaking down.

“We need to declare a climate emergency,” she said.

Her message to Mr Morrison: “Listen to the science, listen to the experts.”

additional reporting: Joseph Lam