Wielding yellow blooms and dancing to the tune of ’70s disco hit Born To Be Alive, local students were hard to ignore as they gathered on the steps of Castlemaine’s Market Building on Friday to send clear a message to the PM.
The local teens joined with supporters to participate in what was a wider national day of action protesting the Morrison government’s proposed “gas-led recovery”.
As a means to delivering the required action on climate, the federal government proposal falls far short of what’s needed, the students and their supporters said, adding their voices to thousands nationwide in Friday’s #FundOurFutureNotGas action.
“I really think Scott Morrison’s plan for a gas-fired recovery isn’t in line with our agreements on the reduction of carbon emissions,” young Castlemaine participant Ellen Kemp said.
“We really should be focusing on renewables and a renewables-led recovery.”
The Castlemaine action was one of more than 600 colourful and COVID-safe demonstrations held across the country on Friday calling on the federal government to fund the future, not the gas industry.
Part of the ongoing School Strike 4 Climate campaign series, the #FundOurFutureNotGas day of action was believed to be the broadest ever national day of action against gas with events taking place from Darwin to Hobart.
In Castlemaine, local environment and organics student Ben Timson said he was extremely concerned about the impacts of climate change.
“We want strong action on climate change. Get your act together Scott Morrison,” he said.
“The main message is we’ve got to reduce emissions,” Castlemaine’s Trevor Scott said as he actively supported Friday’s action.
“A gas-led recovery is wrong when a renewable-led recovery is what should be happening.”
Mr Scott said a recorded 17 per cent drop in emissions resulting from COVID-19’s impacts on polluting activities like unnecessary international flights demonstrated the sorts of changes that were possible.
Many passersby contributed to Friday’s local action by adding yellow flowers to the pile that formed on the steps of the Market Building.
“If we choose gas now we’re stuck with gas for 10 years,” Castlemaine Secondary College student Niamh O’Connor Smith said.
“Gas is a fossil fuel and it’s emitting lots of carbon and methane into the atmosphere and causing global warming.
“It also damages biodiversity, particularly if it’s done through fracking.
“Fracking puts harmful chemicals into the water making it undrinkable for the local people and once it’s put into the waterways it spreads.
“This is a message from Castlemaine to our prime minister: we don’t want taxpayers’ money handed to the gas industry that will wreck our climate and damage our economic recovery.”
MALMSBURY ADDS ITS VOICE
A small group of passionate Malmsbury locals gathered in front of the iconic Malmsbury Viaduct to demonstrate their support for a renewables-led COVID recovery.
“We want the government to acknowledge the importance of renewable energy and not invest in gas,” said Jamari Fitzgerald, aged 10.
The Malmsbury action joined with other small local socially distanced actions in Daylesford, Castlemaine, Maldon and Riddells Creek, and more than 500 other actions across Australia.
