Thousands of students walked out of school today for the first national climate strike targeting the Albanese Labor Government. It’s the 11th School Strike since the movement launched in 2018.
As the country braces for a summer of extreme heat and bushfires, students have given the Albanese Labor Government a fail grade on its promise of climate leadership. The Government has approved 4 new coal mines this year and 25 additional projects are sitting on the desk of Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek.
Min Park, 16 from Sydney said – “I am striking because Tanya Plibersek, our Environment Minister, has been actively making the climate crisis worse through the approval of more coal and gas projects. The Minister is listening to the fossil fuel lobby, instead of doing her job and taking responsibility to protect the health of the planet. The Labor Government needs to listen to young people everywhere and say no to new coal and gas projects and speed up a just transition to clean energy, because the worst impacts of climate change will be on my generation.”
Anjali Beames, 17 from Adelaide said – “I have been striking from school all week to study on the steps of Parliament House, alongside other students from the South Australia Youth Climate Alliance. I am studying for my future, but I am worried that without real action on climate change my future will be bleak. The continued expansion of fossil fuel projects pose a direct harm to young people today, and future generations, so across the country youth are demanding that the Labor Government shift the power away from coal and gas.”
Joey Thomson, 16 from Phillip Island said – “Climate doctors are backing us this strike, with a ‘sick note for a sick planet’. We have their backing because it could not be more clear that the Labor Government is failing young people and a hope for a safe climate future by approving new coal and gas projects. They are just pouring more fuel on the fire.”
Charlotte Curtis, 16 from Western Australia said – “Across Western Australia and in my home town of Port Hedland, we’re already feeling the impacts of climate change, with less rain and more extreme heat waves. I want my community to thrive, not suffer through more and more climate impacts. That’s why I am calling on the Government to shift the power from fossil fuels to clean renewable energy”.
