School students are protesting outside the prime minister’s official Sydney residence as part of a global day demanding action on climate change.
Thousands of children are participating in climate strikes in cities, suburbs and regional towns across Australia, calling on the federal government to divert funding away from coal and gas projects and to clean, renewable energy.
Much of the attention of Friday’s strike is directed firmly at Prime Minister Scott Morrison, with hundreds of student protesters arriving outside Kirribilli.
The crowd in Kirribilli was expected to swell to about a thousand as speeches began, student Owen Magee told AAP.
“We’re going to make it very clear to Scott Morrison that we are coming right to his doorstep to show the climate crisis is serious, and he needs to address it,” Magee said.
One student, Ella O’Dwyer-Oshlack, lost her home in the devastating Lismore floods, and will speak outside Kirribilli.
“My home was flooded and our whole town is a mess,” the 13-year-old said.
“I haven’t been able to go back to my school since it was flooded.
“Why is the federal government still giving money to fossil fuel companies?
“This is making the problem worse.”
She chose to strike after being left feeling “scared and confused” about why disasters continue to happen.
Mr Morrison said his government had “taken the challenge of climate change seriously”, and encouraged young people to take a keen interest in the issue.
“I encourage them, by all means, express your view, it’s a great democracy, and I have no issue with that,” he told reporters on Friday.
“We’ve committed to net zero by 2050 with a $21 billion plan, which is being rolled out now, of developing new energy technologies and, importantly, getting them into industry, into commerce.
“It’s not enough for Australia just to reduce our emissions by 20 per cent, as we already have done.
“It’s not enough for Australia to achieve net zero by 2050.
“The whole world has to.
“The solution, we believe, is technology.”
The protests come after the Federal Court found the Australian government does not owe children protection from the harm caused by climate change.
The court last week upheld an appeal by Environment Minister Sussan Ley, reversing a decision that legally recognised she had a duty of care.
The appeal came after eight high school students took Ms Ley to court in 2020 to try to block the expansion of a NSW coalmine.
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