One thousand Canberra school students gathered around Glebe Park from 12pm to 2pm today to join in the nationwide mass School Strike 4 Climate action.
The Friday 21 May #ClimateStrike is being held at 50 locations across the country, and students intend to use their voices to be heard by the Morrison Government.
Those in attendance are saying ‘No’ to funding dangerous gas and coal projects, and ‘Yes’ to an alternative such as investing in clean renewable energy.
The strikes also call on the government to secure jobs and use First Nations solutions to protect Country.
Rosie Brady, 16, a speaker at the Canberra strike, said: “Our Earth gives us so much, yet our politicians continue to needlessly take from it. I won’t let them take our future.”
This mass strike marks the biggest protest for climate action since the imposition of COVID-19 restrictions in March 2020.
It is taking place today in capital cities, regional centres and country towns around Australia.
Speaking ahead of the event, High school student and School Strike 4 Climate organiser, Natasha Abhayawickrama, 16, said the government, which was supposed to ensure young people’s wellbeing and prosperity, appeared more concerned with lining the pockets of multinational gas companies.
“So, tomorrow on May 21, together with tens of thousands of my fellow let-down Australians, I am striking from school to tell the Morrison Government that they must stop throwing Aussie cash at gas,” Natasha said yesterday.
“If Morrison cares about our collective future, he will make it happen.”
A text message was sent to parents and carers of students at some ACT public schools this morning, 21 May, asking those who “support their child’s non-attendance” to provide written permission to the school in adherence with their attendance policy.
“The Education Directorate recognises it is a decision for parents or carers whether to support their child’s non-attendance at school on 21 May in order to participate in this campaign,” the text message read.
For more information, visit www.schoolstrike4climate.com/may21
For more news:
- ANU commits to negative carbon emissions by 2030
- Teenage entrepreneur following in her father’s footsteps
- Harriet Elvin resigns as Cultural Facilities Corporation CEO
- Time to end Canberra’s love affair with Labor?
- Wear Orange Wednesday celebrates SES volunteers
- New guide will connect kids to Canberra’s Amazing Nature
