Rain didn’t deter scores of school students from their rally on Friday, May 21, to make a stand against Federal Government funding for what they claim to be dangerous gas and coal projects.
Instead, the students want the Government to invest in clean, renewable energy, secure jobs and First Nations’ solutions to protect Country.
They want the Morrison Government to take decisive and urgent action on climate change.
Friday’s School Strike 4 Climate was the biggest national climate protest since COVID-19, with actions held simultaneously in towns, cities and regional centres all across the country.
Organiser of the Central Coast rally, Jayden Delbridge of Wadalba, said that he was very pleased with the turnout in Gosford.
“We’ve had lots of people who are really passionate about this cause,” he said.
“We weren’t expecting the numbers, like in 2019 when we had about 2,000 people, and last year the numbers were down because of the pandemic, but this year it’s really showing us that even with the rain, it might dampen our size, but it’s not going to dampen our spirits.”
Delbridge said it was only a matter of years until actions were irreversible.
“We’ve seen the Budget come out earlier this month, spending millions and millions of dollars which could be really well spent on creating new jobs in renewable energy, especially after this pandemic.
“Like the $600M on a gas project at Kurri Kurri, and there’s the Wallarah 2 coal mine; enough is enough.
“The Morrison Government could be funding renewable energy projects, instead they are lining the pockets of multinational gas companies which are fuelling the climate crisis, devastating our land and water, wrecking our health and creating very few jobs.
“If they care about our future, we need to move away from gas and fossil fuels.
“Time is running out, this is a time sensitive issue.
“As school students, this is our future and we need to protect it.
“We know that too many people commute to Sydney and Newcastle for jobs every single day, there are just not enough jobs on the Central Coast.
“Creating more jobs in renewable energy on the Central Coast will bring more money into our economy and into the pockets of the people who really need it, especially because of the lost jobs due to this pandemic.
“It’s time to start creating new jobs and moving into renewable energy before it’s too late.
“We’ll be sustaining this campaign, today is not the end of it, we’re going to keep going until the Morrison Government finally changes their actions,” Delbridge said.
Sue Murray