An editorial in the Newcastle Herald yesterday suggested that demonstrations like Greenpeace’s action at Eraring last week and the Camp for Climate Action which kicked off in Newcastle today merely “state the obvious”, because “most Australians now appear to accept the inevitability of industrial and lifestyle change”. This is music to the ears of those in the climate movement, who have been fighting for years to have climate change and the need to address its root causes taken seriously. It indicates that the tide is slowly turning, because a few years ago, the thought that demonstrations against the coal industry were stating the obvious to most Australians was akin to thinking that the Howard government was likely to ratify the Kyoto Protocol.
This is why we go on doing what we do. Despite gale force winds today over 200 people have set up camp at the Camp for Climate Action. Speakers at Day 1 included Greens MLC Lee Rhiannon, and the Camp attracted national and international media interest. Activity at the Camp is set to build over the next few days, with workshops running all day Friday, a human sign onsite on Saturday, and the mass community protest against the coal chain on Sunday. The weekend is a great opportunity for anyone who’s concerned about climate change to come to Newcastle and join in some of the activities.
Meanwhile, the Esperanza arrived in Brisbane today after a 2-day transit, to spread the message of renewables in the Sunshine State. Stay tuned for further updates as our exciting program in Brisbane unfolds.
