Climate questions to Geelong candidates

At election time, there are so many scorecards and interest groups coming out to spoon-feed you and tell you who to vote for. The group of volunteers behind the Geelong Community Survey 2020 has produced a candidate survey, which they hope will empower you to make up your own mind.

Fridays For Future Geelong is a nonpartisan climate action group. The group was in the process of producing its own scorecard to guide voters how to vote for climate safety in the Council elections, but has instead decided to join other climate action groups in producing an extract from the candidate responses in the above survey.

The scorecard will include any candidate of any party that is committed to strong action on climate. 

ASK QUESTIONS TO CANDIDATES AT ELECTION FORUMS
FROM FRIDAYS FOR FUTURE DURING COUNCIL ELECTIONS 2020

• Will you put the Climate Emergency first in all Council decisions for the next 4 years?

• Have you been involved in Environmental or Climate issues in the past?

• Will you commit to driving council action for the whole of Greater Geelong toward Zero Carbon Emissions by 2030?

• Will you drive the urgent creation of a Climate Emergency Plan for the whole of Greater Geelong?

• Will you commit to driving Council to engage in “green’ industries and employment?



School Strike 4 Climate Australia wrote on 29 September 2020:

“THAT. WAS. HUGE. Friday was School Strike 4 Climate’s broadest day of action yet! From small towns to big cities, online and offline, tens of thousands of people across this continent sent a clear message to the government: #FundOurFutureNotGas.

Check out — and share — this great wrap video celebrating what we did together!

Here are the numbers: 630 actions were held! Together we held the most widespread action against publicly funded gas in Australia’s history.

Our demands have been endorsed by unions representing 1.5 million workers, and hundreds of other organisations and businesses. Union members took action too, including oil and gas workers, nurses and teachers

The media covered the day widely with 552 newspaper and online stories, and 304 radio and TV stories — with big numbers in regional areas.

Hundreds of people flooded Scott Morrison’s office with calls sharing our demands — and another week of calls are booked up.

Thousands of people joined our powerful online rally

Countless new young people were inspired and empowered to stand up for their future!

Even a global pandemic can’t stop school strikers from standing up for our future, and standing with Traditional Owners fighting to protect Country. It was incredible to see the creativity that took place organising actions that were Covid safe! A few organisers have shared stories about their work:

Nat, Broome:
“Over 100 people came to the event to confront WA Premier McGowan about the future of the Kimberley’s environment, and to demand that the Premier issue a complete ban on fracking throughout WA. We were amazed by the variety of people who came to support, including a whole busload of people who drove all the way from a few of the remote Aboriginal communities. It was so powerful to fight with people whose homes and lands will be directly impacted by these fracking and gas projects who are protesting against them.”

Pia, Perth:
“70 people were outside the Perth convention centre telling Woodside to stop funding gas and creating new fossil fuel projects. We heard from Elders, students and called Treasurer Josh Frydenberg on the microphone. The energy was amazing and the future of this movement is inspiring and bright!”

Nina, Melbourne:
“Organising an online rally definitely had its challenges! On the day, the tech was not cooperating but despite a short delay, the speakers were really amazing and the rally ended up being really interesting and successful. The whole experience taught me a lot about organising and promotion. I can’t wait to help organise other events in the future.”

This is just the beginning. We are serious about our future and not letting Morrison get away with his dangerous gas plans, so the fight does not end here. We have a plan to keep building power against gas, keep your eyes peeled.

If you are super inspired by September 25th and want to join our powerful movement let us know by filling in this form and we will be in touch soon.

In hope,
Nina, on behalf of School Strike 4 Climate

P.S We are raising money to support the rural and regional strikers taking action at the frontline of the fossil fuel industry! Donate here



School Strike for Climate Australia 2020
www.schoolstrike4climate.com
info@schoolstrike4climate.com


Gas stinks

Kelly Albion from 350.org Australia wrote on 29 September 2020:

In a epic show of distributed people power last week, there were over 630 #FundOurFutureNotGas actions with thousands of people taking action!

This is massive! In a global pandemic, we can still use our people power to show this government that we want real jobs, real solutions and a safe climate.

From the Golden Guitar, to Sydney Opera House, to Alice Springs, Adelaide, the Kimberley and so many other locations, our message was clear: Fund Our Future Not Gas.

There is no doubt that the Morrison Government is feeling the heat from his outrageous gas plans. Now it’s on all of us to keep the momentum building all the way to the Budget on Oct 6, and beyond to make sure not a cent of public money goes to building unnecessary new gas fields.

Sign and share the petition calling for no gas bailouts for failing gas companies – we need a #PeoplesRecovery not new gas fields.

We don’t need new gas. In fact, we already have too much of the stuff. The east coast gas market is being gamed by the gas cartel – greedy gas companies are driving up local prices and exporting massive amounts of gas overseas.

If these proposed gas projects are drilled, fracked and piped we’re in big trouble.

Our brothers and sisters in the Torres Strait are already seeing their islands wash away, communities on the south coast of NSW are facing another fire season having not received their bushfire support from the one just gone, and Traditional Owners are fighting tooth and nail to keep fracking companies off their land.

We MUST stand with these communities, with young people who want a safe climate to grow up in, and for all of us. Sign and share the petition to tell our government that we want an economic recovery that backs people, not big polluters.

Together we can be louder than the gas lobby who are driving government policies by making this petition HUGE. We’re working with other organisations who share our mission for a joint delivery when Parliament returns.

Your voice matters.

Kelly, for the whole 350 team

P.S. Want to do more? Sign up to be an MP meeting captain, or to join a locally organised MP meeting near you. We’ll support you with resources, talking points and booking the meeting, sign up and we’ll be in touch.

We are building a grassroots movement to stand up to the fossil fuel industry, and support a just transition from coal, oil and gas to a renewable-energy future for all.”



Nature is everyone’s business: How businesses can protect nature and our climate, and help Australia #RecoverRebuildRenew

Forces for nature: The business drivers demanding corporate action on climate and nature action

Australian Financial ReviewSuncorp to stop insuring oil and gas

Canberra TimesColes to run on 90% green energy in Qld

New York TimesExecutives to Step Down After Rio Tinto Destroys Sacred Australian Sites

Sydney Morning HeraldWoolworths pledges to cut emissions as investor pressure mounts

Allianz CEO Oliver Bates: What Covid-19 teaches us about climate change editorial

Financing the future: Making corporations a force for climate solutions