The students made three demands: stop the Adani coal mine in Central Queensland, no new coal or gas, and 100% renewables by 2030.
According to Greens Senator, Nick McKim, students who participated in this event deserve a “giant pat on the back” for their efforts today.
“Their future is being stolen from them in brazen daylight robbery by the major political parties… they are saying to those of us currently in power: enough is enough, pull your fingers out and get serious about climate change” McKim told Sky News.
The protest has been condemned by Australian political leaders, with Defence Minister Christopher Pyne this morning telling the Today show that kids should be “in school learning about education and getting ahead, gaining knowledge… if they want to do strike action or political activism, they should do it outside school hours.”
However, Labor frontbencher Joel Fitzgibbon defended the student activism saying that he thinks young people should be encouraged to express their opinions, “I don’t think any student is going to miss out on their career because they missed a few hours of school today” he told Nine.
An open letter has been written in solidarity with striking students, which was then signed by over 800 academics, some of whom came down to join the students in their march.
The global movement began with a teenage Swedish activist by the name of Greta Thunberg, who has now been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts in regards to climate change.
Carinity Education Southside was proud to be a part of this global day of action and through preparing for the protest, students have gained an abundance of knowledge about the environment, our climate and the ways in which that climate is changing and what effects it will have in the future.