The kids are alright

They are alright and they are right. We are in the midst of an election campaign and the silence is deafening on climate. There are attempts otherwise, claims of "the climate election", high costings for anything Labor attempts and shrill negativity but climate response runs in the slow lane. At least a few kids did their Greta-thing and took some time off school for a climate demo. There was some light rain which I'm sure we'll remember fondly in our hot and dry future and numbers were down. The idea was cute, to form a human chain between the offices of Andrew Leigh (Labor) and Zed Saselja (Liberal) but I missed that. Perhaps the meeting at Gunghalin had numbers down, being at one end of town. At least attendees could travel there by tram. I came across a friend who'd taken a visiting sister for a ride on the tram and run into the demo. The visitor was from the Greens, so a happy coincidence. Lots of kids spoke: tellingly they were all girls. Not surprising at this age: girls are known to mature earlier. There were plenty of boomers, too, in support, but quiet given this will be their kids' crisis. Overnight, the British Parliament had declared a "climate emergency" and that was mentioned but not central. Andrew Leigh spoke and got a hard time on Adani and more. Tim Hollo (Greens) spoke well and was well received. I was thinking, the best can be the enemy of the good. Zed was not expected, probably not invited (certainly LNP deserve no invitation on climate). I set off back on the tram, somewhat lightened by the community but disappointed by the turnout and desperate for the purpose. Think canaries and coal mines: it's almost too late. Too late? Think this. I have been running CJ (est.2005) for longer than scientists say we have to reduce carbon emissions by 50%, ie, 11 years, by 2030. The mother of all parliaments is right but will we act?


The latest School Strike for Climate Change (SS4CC) rally was held at Gunghalin about three weeks before Federal election day.