Greens Leader Bob Brown has written to the Senate’s President John Hogg urging Parliament House to take a lead in the 10% challenge campaign by Do Something! and CHOICE for a voluntary 10% cut in fuel, electricity and gas use.
A copy of Senator Brown’s letter has gone to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Harry Jenkins.
“Here’s a way for parliament to join the Australian community and business to parallel our carbon price committee’s reach for binding cuts in pollution,” Senator Brown said.
“I would turn off dozens of light switches in Parliament House every session, and no one would notice, so achieving a 10% cut would be a cinch,” Senator Brown said.
The campaign was launched in today’s News Ltd Sunday papers.
• Christine Milne: Positive movement for change will trump negative attacks and threats
Sunday 5 June 2011
The positive community movement for serious climate action will trump the negative campaign, the lies and the death threats against scientists and activists, the Australian Greens said today.
The day after the latest round of death threats and abuse against climate scientists was revealed in the media, many thousands of Australians are expected to gather at rallies for climate action around the country.
“This weekend, Australians will see a clear view of the broad and positive campaign for climate action set against the negative attacks and threats from those who want to stand in the way of change,” Australian Greens Acting Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said
“We have a positive movement in the broad community who want to see our climate protected, who want to see Australia build a new, clean, healthy economy for all of us.
“Australians want to see a big investment in clean, renewable energy. They know that we cannot afford to simply let climate change continue and that any costs we face now will be far less than the costs that the climate crisis would bring.
“Set against this, we have a small but very vocal group of extremists whose anti-science campaign is now triggering a wave of hate against the scientists themselves.
“Many of us who have worked to protect the environment for decades are no strangers to violent attacks and death threats.
“But seeing this targeting scientists directly is deeply worrying for our society and our democracy and I have no doubt the broad community will reject it utterly.
“Today’s rallies will show that the clear majority of Australians who want serious climate action will not be silenced or intimidated by a small group of extremists.”
