Media release – Extinction Rebellion Tasmania, 19 October 2021

EXTINCTION REBELLION HUNGER STRIKE – HUNGRY FOR CLIMATE ACTION

At 12:00pm Friday October 22 several protesters will take a last bite and start a 7-day hunger strike, Hungry for Climate Action at Parliament House lawns, nipaluna/Hobart. Their protest, hosted by Extinction Rebellion and sparked by the recent IPCC “Code Red for Humanity” climate report, demands the Australian Government immediately stops approving and subsidising fossil fuel projects. The start of the protest will be kicked off with the “Last Bite – Last Chance for <1.5oC” event with speakers from around Tasmania, including Federal Independent MP Mr Andrew Wilkie.

 “Our governments are not taking the climate crisis seriously,” hunger striker and PhD student Micah Landon-Lane said. “I’ve never done anything like this before, but I feel I have to do something to highlight the seriousness of climate change, before it’s too late and we reach irreversible tipping points.”

 The protest involves hunger strikers going without food for varying lengths of time, with some committed to go the entire 7 days without food. They will be wearing red to highlight the recent IPCC “Code Red for Humanity” climate report. (1)

 “How else can we compete with the huge political influence of fossil fuel lobbyists?” said Sharee McCammon, scientist and mother of 2. “All we can do is put our bodies on the line to demand real climate action. I am scared of how a prolonged hunger strike will affect me, but I am more afraid of the bushfires, droughts and floods that will devastate Australia and lead to food scarcity if we don’t urgently address climate change.” (2)

 “Australia is consistently ranked as one of the worst contributors to climate change, and the world is laughing at us,” nursing student Penina Ygosse said.

 Registered nurse and mother of 2 young adults, Jacqui McElwee said “While the rest of the world is moving ahead with clean energy, the Australian Government is spending our tax dollars to expand gas and coal exploration and subsidise the fossil fuel industry with over $10 billion last year alone. (3)  It’s totally insane and has to stop.”

 State Greens MP’s Cassy O’Connor and Rosalie Woodruff will be visiting the hunger strikers at 12 noon Fri 22 Oct. Other politicians and community and religious leaders have also been invited to visit.

 The protest will end on Thursday October 28 at 6pm, with the hunger strikers breaking their fast with a “Picnic for the Planet” on Parliament Lawns, and are inviting all to come and share a meal with them. On the final day the protestors will also be accepting food donations for a local charity, helping Tasmanians who can’t afford a meal.

(1)   https://www.ipcc.ch/assessment-report/ar6/

(2) https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/resources/net-zero-emissions-plummet-decade/

(3) https://australiainstitute.org.au/report/fossil-fuel-subsidies-in-australia/