This Friday (25th September) local school students and their supporters will ask the Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise why it supports the federal government’s proposed expansion of the gas industry.
A small covid safe protest is being held near TSBE’s office as part of more than 400 actions taking place across Australia to ask the federal coalition government to “Fund our Future, Not Gas.”
Local Year 11 student and Australian Youth Climate Coalition member Murphy McDonald-Smith said “we saw that TSBE’s CEO Ali Davenport supports Scott Morrison’s plans to give billions of taxpayer dollars to the gas industry, but we’re confused about why.”
“Economists and experts say spending money on gas will create very few jobs while also risking huge investment losses and causing extensive environmental harm,” Murphy McDonald-Smith said.
“This puts the future of my generation and our job prospects at risk, We would love for TSBE to stop supporting gas and fossil fuel expansion and instead build on the great work they are already doing supporting renewable energy in the region.”
“Not only are renewables better for the planet but experts Ernst and Young have found investment in renewables creates almost three times as many jobs as fossil fuels,” Murphy McDonald-Smith (above) said.
This is part of a national day of action and has intentionally been kept to a small, visual event because of covid (rather than a large march like the one held last September with 600 people).
Where: Chalk Drive, Toowoomba (Parking available on Ann Street)
When: 12:30pm – 1:30pm, Friday 25th September
The national day of action has been organised by the School Strike 4 Climate network, as well as First Nations communities, unions, and everyday Australians.
The demands of September 25th are that no public funds are spent on gas or other damaging fossil fuels. Instead, recovery funds should be spent on:
1. Resourcing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led solutions that guarantee land rights and care for country,
2. The creation of jobs that fast track solutions to the climate crisis and help communities recover,
3. Projects that transition our economy and communities to 100% renewable energy by 2030, through expanded public ownership.
FYI some further information about why gas in a bad investment, bad for job creation and bad for the planet:
· More jobs in renewable-led COVID-19 economic recovery, EY report finds – https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-07/renewable-led-covid-19-recovery-will-create-more-jobs-ey-report/12322104
· Scott Morrison’s ‘gas-led recovery’: what is it and will it really make energy cheaper? (spoiler alert no it won’t) – https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/sep/17/scott-morrisons-gas-led-recovery-what-is-it-and-will-it-really-make-energy-cheaper
· Scott Morrison’s gas transition plan is a dangerous road to nowhere – Tim Baxter – The Conversation – https://theconversation.com/scott-morrisons-gas-transition-plan-is-a-dangerous-road-to-nowhere-130951
· Gas in Australia is dangerous, expensive and unnecessary. The Climate Council: https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/gas-dangerous-expensive-and-unnecessary/
