Wollongong councillor George Takacs told a packed rally yesterday that the Australian government needed to do more to tackle climate change.
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Nearly 400 people braved the wet weather to gather at Wollongong’s Flagstaff Hill, as part of a national day of climate action.
Cr Takacs said the government was in the process of dismantling measures introduced by the previous government that were designed to help the nation move towards a cleaner energy future.
He called for politicians to abandon plans to repeal several measures, including the carbon tax, and noted that Australia needed to take a stance on the global stage in its fight for a clean future.
‘‘The government needs to retain the measures already in place and increase its emission reduction targets,’’ he said.
‘‘The European Union has already reduced its emissions by 18per cent...to say we are not going higher than 5per cent is pretty poor – the government needs to make sure there are comprehensive measures in place to enable us to move to a clean energy future.’’
The Illawarra rally was one of more than 130 such events held nationwide yesterday.
Cr Takacs believes the sheer number of attendees shows the strong community concern about climate change.
‘‘It is definitely a sign that people want the government to do more,’’ he said.
‘‘The diversity of people [at the Illawarra event] shows this is something that all different people are concerned about – there were pensioners, students, people of all ethnic backgrounds. It was really good to see such a diverse group of people.’’
Essential Research polling commissioned last week by GetUp! showed 69per cent of people surveyed nationwide wanted stronger action on climate change.
Thousands gather for climate change
Tens of thousands of Australians have taken to the streets around the country, demanding political leaders take greater action on climate change.
Organisers say about 60,000 people participated in Sunday’s mass rallies, at which emergency workers played a significant role in warning about the dangers of unchecked global warming.
In Brisbane, where an estimated 4000 people came together, firefighter Dean McNulty spoke of the huge concern climate change posed to his colleagues, who battle natural disasters from the front line.
Before 30,000 people in Melbourne, Greens deputy leader Adam Bandt evoked the memory of the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires, while firefighters spoke of their fears.
‘‘There is no sceptic at the end of a fire hose,’’ United Firefighters Union secretary Peter Marshall told the Melbourne rally.
Last week global delegates in Warsaw for climate talks were warned by the World Meteorological Organization that 2013 was on track to be the hottest year since records began.
AAP
