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Protest disrupts Rudd's emissions target announcement

Three women have interrupted the long-awaited announcement today by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd of Australia's 2020 greenhouse gas emission reduction target.

The Prime Minister made the announcement at the National Press Club at midday that Australia's 2020 emissions reduction targets would be a mere 5%, prompting the three women to interrupt his speech in protest.

Just twelve months ago at the landmark UNFCCC meeting in Bali, Australia with other countries agreed that the developed nations of the world must cut emissions by between 25 and 40% by 2020 to have a chance of averting runaway climate change.

Last week, at the latest round of talks, the Climate Change Minister Penny Wong refused to reveal what Australia's commitment would be, leading to widespread speculation that the Government would give in to industry pressure and renege on the Bali agreement.

One of the women who accosted the Prime Minister, Annika Dean, said, "This announcement means the Australian Government is willing to sacrifice the Great Barrier Reef to appease the big polluting companies that are fuelling global climate change.

"It is devastating that they have betrayed the public trust in this way. We cannot accept this kind of cowardly policy."

The Government has been under pressure from heavily polluting industries, like coal and aluminium, to weaken its stance on emissions reduction.

Advice from climate advisor Ross Garnaut released earlier this year clearly stated that a target this low would be the death of the Great Barrier Reef and would put the world at high risk of runaway climate change.

"Despite the warnings from Garnaut and scientists everywhere, the Government has reneged on its promise to be a global leader on climate change. It is time for Kevin Rudd and Penny Wong to make a choice: are they going to carry on appeasing and pandering to the wealthy companies that are creating this problem, or are they going to stand with the people and try and solve it?"

I heard a rumour from

Submitted by Paul on 15 December 2008 - 8:38pm.

I heard a rumour from Crikey.com.au that your group was involved in the protest at the Press Club today during Kevin Rudd's speech.

I just want to say Good onya ! And PLEASE don't be discouraged by the abusive comments on here. If they didn't feel threatened, they wouldn't bother ;-)

In a way it's a good day because legions of people like me, who thought Australia would take decisive action now that Labor is in power have been shocked out of their reverie.

Just watch that Green vote grow !

Who is Annika Dean?

Submitted by ihsahnoz on 15 December 2008 - 9:15pm.

Wow! Its been a while since we've seen something like that after the torture of the Howard years. I was like, who is that foxy chick? Foxy of spirit and foxy, in a being dragged around the room sort of a way. But you know what they will say though? Why should we pay when the big emitters do nothing? To do more would hurt the precious fucking economy...!! I still don't think I will ever support a Liberal govt, if you want action on the environment we need a Labor govt but Rudd's too close to the enemy. We need to bring the ALP to the left, which won't happen of course, so the alternative is a Green's balance of power. It can be done.

5 to 15, False premise: false conclusion

Submitted by PUSI on 16 December 2008 - 11:30am.

Thank you Rising Tide for your presence at Rudd’s do nothing announcement: you made clear ‘the Emperor has no clothes’.
For many of us who voted Labour in the last federal election expecting significant action the PM’s 5 to 15 % performance was embarrassing in the extreme.
While the fatally flawed ‘economic’ (“the dismal science” - PM’s words) is given greater standing than science of course even the simplest issues become bewilderingly complex.
To be Economic is like erecting a building without, or with seriously flawed, foundations. A foundation of Economics is the definition of non-renewable resources as ‘free’.
Further Economics accepts supply / demand relationships that show that for limited supply and high demand the cost shall be high. The supply and demand relationships have been long and well demonstrated scientifically.
It follows from the supply and demand relationship that non-renewable natural resources, i.e those that are of zero supply and for which there is, and shall be for millennium, significant demand should have a very high cost were the ‘economic’ to reflect the science.
Thus 'Economic' is based on nonsense and as some learned at high school, false premise: false conclusions.
And here we are.
If we address the cause of our dilemma Mr Rudd your decisions shall become clear and simple.

Annika Dean for PM!

Submitted by TimohyMartin on 16 December 2008 - 1:20pm.

I once hoped for a lot from Peter Garrett. I worked for Kevin 07 for PM and expected a lot more. But it seems to be one more inexplicable decision after the other. To ignore the unemployed with their anti Recession XMAS bonus, to reject Telstra as part of a national broadband network and now (on the same day) to not even keep up with Europe's 20 20 20 decision, it must now be Annika Dean for PM!

Keep up the good work.

Time for me to join the Greens

Thanks for the protest

Submitted by Leanne on 17 December 2008 - 8:23am.

An an Aussie living in New Zealand, I follow Australia's response to the climate challenge seriously.

I was appalled by the 5% figure, and would like to offer my congratulations and support to Rising Tide for their protest at this embarrassing figure.

With 5% as a 'goal', Rudd has doomed the Barrier Reef and Kakadu. National icons that have existed for thousands of years will now be gone forever, thanks to his lack of action, and toadying to business and union interests.

It is one thing to be a coal miner in fear of losing your job. But now I'm a mother in fear that my two young kids will never live in a habitable world. We used to think that climate change would affect our great-grandkids. Now everything is happening so fast that I wonder if my kids will even live as adults in a world that can healthily support humans.

Thanks for nothing, Kevin Rudd. Rising Tide - you're all heroes.

Keep up the good work.

Leanne,
Dunedin, New Zealand.

Protest was great

Submitted by greenfingers on 17 December 2008 - 11:10am.

Great work, the protest at Rudds 5% surrender was very brave, there are so many people that appreciate what RT are
doing, especially young Australians. All those people who voted for Rudd have been given a clarity, the coalition
and labour will continue to be bought by the coal lobby on climate change. It's just Wong. Vote Greens, continue the fight.
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