THREE and a half years ago a now-infamous year 9 student sat down outside the Swedish parliament building holding a hand-made sign that said ‘Skolstrejk för klimatet’ (school strike for climate) in protest at her government’s inaction on climate change.

On Friday, 25 March, school students in Coffs Harbour will congregate at 11am at Brelsford Park to join thousands of students and supporters nationwide as part of a global day of action that began with Greta Thunberg’s solo action.

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They will be demanding that the Federal Government says “no” to funding dangerous gas and coal projects, and instead invests in clean renewable energy, secure jobs and First Nations solutions to protect Country.

James Quodling, a year 7 student said, “On March 25 I will be striking about the importance of putting people over profit.

“I’m passionate about speaking out about the devastating effects of climate change and advocating measures that need to be taken,” he said.

James said he will address the rally about the importance of putting people over profit, achieving Net-Zero by 2030 and taking more action to mitigate climate change!

Rataj Abdullah, in year 10, said, “We are at the edge of a climate catastrophe, and our Federal Government is doing nothing to save us.

“People only have to look outside of their windows to see what’s happening to our planet, yet our politicians continue to distract us with greenwashing campaigns rather than actual climate policy.”

James and Rataj say that the Morrison Government has shown us time and again that they do not care about the future of young Australians.

Their perspective is that the Prime Minister’s support for the fossil fuel industry shows clearly where his priorities are – and young people are not on that priority list and the Government is failing young people and future generations.

They believe the Government thinks they can dismiss young people just because they don’t get a vote, but they warn those that stymie climate change action that there is a Federal election coming up and many young people are turning 18 years before then, and will continue to reach voting age in coming years.

Rataj, James and their supporters want to show Members of Parliament that there is undisputedly a climate crisis and that there are consequences for not listening and failing to take action.

By Andrew VIVIAN