10 January 2009

Save the planet with a human chain - Parliament House protest

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Stray mentioned this protest earlier, but details have now been posted out; so here they are.

    Subject: Feeling let down by Kevin Rudd on climate change?

    If you are wondering what kind of future your children will face, in light of the lack of leadership by the Federal Government on climate change, you are not alone.

    http://www.climatesummit.org.au/

    Join hundreds of other Australians forming a human chain around Australian Parliament House on the first sitting day of Parliament on Tuesday 3rd February 2009. [ED – Anyone got a time?]

    It is time to send a strong message to the Government that we will not accept weak targets that guarantee the destruction of our natural wonders such as the Great Barrier Reef.

    Come make this a historic community demonstration. We will gather at 8am on the lawn in front of Parliament House before forming a human circle around the Parliament. Once we’ve held a press conference and the helicopter has taken the aerial photos, we will gather nearby for a picnic lunch and celebration of our people power. Speakers will include Greens Senator Bob Brown.

    Please bring water, sun protection, and a packed lunch. Wear red – for the climate emergency – and bring long red banners to snake around Parliament House.

    Let’s make 2009 the year we turn the tide of climate change. Bring your family and friends on Tuesday 3rd February.

    You are also invited to join Australia’s Climate Action Summit in Canberra the weekend before the action.

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poptop said :

bigfeet said :

“be given permission to break the rules”.

Allow me to introduce bigfeet to the concept of the oxymoron.

Oxymoronic or not…I betcha a fiver that the hand-holding,parliament circling thing doesn’t happen.

The protest will follow the rules and stay in the assembly area.

Despite the ‘knockers’ misconception, most of the protests that I have been to in Canberra have been very family orientated, very passionate and with very few ‘unwashed hippies’. Very often it is the older citizens of this town leading the way (i.e The nannas who stood up to the Chinese during the torch relay, and who lead many of the anti-Iraq War demonstrations)
Climate change seems to be an issue that concerns a large sector of the community (i.e those who breathe 😉 ) therefore, a larger demographic than the cliche would suggest turn out to these events. So move on from judging the protest from those whose attend, because youre obviously ill informed about what/whom makes up a protest movement, and besides, attacking protestors and hippies is an soft target…and boring.

bigfeet said :

“be given permission to break the rules”.

Allow me to introduce bigfeet to the concept of the oxymoron.

BenMac said :

Actually, the precinct refers to everything inside State Circle. The grassed area in front, called the Authorised Assembly Area, is the only place that a protest is allowed to take place. Everywhere else, they’ll be told to move on.

Yes and the Precinct goes to the end of the Authorised assembly area, where the brass markers are. See attachment B: http://www.aph.gov.au/visitors/Operating/ProtestGuidelines.pdf

It follows State Circle or where State Circle would be if it were up higher. The map at the bottom of this page shows it clearer.

http://www.nationalcapital.gov.au/corporate/publications/right_to_protest/works_approv_assess_crit.asp

The fact that there is an Indigenous protest on at the same time makes it even less likely that this group will be be given permission to break the rules (i.e. move outside of the assembly area and do their hand-linking thingie)

If one group is permitted to, then the other group will want to do something outside the rules as well. And then that sets a precedent which future groups will want to use.

The Precincts go about 15 -20 metres into Federation Mall, just past the big stone. From memory it is the sixth or seventh flagpole. There are some brass markers in the ground indicating where it ends.

Actually, the precinct refers to everything inside State Circle. The grassed area in front, called the Authorised Assembly Area, is the only place that a protest is allowed to take place. Everywhere else, they’ll be told to move on.

So they can hold hands out the front, or circle the building beyound the boundary of State Circle, but I can’t see them holding hands around Parliament Drive.

My take on it is this: The planet has been here billions of years and life has been on it for millions of years, during those millions of years the Earth has been both hotter and colder than it is now, in the future it will also be both hotter and colder than now. If we can’t adapt then we die out like so many forms of life before us. The Earth will still be here if we do die out, so it’s not a matter of “saving the planet”.

That said there are good reasons for moving to cleaner technology and greater use of recycling, as long as you do so with an understanding of the realities of life.

It is my understanding that we are meeting on the protest lawn. Not sure how the ringing will work exactly after that, but it should look pretty cool actually.

poptop said :

How about all thos candles for the Gaza protest, eh? The rules those Palestinian supporters must have avoided/ignored makes my head spin!

Poptop, you can stop spinning. They didn’t avoid or ignore any rules. Their action was not within the Parliamentary Precincts. The Precincts go about 15 -20 metres into Federation Mall, just past the big stone. From memory it is the sixth or seventh flagpole. There are some brass markers in the ground indicating where it ends.
If you look at this pic, http://www.ajpp.canberra.net.au/AJPP/AJPP_Photos/Pages/10_January_2009_Candle_Protest.html#0 you can see that they are further down Federation Mall than that. The part that they are in is under the control of the National Capital Authority, and they have much less restrictive rules for holding events than in the Precincts.

I suspect they knew this and situated the candles there for that reason.

Well at least the hot air will dry my washing ….

; )

Personally I would be more concerned about the hippy driving the helicopter. All that hot air that they will hit will almost certainly lead to the chopper flat lining and dropping quicker than my unides after a dodgy vindaloo.

Well, I think politicians should be held accountable for keeping their promises – whoever they are. An ice age is all well and good, but is that really the legacy we want to leave future generations?

I doubt that poptop is an unwashed hippie, and I may be unwashed but I’m no hippie.

Frankly, it’s a pain in the butt for me to be anywhere at 8am, plus it’s my daughter’s birthday, but I’m happy to go along and lend my “What the?” to the chorus. The targets are pathetic and disappointing and I’ll be all too happy to say so, even if I’m the only one there.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy1:08 pm 12 Jan 09

Should have elected a can of rexona – that never lets you down.

It would do more than Rudd has done. Except maybe for the constant overseas trips.

LOL thanks for the tip

Should have elected a can of rexona – that never lets you down.

I’m let down by Rudd in many ways, but Climate Change is the least of my concerns.

Of course, protesting to “save” this planet from global warming is a noble cause, until the next direct impact with an asteroid, or the sun implodes. the lifespan of earth is finite.

alternatively, if we heat the world up, it will re-balance itself with an ice age.

but, if you want to link hands around parliament house, go ahead.

From the website
“..Australian Parliament House in a national day of action on the first sitting day
of Parliament on 3rd February 2009. It is time to send a clear strong message to the Government that the Australian people want a safe climate future.”

Where is “Australian Parliament House” and what is a “safe climate future”? The whole paragraph sounds like a bad babel fish translation. It doesn’t exactly inspire confidence that that this is anything other than rent a mob jumping on whatever the latest cult movement’ is.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy said :

The problem with protests like this is that they lack credibility. You basically get a bunch of unwashed hippies shouting and carrying on, not exactly motivation to change the policies of a nation.

On the other hand…

If they *can* get 10k people out surrounding the building that will make an impact.

So possibly worth a shot?

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy9:40 am 12 Jan 09

The problem with protests like this is that they lack credibility. You basically get a bunch of unwashed hippies shouting and carrying on, not exactly motivation to change the policies of a nation.

54-11 said :

What I can’t understand is that the first dozen or more comments on this post were negative. Why? I realise that there are climate change sceptics, but surely if people wish to highlight that they see there is a problem, it isn’t actually doing any harm?

Or is it? Reading the first posts would indicate that some RAers think so. That’s what has got me beat.

I think one can believe in anthropogenic climate change and still think that a protest (or particular aspects of a protest) are stupid.

There is only one poster in this thread who has said that climate change is a myth. Your original post suggests that we are all Gen X and Y and think that either climate change is a myth or that we shouldn’t do anything about it. It’s a typical logical fallacy to imply that a particular option is the ONLY option.

As for climate change I agree with johnboy’s sentiments and think that all products should have the true cost of production considered in the price.

We all have to make sacrifices, Pandy. It’s for the best.

Stop it you are killing me!!!!!!

There’s no turning back now, astrojax …. I intend to show Kevin exactly how let down I feel!

: D

no, granny, stop! don’t go there…

Pandy said :

Time to burn that DDD bra Granny

*heh heh heh*

And that’s just for starters!

That’s from the road. I think enough people to curve out of sight on both sides of the Ministerial Entrance should do the trick. Alternatively the can use their red banners like handkerchiefs in Greek dancing.

How about all thos candles for the Gaza protest, eh? The rules those Palestinian supporters must have avoided/ignored makes my head spin!

Sorry for using SkyNews – they had a picture.

From memory of my lunchtime walking regime it’s a 2km loop.

So fingertip to fingertip you could *just* manage it with 1,000?

A protest that obeys all the rules isn’t much of a protest.

But if they’ve got enough people to ring Parliament House (ie lots) then it’d be a brave police officer who decided to try and stop them.

The rules for protesting up at Parliament House are very strict. . .

What’s wrong with that statement?

Time to burn that DDD bra Granny

Did someone say protest? Sounds good to me!

: )

I seriously doubt this protest will go ahead a planned. The rules for protesting up at Parliament House are very strict and they are that all protests must be carried out in the grass area in front of the building.

Protests are not permitted anywhere else.

And they can be limited even in that area on days of special ceremony, such as the first sitting day of parliament, when this is planned.

The parliament house website is down at the moment but when it comes back up I will try to find a link to the rules.

What I can’t understand is that the first dozen or more comments on this post were negative. Why? I realise that there are climate change sceptics, but surely if people wish to highlight that they see there is a problem, it isn’t actually doing any harm?

Or is it? Reading the first posts would indicate that some RAers think so. That’s what has got me beat.

Holden Caulfield6:20 pm 10 Jan 09

“Hefties” fees, is that what you get when you cross hefty and leftie?

Best not to open your argument with a criticism of the younger generation.

Precautionary principle has been used to argue no end of bad ideas, from the merely culturally and financially ruinous to the downright murderous.

If you’re relying on it then your argument isn’t going to sway me.

Moving to non polluting industries, or at least hitting polluters with hefties fees, is something I’ll vote for every time though.

The only reason it was every allowed to begin was sloth on the part of Governments and the corrupt influence of industrialists.

JB, that’s not what I said at all. Have another read.

poptop said :

Environmentalism – a crazy notion that we should clean up after ourselves.

Even if climate change isn’t a problem, isn’t being a bit clean and tidy a good enough reason?

I agree. If human caused climate change is real (which it most probably is), then we may save the human race. If it’s not at least we’ll all have clean air to breath.

As far as the linking of hands goes, I guess it’s a bit of publicity but I doubt Krudd will change his mind.

54-11 said :

You Gen Xers and Yers bother me. We are being presented with two different scenarios – one states that we are plundering our planet into eventual oblivion, and the other being touted by big buisness that grows fat on the profits of carbon-producing products, is that this is all a lie.

I would have thought that the precautionary principle would mean that we should at least think about the consequences of our actions.

At the very least, we would reduce pollution in the air, in our soils and our oceans by reducing fossil fuel usage. At the very best, we just may save future generations.

What’s so wrong about that?

blaming the youth for the problems caused by the last generation is certainly a novel proposition.

Environmentalism – a crazy notion that we should clean up after ourselves.

Even if climate change isn’t a problem, isn’t being a bit clean and tidy a good enough reason?

I think the red banners will look quite festive on the green lawns on the hill.

You Gen Xers and Yers bother me. We are being presented with two different scenarios – one states that we are plundering our planet into eventual oblivion, and the other being touted by big buisness that grows fat on the profits of carbon-producing products, is that this is all a lie.

I would have thought that the precautionary principle would mean that we should at least think about the consequences of our actions.

At the very least, we would reduce pollution in the air, in our soils and our oceans by reducing fossil fuel usage. At the very best, we just may save future generations.

What’s so wrong about that?

R. Slicker said :

More greenie crap. For the last time THERE IS NO CLIMATE CHANGE. It is a myth being propagated by the international media.

Of course it’s a conspiracy!!

I’ve been stockpiling weapons, food and water in the basement of my house for when the UN uses this as an excuse to take over the country. They’re not going to get me alive!! Who’s with me??

People Power.

“Comically, coal power produces far more radioactive waste than nuclear power…”

I’m not sure if I have ever read more rot in my life. The radioactivity of the waste from a coal powered station is NOT more than a nuclear station. The radioactive waste emitted from a coal powered station IS more than a nuclear station due to a nuclear station due the reactor vessel, fuel rods, and any radioactive waste on site being well shielded. In saying all that Scientific America state that the chance of becoming ill from the radioactivity of a coal station equate to that of being hit by lightning.

more coal-fired power stations

Enjoy the increased rates of cancer and toxic pollutants pumped into the environment. Comically, coal power produces far more radioactive waste than nuclear power…

Jonathon Reynolds3:21 pm 10 Jan 09

Join hundreds of other Australians forming a human chain around Australian Parliament House

Because holding hands is such an efficient way to stop global warming … if only we had known a decade ago!

Unfortunately some poor sods actually work on a Tuesday (and on a few other days also). They then pay tax to help fund the allowances these parasites receive. Please explain how raising the red flag will save the planet. My memory is good enough to recall an earlier generation of red flag waving comrades.

Holden Caulfield3:01 pm 10 Jan 09

So, to promote the green cause they want to wear the opposite in red.

This is going well.

I’ll be nearby – will be amused to see how many of the hypocriterati arrive by car, from their large, climate-inefficient O’Connor houses (full of expensive rainforest-timber furniture), wearing imported emissions-laden clothes, digesting expensive imported, emissions-laden food …

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy12:35 pm 10 Jan 09

What a waste of time. Surprising they’re holding it now, normally these things coincide with uni exams, so the Arts students have something to do while their colleagues in other courses are studying and/or sitting exams.

R. Slicker said :

More greenie crap. For the last time THERE IS NO CLIMATE CHANGE. It is a myth being propagated by the international media. All governments should divert money from spending on climate change initiatives into better roads, more coal-fired power stations and assistance to the car industry.

Assistance to the car industry? OH HELLS NO!

More greenie crap. For the last time THERE IS NO CLIMATE CHANGE. It is a myth being propagated by the international media. All governments should divert money from spending on climate change initiatives into better roads, more coal-fired power stations and assistance to the car industry.

The dreadlock set have nothing better to protest about.

Join hundreds of other Australians forming a human chain around Australian Parliament House on the first sitting day of Parliament on Tuesday 3rd February 2009. [ED – Anyone got a time?]

We will gather at 8am on the lawn in front of Parliament House

Will this be entirely peaceful?? There are some wacked out, f*cked up Greenies out there.

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