Climate-concerned residents organised an action in front of Parramatta Town Hall on November 28 as part of a national day of climate action called by Fridays For Future Online and supported by climate groups around the country.
The protests highlight the growing opposition to Prime Minister Scott Morrison's so-called "gas-led recovery". Given Australia's unique abundance of renewable and benign energy, the call to switch to 100% renewable energy by 2030 is growing louder.
Parramatta event co-organiser Susan Price said that "Parramatta's #ProtectOurFutureNotGas event came together at short notice, after we decided it was important to add our voices to the growing numbers of Australians concerned about climate change.
"PM Scott Morrison's so-called 'gas-led recovery' is lining the pockets of the fossil-fuel industry, while contributing to global greenhouse gas emissions, which are causing global warming.
"In Western Sydney, we feel the brunt of summer heatwaves already. Another 1-2 degrees Celsius rise will only make health impacts much worse. But imagine what life is already like for Pacific Islanders and low-lying coastal communities, who are on the frontlines of climate change.
"We need to keep unconventional gas in the ground and transition to renewable energy."
The event was co-hosted by members of the Parramatta Climate Action Network, Socialist Alliance and Community Need Not Corporate Greed.
In Newtown, a highway action against gas was organised by the Inner West Socialist Alliance and supported by the Sydney Knitting Nannas and Friends, Water for Rivers and other climate activists.
Long-term resident and event co-organiser Pip Hinman told Green Left that support in the form of tooting, even from drivers of heavy vehicles at a busy intersection connecting the Pacific Highway, was welcome.
"There's a growing understanding that the federal and state goverments' promise of jobs from the so-called gas-led recovery is a lie. Numerous reports show many more jobs would be created in the renewable energy sector, particularly if it was publicly-owned and the workplaces were unionised.
"We also took action today because it is important to show our support and solidarity with the Gomeroi people who are fighting off Santos plans for industrial-scale gas project on their country in the north-west of the state.
"They have not given permission, and neither have the farmers. They need to know that city people stand with them."