Rising Tide (RT) members crashed Liberal Senator Michaelia Cash and Brisbane candidate Trevor Evans’ media conference on April 22, the first day of early voting, to demand answers about why the Liberals back nuclear power when economists say it isn’t viable.
“Scientists say it isn’t a real solution to the climate crisis and members of Liberal’s own party are campaigning against it,” Rising Tide said.
It was the latest in a series of actions that began with interrupting Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ pre-budget Queensland Press Club address.
Alexa Stuart from RT told Green Left that the group has organised more than 10 actions targeting the Prime Minister, Opposition Leader, Treasurer and Shadow Treasurer, as well as the climate change minister and shadow minister.
RT is trying to put climate change back on the election agenda when both major parties don’t want to talk about the danger and the corporate media is refusing to probe them on their weak policies.
“Both major parties know their climate policy is weak,” Stuart said. It is “not going to win them votes” as Australians “really care” about the environment. Both parties are “in the pockets of corporate donors” from the fossil fuel industry. RT is simply “asking the hard questions” that the media is not.
RT wants to know why Labor has approved 33 new coal and gas projects or expansions during a climate emergency. It also wants to know why the Liberals are supporting dangerous, costly and unnecessary nuclear option, as well as gas.
Stuart said the “clearest way to tell” that Labor is not taking climate change seriously is its “continued approval of new coal and gas projects”. “The can spruik renewables as much as they want.”
RT is demanding an end to new coal and gas approvals and encouraging people to vote for smaller parties and independents that take climate action seriously.
RT is working towards another major blockade of the Newcastle Coal Port in November.