350 Eurobodalla rally asks Fiona Phillips MP to stand up for us
Seventy of us gathered on the foreshore on Saturday 25 May and marched to Fiona Phillips MP’s Batemans Bay office to protest against Labor’s plan for massive fossil gas expansion.
The event was part of over 60 Australia wide Rise Up campaign to get climate impacts included in the environment law and ask Labor MPs to oppose the Albanese government’s Future Gas Strategy.
We are asking Fiona Phillips to stand up for us against the expansion of the gas industry as six other Labor MPs have done.
People viewing the Sculpture on the Clyde outdoor exhibition greeted us with warm applause as we walked by on our way to Mrs Phillips office.
350 Eurobodalla coordinator Jack Egan said, “Some gas will be needed for a time, but we must phase down all fossil fuels, not recklessly increase production.
It is simply untrue that our export customers need more Australian gas beyond what can be supplied from currently operating projects.
Rather than increasing gas supply which will make international transition to clean energy all the harder, the Labor government should work with trading partners to manage down demand for Australian fossil fuel exports and build custom for Australian clean energy exports.
By planning to open vast new fossil gas fields, Labor has put the big gas corporations ahead of our future.”
Broulee GP Dr Michelle Hamrosi of Doctors for the Environment told the rally, “Coal, oil and gas are hazardous to our health and wellbeing.
They are the primary drivers of climate change, which I recognised as the single biggest health threat facing humanity by the World Health Organisation.
They cause hazardous air pollution, increasing the rates of asthma, heart disease, cancer, learning delays and poor pregnancy outcomes.
To protect the health of the Australian people, health professionals call on the Australian government to ban all new coal, oil and gas projects.
We must put the health of the people ahead of the interests of the fossil fuel industry.”
350 Eurobodalla secretary Allan Rees said, “At a time when Australia is already suffering terribly from climate chaos we must have climate impacts in our national environment laws, every project must be judged on whether it will increase emissions.
I ask everyone to find their tribe and join with the people trying to save our native forests, or those protecting our ocean, or the many who are helping the change to renewable energy or join a climate action group like 350 Eurobodalla.
We are all working together for the Eurobodalla and our planet.”
A letter has been sent to Fiona Phillips asking her to respond to our requests.
