Young protesters were forcibly dragged out of Parliament House by police and security while holding a peaceful demonstration calling for the Labor government to deliver a Climate Jobs Guarantee now.
Yesterday, as the 47th parliament sat for the first time, young people from across the country gathered on the stairs of Parliament to bring attention to the biggest issue affecting our generation – climate.
The police response was unprecedented and disproportionate and the Labor government did not intervene to stop this. Videos show police pushing people down the stairs, dragging them, and swearing at them. Meanwhile, Labor leadership continues to fail young people and siding with fossil fuel billionaires and lobbyists who freely roam the halls of Parliament.
“It is our future on the line. We have a right to be heard in the people’s house. We are calling on the new government to listen to young people and come up with a plan that matches the scale of this crisis,” Desiree Cai of the Tomorrow Movement said yesterday.
“By violently removing us yesterday, the new Labor government showed that they are not serious about engaging with young people. Our voices were silenced while fossil fuel lobbyists are allowed to stalk the halls of Parliament freely.”
We need a plan that matches the scale of the climate crisis we are facing and we need it now.
Protest participants are available for interview and to speak about:
- The unprecedented and disproportionate police response to our peaceful protest
- How Labor is failing young people by siding with fossil fuel billionaires
- Our vision for a safe future for all, delivered through a Climate Jobs Guarantee
