QASU Vigil 7 November

The NSW government announced last Thursday that it will allow “an outdoor protest or demonstration about a governmental or political matter to take place with up to 500 persons”.

So, it’s time for a QASU silent vigil outside Dave Sharma’s office. This will be held in a covid-safe way on Saturday 7 November 9-11 am. 

Zali Steggall, independent MP for Warringah, is introducing a revised version of her climate bill on 9 November. It aims to set Net Zero by 2050 in law and provide a long term plan for business investment. 

We want Dave Sharma to support the bill.

For more information about the bill: https://climateactnow.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/CAN-CC-Bill-Overview.pdf

Please follow us for more information over the coming days.

Gas-led recovery announced

From what limited information the government has released, today’s news appears to be the complete opposite of evidence-based climate action.

Dave Sharma MP, please advise what effect this will have on emissions, what impact it will have on our Paris Agreement commitments and what your government is doing to mitigate the potential large-scale increase in emissions. https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/morrison-to-back-construction-of-new-gas-fired-power-station-20200914-p55vks.html

Dave Sharma and gas

Angus Taylor MP, the Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction this week spoke of plans to ‘balance’ the grid with gas, a highly potent fossil fuel, boasting that investment in gas will benefit every Australian.  Dave Sharma MP, given you looked as confused as we were upon hearing this, could you explain why you support investing in fossil fuels over renewables, and how higher emissions and catastrophic climate change will benefit the residents of Wentworth?

Climate Change Act

This week Zali Steggall has re-launched the Climate Change Act, a bill that would help us achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and manage the growing risks of climate change. She was joined by Rebekha Sharkie MP and Helen Haines MP. We believe this legislation is more important than ever. Please visit https://climateactnow.com.au/ for more information on the bill and how to get involved. Climate change affects every electorate in this country and without any credible action by the federal government, we are asking that every federal MP support the bill. 

Dave Sharma please explain to your constituents how a ‘gas-lead recovery’ will result in lower emissions

Peter Hartcher of The Sydney Morning Herald has written a scathing critique of climate inaction by the federal government. He lays out how Australia, and specifically the federal government, has lost a decade of progress in transitioning to renewable energy. NSW Energy and Environment Minister Matt Kean sums it up in the quote below. Dave Sharma MP, Jason Falinski and Trent Zimmerman please explain to your constituents how a ‘gas-lead recovery’ will result in lower emissions, and explain why a clean energy recovery has not even been considered by your government. Article link and quote source:

ARTICLE

hartcher-articleDownload

Dave Sharma community survey

Dave Sharma has sent a community survey to parts of his electorate – not sure why not all of it – which presents a great opportunity to let him know your concerns include “tackling climate change”. Perhaps he will understand that many people in his electorate believe that the Covid recovery must take into account climate change and that the government needs to set proper targets (2030 target without Kyoto carry over credits and net-zero emissions by 2050) and it must develop a plan to reach those targets. 

Please download the survey below.

We encourage you to complete your own and also to pass this on to others in your neighbourhood to send in.

sharma-elector-community-survey-Download

Government’s Corona-19 Recovery Commission fuelled by fossils

“Illogical”, “unbelievably irresponsible”, “fundamentally at odds with protecting Australians” were all used in the 24 hours after the government’s latest push for gas investment. We have since seen rebukes from two energy experts: former Origin Energy senior executive Tony Wood, and ANU’s Dr Frank Jotzo. If Dave Sharma MP, Trent Zimmerman and Jason Falinski continue to support massive expansion of our gas industry, are they just a new type of climate denialist?

How our politicians delay climate action

How is it that coalition MPs can acknowledge the risks of climate change while expanding our fossil fuel industry? How is it that the government claims to be a renewables world leader, but is regularly ranked virtually last in the world on climate action? How do politicians talk their way out of any kind of real action on climate change? This diagram is somewhat detailed but answers these questions. Four researchers broke down how politicians delay climate action while acknowledging the risks of climate change.

Read more at:

https://theconversation.com/climate-denial-hasnt-gone-away-heres-how-to-spot-arguments-for-delaying-climate-action-141991

Write a letter to your MP

We are on the verge of a disastrous expansion of Australia’s gas industry, will you take ten minutes to write to your local paper about the government’s planned fossil fuel stimulus package? It has come out via senate inquiry that the government is pushing ahead with a plan to invest heavily in Australia’s gas sector. No report or other rationale has been released, but we know the following:

  1. Gas and oil will produce far less jobs than investment in other industries, see: https://www.tai.org.au/sites/default/files/P908%20Gas-fired%20backfire%20%5Bweb%5D.pdf
  2. Gas is a fossil fuel that is often equivalent to, or worse than coal as a greenhouse gas.
  3. Analysis has found that government support and investment in renewables can produce hundreds of thousands of new jobs, see: https://bze.org.au/the-million-jobs-plan/
  4. The chair of the National COVID Coordination Commission (NCCC) that is recommending gas stimulus is himself the director of a gas company and has faced conflict of interest questions.

Call To Action

We are asking that all concerned Quiet Australians send a letter or email to their local paper raising this important issue. Some letter writing tips:- Provide your name, address, email and phone number. – Make your message simple and succinct, around 120 words is ideal as much longer and they are unlikely to publish it. – Proof read your letter or ask someone else to check it for you.

Please comment by selecting the ‘comment’ button below advising who you sent it to!

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