emergency rally - tafe4all

I walked amongst many

Saturday saw 40,000 Melburnians come out to participate in Walk Against Warming, I was proud to walk with them. Clearly this is an issue that people want to see action on, with 90,000 people Australia wide participating in Walk Against Warming events.

This is the tail end of the march, people came from far and wide to Walk Against Warming.

Our leaders are currently failing us with no real transition plan for Australia and its community.


Healesville was well represented by HEWI and Understorey Editor, Keiran Martin.

Local secondary school, Sherbrooke Community School supported the walk. Here I am pictured with student Jordan Crooka and Teacher, Davey Heller.

Action on Climate Change is something I will continue to pursue through the Shire of Yarra Ranges. Our reversion back to coal fired electricity was a backwards step for our shire and it is important that our actions go beyond what we currently do. I will be advocating for greater action on climate change. We all have our role to play and so do all tiers of government.

Local Transition Towners from Sherbrooke were out in force.

Get Up are sending hundreds of photos to Copenhagen like this one to urge governments to come back home with a climate treaty. Linda Laos and I were pleased to assist.

walk against warming – 12 december

Walk against Warming, one of Australia’s largest climate events, is coming to Melbourne, (with events across Australia too). Whilst world leaders are in Copenhagen deciding what to do about climate change this is your chance to send them a message they can’t ignore.

It is time for leaders to take decisive action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create a safe climate for our future. So it is up to us to show them we care and we want action now.

To rsvp to Walk against Warming click on the image.

Plans this year are to meet at the State Library, walk down Swanston Street to Princes Bridge and then form a human sign SAFE CLIMATE – DO IT!

Details are:
Walk Against Warming
Saturday 12/12/2009 @ 12pm State Library, Swanston Street, Melbourne
For information on walks elsewhere in Australia please go here.

climate emergency rally – melbourne

Today I marched with around 4,000 other Victorians from the State Library to Treasury Gardens to highlight to the federal government how flawed Kevin Rudd’s CPRS scheme is. There were many familiar and local faces amongst rally goers and it was good to see that people from all walks of life are concerned about state and federal government inaction on climate change.

It is always good to see Bob Brown visiting Melbourne.


The Yarra Valley Climate Action Group were there, travelling from the Yarra Valley to show their concern about the CPRS and man made global warming created from greenhouse gas emissions.

Cr Sam Gaylard from the City of Yarra was there.

This is me pictured with the Ashburner/Reid family from the Dandenong Ranges.

Seasoned climate campaigner Janet Rice was there.

Cam Walker from Friends of the Earth was there with his son.

Bob Brown led the march to the Melbourne Town Hall where the ALP were holding their state conference.

Cr Lynette Kelleher from the City of Casey was marching.

Ian Rainbow, dedicated environmental volunteer with Friends of Glenfern Valley, Upwey marching to Treasury Gardens.

The Sherbrooke Community School are very passionate about environmental issues, it was terrific to see them at today’s rally.

The Greens were proud supporters of today’s rally, here I am pictured with Geelong Green, Tory and Steve Meacher of the Healesville Greens. Steve is also chairperson of Healesville Environment Watch and was the driving force behind the establishment of local climate group in Healesville, C4.

The South West Greens were there highlighting forest issues, deforestation accounts for 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

David Spratt, co-author of Climate Code Red, standing outside the ALP State Conference. David has also been working on a significant climate project, Safe Climate Australia, a not-for-profit group dedicated to planning the transition to a zero-carbon economy.

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Safe Climate Australia has been formed by a group of concerned climate scientists, community and business leaders with a shared understanding of the need for emergency action to restore a safe climate.

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Safe Climate Australia will be officially launched at an event for 1000 invited guests in Melbourne on July 13, with a keynote speech from Nobel Prize winner, Al Gore.

Safe Climate Australia is aiming to deepen community understanding about both the scientific imperatives that demand action at great speed, and about how we can plan the rapid transition to a zero-carbon economy. If you’d like to know more visit Safe Climate Australia.

national climate emergency rally - 13 June

Click on image for more info,

I hope to see you there.

earth tremor in selby

What a surprise, sitting down relaxing for the evening, when a distant rumble could be heard, the house started shaking and I thought for all intents and purpose it was thunder. When the house continued to shake I realised that it was an earth tremor. It’s an eerie feeling, not one we’re very used to in Australia.

I loathe earthquakes, I first experienced one in California in 1980, I didn’t like it then and I still don’t like them. The feeling of loss of control is one I find difficult to reconcile. I hope all is well out there in Melbourne, we’ve had enough to contend with of late.

melbourne marches for gaza

Today I went, along with thousands of Melburnians, to a march in the city to support the end of violence in Gaza.

Even though the ceasefire has been called thousands came out to highlight the human tragedy occurring in Gaza.

Greens Senator, Sarah Hanson-Young spoke at the beginning of the march and said "No child should ever be used as a weapon of war, nor should they be subjected to violence and forced to flee their homes in fear." She went on to talk about one young teenage girl who had literally died from fear in Gaza.

We have all seen the horror on our television screens, violence and aggression is never a solution to any problem and I condemn the violence on both sides.

We are very fortunate that we live in a peaceful country.