2020-09-24
Ahead of tomorrow’s School Strike 4 Climate Action, the ACT Greens have today pledged to establish stronger regulations that support the participation of children and young people in our democracy.
It comes as thousands of young people are expected to take part in the latest ‘School Strike 4 Climate’, as part of a worldwide effort to “tell politicians to take our future seriously and to treat climate change for what it is: a crisis.”
The ACT Greens will ensure an ongoing policy that the Minister for Education endorses each student-led School Strike 4 Climate event.
This means students of ACT Government schools will not be penalised or stopped from attending rallies and events, but will still need approval from their parents or carers, with parental supervision encouraged. This policy will also enable teachers to support students to attend such events.
The ACT Education Directorate has had this policy in place for individual events, but it is not ongoing, and approval could be revoked with a change in government.
The ACT Greens have also committed to encouraging greater participation of children and young people in our democracy as a general principle in the ACT’s Education Act.
With Greens in Government, the ACT Government was the first territory or state jurisdiction to lend its support to the School Strike 4 Climate Action, and the first to declare a climate emergency.
Comments attributable to ACT Greens Shane Rattenbury:
“Climate change is the challenge of a generation. Our future depends on the decisions before us today – cutting emissions, leaving coal in the ground, embracing the renewables revolution. The message from these students to politicians and decision-makers across the country is clear: they want to see action, and they want to see it now. In this, they have our full support.
“These students may be missing a day of school - but they’re already smarter than many of our supposed adult leaders. Maybe it’s the climate change denying and apathetic politicians that need to go back to school.”
Comments attributable to ACT Greens Youth Spokesperson Johnathan Davis:
“Today’s young people are growing up in a world where the effects of a changing climate are obvious all around them. Young people understand the threat and more importantly, it’s young people trusting the global scientific consensus and demanding the politicians catch up and take immediate action.
“While some talk about action, young people just want to get on with it and act now. The ACT Greens stand with young people and applaud and celebrate every young person who takes their responsibility as active and engaged citizens so seriously.”
Read the full package at → greens.org.au/act/youth-democracy