Schools strike

By Yvette Brand

A local student impacted by the 2019 Bunyip Ridge fires is leading a national schools strike, calling on the Federal Government to make a stand on climate change.

Beaconhills College Pakenham campus student Mackenzie O’Connor said seeing the devastation of bushfires in the community led to learning more about fires, and in turn climate change.

“I’m striking because this community has seen what fire can do, and I don’t want to see more people being hurt by bushfires and other climate disasters.

“The Morrison Government could be protecting our climate, land and water, and creating thousands of new jobs by growing Australia’s renewable energy sector and backing First Nations’ solutions to protect country,” she said.

The rally will be held on Friday, May 21 outside Member for Monash Russell Broadbent’s Warragul office.

It will be one of a series of national school strikes.

The day is being organised by the School Strike 4 Climate network, with support from First Nations communities, unions, parents, and everyday Australians.

Rally organisers will demand Mr Broadbent “be quiet, listen and learn” - the same plea he asked of his parliamentary colleagues after the March 4 Justice.

Mackenzie, 15, had first-hand experience of the impacts of climate change, having been evacuated from their Bunyip home during the 2019 fires.

Mackenzie said learning that climate change played a big role in natural events, such as bushfires, that it is the cause of bushfires getting bigger and getting worse each year, motivated her to action.

“I don’t want to see more people being affected by bushfires - the 2019/2020 summer bushfires showed that it’s getting worse which is why I joined School Strike 4 Climate, alongside hundreds of other school strikers who are all concerned for our future and want to see the government do more,” Mackenzie said.