COVERITLIVE.COM

12:55

Welcome to the live blog for the Melbourne climate emergency rally. If you're at one of your local rallies and following along why not add your thoughts and what's happening.

12:57

There is already a couple of hunted people here. Of course Socialist Alliance have their stalls out to flog their wares. Haven't seen any signs of street performers, which would be disappointing if none showed up.

12:58

There are lots of Greens triangles about and some creative hand-made banners too. I'll try to upload some pictures as I take them.

1:02	The Melbourne rally isbeing held at the state library on Swanston Street

1:03	Rod Quantock is now booming on the loud speakers. He's letting us know about the agenda for the rally and who will be speaking at the rally.

1:05	The official start to the rally isn't starting for another 10 minutes. But then no-one really expected it to start on time did they?

1:12	Rod Quantock keeping us entertained while speakers getting themselves ready. His jokes are funny but in that funny disturbing way

1:15	As Rod has just said, it's no longer an emergency since the shit has really hit the fan. He's quite right as there is still so much inaction. The air-raid siren is going off to signify the climate emergency.

1:17	Alas the next speaker is shouting into the microphone. And the rhetoric has started and we're being reminded we're not doing this in isolation. There are rallies happening around Australia and Victoria.

1:19	Chris Bree telling us about some of the incoming laws and their flaws. He's also pointing out that action on climate changewill create jobs. The first speaker is now on.

1:21	It's awesome to hear from a truly young person abouttheir fears. She's speaking about the hyprocrisy between what she's taught and what governments do about climate change.

1:23	Amazing the clarity of the issues and the solutions needed from a young person. Great big applause for her.

1:28	David Spratt is next speaker. He's acknowledging again the emergency we're facing. The science is telling us their are problems now.

1:33	He's talking about the science and that Eco systems are dying and people are being dis-located from their homes. David is encouraging people to be more involved and to help keep the political pressure up.

1:33	Senator Bob Brown now speaking.

1:36	Bob is addressing the issues surrounding the political solutions. All the speakers have highlighted the various reports showing people and Eco systems are dying now from climate change.

1:39	Bob is talking about the problems with the government's emissions trading scheme. David, Bob and Chris have all mentioned the huge potential Australia has in green industries.

1:41	He's noting some of the ongoing environmental vandalism being sanctioned and encouraged by state and federal governments. All speakers are encouraging people to think about the future and the planet when they next vote.

1:43	More being said about the problems of the carbon intensive economy Australia relies on. The next speaker is Peter Marshall from the United Firefighters Union.

1:45	Peter is speaking about his 20 years experience as a firefighter. He notes that he and firefighters globally are fighting bigger and more fierce fires, like the Canberra fires in 2005 and in Victoria this year.

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