School Strike 4 Climate has changed the location of their Sydney rally from The Domain to Kirribilli House, which will be held this Friday at 12:30pm.
The University of Sydney contingent, organised by the Environment Collective, will still meet at 10:15 am on Friday outside Fisher library. Students and staff will then march to the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) where they will join other student contingents.
Students will then travel to the Prime Minister’s residence in Kirribilli House to join union members, workers, primary and secondary students, and First Nations communities.
USyd activists won the right for students and teachers to attend the strike penalty-free after amassing over 1500 signatures. Usyd Vice-Chancellor Mark Scott assured the Environmental Collective in an email that this would be publicised “through staff and student communication channels”, but did not mention whether the University would endorse the action.
The University notified students of the no-penalty approach through email last Wednesday. Staff were notified first two weeks ago via the staff intranet and again last Thursday via staff emails.
However, both notices state that staff “discuss their proposed absence with their managers” and that they “will need to have approved leave… for the duration of their absence from work.”
Other universities such as UTS have also adopted a no-penalty approach, but have been more vocal in their support for the strike.
Strikers will be marching for a number of demands, including 100% public renewable energy by 2030; a just transition, including guaranteed climate jobs for fossil fuel workers and land rights and jobs on Country for Indigenous people; and no new coal and gas projects such as the Kurri Kurri gas plant and Narrabri gas project.
Speakers on the day include Gomeroi activist Kyanah, MUA National Indigenous Officer Thomas Mayor, SS4C activist from Bowral Beatrix Jones, Nurses and Midwives Federation Union member Michael Whaites, a speaker from the Pacific Climate Warriors, and a family from recently-flooded Lismore.
