Rallies were held in Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, Canberra and Hobart yesterday (15 June).

Australia recently appeared to go backwards in its environmental drive by pushing the start of an emissions trading scheme back for at least a year to 2011.

And, continuing to rely heavily on coal for power, which is still one of the resource-rich country’s top exports.

Protesters wore red to show the need for urgency and called for 100% renewable energy by 2020, more green collar jobs and a climate policy that makes polluters pay

A spokesman explained: “The rally is an initiative of Australia’s Climate Action Summit, when over 140 community climate groups came together in Canberra in February 2009 to plan community action on climate change.”

However Penny Wong, climate change minister, said the attack on the government was unjustified.

Luke Walsh

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