FED:Thousands demonstrate for and against tax

AAP General News (Australia)
04-02-2011
FED:Thousands demonstrate for and against tax

By Miles Godfrey and Chi Tranter

SYDNEY, April 2 AAP - A petition containing 25,000 signatures has been presented to
Senator Eric Abetz during a large anti-climate tax rally in Sydney's Hyde Park.

Thousands of people turned up for the event on Saturday morning, many waving derogatory
banners and placards aimed at Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Greens leader Bob Brown.

A short distance away in Belmore Park, thousands more people gathered to call for action
on climate change: including putting a price on pollution and investing in renewable energy.

The Hyde Park demonstration mirrored in size and tone a rally held in Canberra recently.

Organisers were hoping for 5000 people to turn up to Saturday's event although it remains
unclear what the exact head count was.

Prior to receiving the petition Senator Abetz, the Opposition Leader in the Senate,
urged country independent MPs sitting in the federal parliament to change their support
for the tax.

"What I say to Labor and the Greens and indeed the country independents, is there has
been a huge political climate change - human induced - in Australia as a result of this
carbon tax," he told the crowd.

"What I invoke, especially the country independents to consider is a change of heart
and a change of government."

Senator Abetz said the planned tax would make no difference to the climate.

He promised the crowd he would table the petition in Canberra.

Earlier protesters chanted "liar, liar, liar" in reference to Ms Gillard's statement
before last year's federal election that she would not implement a carbon tax.

They were whipped up by singer Angry Anderson, who took the stage as master of ceremonies.

One protester carried a large blow-up model of Ms Gillard with a long nose at the rally.

It was a familiar theme, with other banners reading: "Juliar - No carbon tax".

At the Belmore Park event organised by GetUp, the social action group's national director
Simon Sheikh encouraged protesters by saying "we are closer than ever to the future that
we demand".

"We are the last line of defence for Mother Nature," he said.

Despite leaked government papers revealing a carbon tax could set households back over
$800 the message from protesters was that it's money worth spending to secure the future
for upcoming generations.

Many signs read "Carbon price, our kids are worth it".

"We must achieve a price on pollution and substantially invest in renewable energy,"

Mr Sheikh said.

The Hyde Park rally left him unperturbed. "I literally can't see the back of this crowd,"

he shouted from the stage.

"Eight thousand people can fit into this park and it is absolutely full."

AAP mdg/ct/nb

KEYWORD: CLIMATE RALLIES (PICS AVAILABLE)

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