Smelly protest calls for coal miners to be pensioned off by state
Extinction Rebellion demonstrators have blocked the main entrance to the Queensland parliament and strewn the area with fish carcasses and banners.
The protestors, who began demonstrating about 7.30am on Wednesday, want government action on climate change to get to net zero emmissions.
Activist Rene Wooller says the state government should offer state pensions to coal miners to leave the industry.
āThe Queensland government needs a climate transition plan that doesnāt exclude coal miners,ā she said in a statement.
āIf a politician can get a pension for leaving politics, why canāt coal miners get a pension for leaving coal.ā
The protestors also want action to save the Great Barrier Reef, after the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listed it as ācritically-threatenedā.
IUCN World Heritage program director Tim Badman said the extent to which climate change has damaged the reef was unprecedented.
Coral ecology expert Dr Selina Ward said there was enough coral left to save the reef if emissions were dramatically reduced, but further work was also needed.
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āBut we must act now, we have no time to wait,ā Dr Ward said.
āWe certainly have no time for new coal mines and new port expansions.ā
One activist was arrested after scaling the parliamentary annexe and refusing to come down.
While the gates to the annexe remain closed, MPs were still able to enter the building for Wednesdayās sitting of parliament.
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