Snapshot of anti-renewables rally at Parliament House
A little over one week ago, a collection of anti-renewable energy protesters rolled into Canberra, calling for a slowdown – if not halt – in renewable energy development. Attendees to the Rally Against Reckless Renewables also conveyed messages on vaccines and the World Health Organisation, the “Great Reset”, the United Nations, and other conspiracy minded themes.
National Party member Barnaby Joyce is well described by the adjacent sign.
Photo: Smart Energy Council/Harrison Johnstone
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The rally, held on Feb. 6, attracted coalition-party speakers including National Party parliamentarians David Littleproud, Barnaby Joyce, and Matt Canavan. Former United Australia Party and Liberal Party member Craig Kelly also spoke.
On a Smart Energy Council webinar on Feb. 9, federal energy minister Chris Bowen said that the opposition parties were “whipping up community concern” about renewable energy development.
The Smart Energy Council sent a photographer to the event (so, you didn’t have to) and here is a snapshot of the day – which provides insight into the demographics, colourful characters, and politicians engaging in the aspirant anti-renewables movement.
National Party member Barnaby Joyce is well described by the adjacent sign.
The vaccination and anti-renewables Venn diagram have significant overlap.
A somewhat mysterious sign with protestors on the lawn at Parliament House.
A Holden Torana provided a touch of class to proceedings.
Youthful and diverse would not be words used to describe the attending crowd.
National Party Senator has long taken a pro-coal and anti-renewable energy stance.
The son of Welsh coal miner, and former coal miner himself, Malcolm Roberts, a One Nation Senator, is no friend of solar nor wind.
National Party leader David Littleproud looks neither proud no comfortable at last Tuesday’s event.
That hat, that sign…
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Jonathan Gifford
Jonathan is the Founding Editor of pv magazine Australia. Jonathan joined pv magazine in 2011 and became the Editor in Chief in 2014.
I am disappointed you came away with a complete misunderstanding of why most of us came from so far away to be at that rally. Have you wondered why? Its not about anti-renewables. Sure a few oddballs were running around however you missed the entire point of our concerns. I have solar panels on my roof, a hybrid car, an I have spent a life time of not being wasteful. So why was I there? Once upon a time you would have been with us too. Australia’s climate issues will be exacerbated by land denigration not CO2 emissions. We are carving up Queensland as if the tropical rainforests aren’t full of endangered wildlife. We are planning to place windturbine industrial zones on the migratory superhighway – the Continental shelf – and no they can’t go around. We are paying for all this with taxpayer revenue that should be being returned to Australian industry not given to foreign investors – that is theft. We giving areas larger than the Illawarra to foreign companies with a no-go zone for any other vessels. We are turning square kilometres of A1 arible agricutural land over to solar panels rendering the land useless. The key word is RECKLESS. Stop looking for the oddities in the group and ask yourself why would people come from the Gold Coast, Port Stephens, the Illawarra, Goulburn, Junee etc etc. come so far at great personal cost to let the Federal Government know we are concerned. What agenda were you seeking – anything to attack the person not the issue. Very poor debating skills, Johnathan when you can’t defend the issue attack. Bowen should understand we have 75 different Facebook groups from all around Australia with very serious concerns on this issues and they all have thousands of followers. – we vote.
Maybe Jonathon Gifford, the pv founding editor, with a background in broadcasting??? should actually consider posting an UNBIASED perspective & stop using click bait to puff up his own personal & politically charged view.
MP Chris Bowen is answerable to Australians not a webinar paid to support his personal ideology! This issue is so much bigger than politics, Jonathon, just stating the obvious!
Did you bother to ask why over 2500 everyday Australians PAID their own way to get to Canberra? Did you bother to mention ALL the other costs incurred to take the day away from other responsibilities? Did you bother to consider people’s concerns or care to enquire about any of the reasons, short or long term, why they went to Canberra? Did you bother to show any evidence of the destruction of our environment, supposedly to save it, in the Communities across 3 states, of those who made their way to Canberra? Did you bother to speak w/any of the people at the rally, at all? (so readers didn’t have to)
NO YOU DIDN’T! Yet you’re happy to denigrate everyone who went to Canberra from your keyboard in the comfort of home on the back of second hand, targeted spin from PAID advocates!
What part of RECKLESS RENEWABLES says anti renewable? ‘Outlets like yours’ are a dis-service to & all Australians. Do you ever question your own agenda against what you post? Ofcourse not, you’re the editor, right!
The one thing you don’t bother to consider bc you’re not interested in asking, is the truth!
Once people understand the scale, size, scope, cost & destruction of what’s being proposed across the country & the coastline ~ They don’t need convincing or coercion, using pathetic, dirty media/politics, paid rentacrowds or activists tactics & the hypocrisy of the lot! They also know, those forcing such devastating obliteration won’t be around to answer or be accountable now or in the future!
Did you bother to point out EVERY politician/party were officially invited to the RECKLESS RENEWABLES RALLY? No ofcourse not bc you’re not interested in telling the truth & you couldn’t care less, why everyday AUSTRALIANS took the time to go to Canberra!
Where were the Greens, Jonathon? & labor! If renewables were such a good idea, why aren’t either of them promoting them under merit? Why do they need unbearable, never ending subsidies? Instead all they’ve got is reliant upon, labels & lies, pushed by media. None of them actually stand for renewables or sit down & ask those directly affected or allow any alternatives, let alone the best outcomes for Australia in all aspects!
Write Australians off at your own peril! We are all fed up w/the cover ups by media & the constant dirty politcs used to deny genuine concerns by everyday Australians. We care about our homes, our communities, the environment & the costs we’re being forced to pay NOW & leave for our future generations, OUR KIDS!.. How dare you suggest we’re not worth being heard!
Your grossly inadequate ‘article’ does nothing to address any of our genuine concerns! Like it or not, renewables are NOT clean, NOT green, NOT renewable & NOT zero & the sooner you & co stop supporting politics & get on the ground w/grass roots people, the better off Australians will be!
A background in public broadcasting does not give you credentials. Reading what you’re prepared to spruik shows how out of touch with reality you are!.. You’re not a champion for the people, the environment or renewables, you’re a mouthpiece for propaganda where politics comes first!
The cause speaks for itself, it’s not going away & you would do well to employ an independent editor!
I challenge Mr Gifford to leave the closeted bubble in Canberra and take a trip to Central Queensland where he can see first-hand the destruction of thousands of hectares of remnant forests, which are koala and greater glider habitat, to make way for wind factories, roads and transmission lines. This is happening on the spine of the Great Dividing Range between Marlborough and Cairns.
He should then ask why the green activists are silent on this destruction. He may also want to ask Twiggy Forrest why his company is providing blunt instruments to his staff to kill koalas that get in the way of this wilful destruction.
If he was a journalist of any substance, he would look into these claims and report on them instead being a government lackey and just regurgitating the lies he is being told.
Earn your wage Mr Gifford and search for the truth.
While he is travelling to the area I suggest he reads these stories as the mainstream media refuse to report this carnage.
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I am disappointed you came away with a complete misunderstanding of why most of us came from so far away to be at that rally. Have you wondered why? Its not about anti-renewables. Sure a few oddballs were running around however you missed the entire point of our concerns. I have solar panels on my roof, a hybrid car, an I have spent a life time of not being wasteful. So why was I there? Once upon a time you would have been with us too. Australia’s climate issues will be exacerbated by land denigration not CO2 emissions. We are carving up Queensland as if the tropical rainforests aren’t full of endangered wildlife. We are planning to place windturbine industrial zones on the migratory superhighway – the Continental shelf – and no they can’t go around. We are paying for all this with taxpayer revenue that should be being returned to Australian industry not given to foreign investors – that is theft. We giving areas larger than the Illawarra to foreign companies with a no-go zone for any other vessels. We are turning square kilometres of A1 arible agricutural land over to solar panels rendering the land useless. The key word is RECKLESS. Stop looking for the oddities in the group and ask yourself why would people come from the Gold Coast, Port Stephens, the Illawarra, Goulburn, Junee etc etc. come so far at great personal cost to let the Federal Government know we are concerned. What agenda were you seeking – anything to attack the person not the issue. Very poor debating skills, Johnathan when you can’t defend the issue attack. Bowen should understand we have 75 different Facebook groups from all around Australia with very serious concerns on this issues and they all have thousands of followers. – we vote.
Here Here, Rosemary, thank you for taking the time to speak up!
Maybe Jonathon Gifford, the pv founding editor, with a background in broadcasting??? should actually consider posting an UNBIASED perspective & stop using click bait to puff up his own personal & politically charged view.
MP Chris Bowen is answerable to Australians not a webinar paid to support his personal ideology!
This issue is so much bigger than politics, Jonathon, just stating the obvious!
Did you bother to ask why over 2500 everyday Australians PAID their own way to get to Canberra?
Did you bother to mention ALL the other costs incurred to take the day away from other responsibilities?
Did you bother to consider people’s concerns or care to enquire about any of the reasons, short or long term, why they went to Canberra?
Did you bother to show any evidence of the destruction of our environment, supposedly to save it, in the Communities across 3 states, of those who made their way to Canberra?
Did you bother to speak w/any of the people at the rally, at all? (so readers didn’t have to)
NO YOU DIDN’T!
Yet you’re happy to denigrate everyone who went to Canberra from your keyboard in the comfort of home on the back of second hand, targeted spin from PAID advocates!
What part of RECKLESS RENEWABLES says anti renewable?
‘Outlets like yours’ are a dis-service to & all Australians. Do you ever question your own agenda against what you post? Ofcourse not, you’re the editor, right!
The one thing you don’t bother to consider bc you’re not interested in asking, is the truth!
Once people understand the scale, size, scope, cost & destruction of what’s being proposed across the country & the coastline ~ They don’t need convincing or coercion, using pathetic, dirty media/politics, paid rentacrowds or activists tactics & the hypocrisy of the lot! They also know, those forcing such devastating obliteration won’t be around to answer or be accountable now or in the future!
Did you bother to point out EVERY politician/party were officially invited to the RECKLESS RENEWABLES RALLY? No ofcourse not bc you’re not interested in telling the truth & you couldn’t care less, why everyday AUSTRALIANS took the time to go to Canberra!
Where were the Greens, Jonathon? & labor! If renewables were such a good idea, why aren’t either of them promoting them under merit? Why do they need unbearable, never ending subsidies? Instead all they’ve got is reliant upon, labels & lies, pushed by media. None of them actually stand for renewables or sit down & ask those directly affected or allow any alternatives, let alone the best outcomes for Australia in all aspects!
Write Australians off at your own peril! We are all fed up w/the cover ups by media & the constant dirty politcs used to deny genuine concerns by everyday Australians. We care about our homes, our communities, the environment & the costs we’re being forced to pay NOW & leave for our future generations, OUR KIDS!.. How dare you suggest we’re not worth being heard!
Your grossly inadequate ‘article’ does nothing to address any of our genuine concerns! Like it or not, renewables are NOT clean, NOT green, NOT renewable & NOT zero & the sooner you & co stop supporting politics & get on the ground w/grass roots people, the better off Australians will be!
A background in public broadcasting does not give you credentials. Reading what you’re prepared to spruik shows how out of touch with reality you are!.. You’re not a champion for the people, the environment or renewables, you’re a mouthpiece for propaganda where politics comes first!
The cause speaks for itself, it’s not going away & you would do well to employ an independent editor!
I challenge Mr Gifford to leave the closeted bubble in Canberra and take a trip to Central Queensland where he can see first-hand the destruction of thousands of hectares of remnant forests, which are koala and greater glider habitat, to make way for wind factories, roads and transmission lines. This is happening on the spine of the Great Dividing Range between Marlborough and Cairns.
He should then ask why the green activists are silent on this destruction. He may also want to ask Twiggy Forrest why his company is providing blunt instruments to his staff to kill koalas that get in the way of this wilful destruction.
If he was a journalist of any substance, he would look into these claims and report on them instead being a government lackey and just regurgitating the lies he is being told.
Earn your wage Mr Gifford and search for the truth.
While he is travelling to the area I suggest he reads these stories as the mainstream media refuse to report this carnage.
https://www.robertonfray.com/2023/12/01/killing-koalas-to-save-polar-bears/
https://www.robertonfray.com/2023/10/06/wake-up-australia-renewable-energy-wont-save-the-planet-if-it-costs-the-earth/