Climate protesters rally in PM's Sydney electorate

More than 500 people have staged a protest in Sydney's south, calling on the federal government to dump coal and act on climate change.

More than 500 people have protested the government's climate change policies in Sydney's south.

More than 500 people have protested the government's climate change policies in Sydney's south. Source: AAP

Hundreds of people have rallied in the prime minister's Sydney electorate, calling on the federal government to step up and act on climate change.

Signs calling on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to put an end to coal mining and move to renewables were among the messages more than 500 protesters had for his government at Cronulla Park on Saturday.

Local resident Aref Taleb said it was time for Australia to change its ways and the protest was part of the nation's youth refusing to "sit around and wait for our leaders" to act.




NSW Nature Conservation Council chief executive Kate Smolski said the state was struggling with earlier fire seasons and drought and pointed the finger at the country's "addiction" to fossil fuels.

"It's time to kick coal out of politics for good and re-power Australia with clean energy," Ms Smolski said in a statement on Saturday.

Australian left-wing lobby group GetUp! warned Mr Morrison could lose the top job if he didn't put climate at the top of his agenda at the next election.

The rally comes ahead of Mr Morrison's plan to ditch the National Energy Guarantee in a party room meeting when parliament resumes next week.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Source: AAP


He will also rule out enshrining Australia's Paris Agreement commitments in law.

Those targets would see Australia reduce its carbon emissions to 26-28 per cent on 2005 levels by 2030.

But a spokesperson for the prime minister says the government remains committed to meeting its Paris targets.

The protest was one of several across Australia on Saturday organised by an alliance of environmental and activist groups including Greenpeace, NSW Nature Conservation Council, 350.org and GetUp!


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