MEDIA RELEASE 13.11.13
What brings together an international sports star, an archdeacon, a wine guru and a financial CEO? Basketballer Lauren Jackson, Archdeacon Peter McLeod-Miller, John Brown of Brown Brothers and WAW Credit Union’s Peter Challis, together with fifty other eminent people from the Border region have signed a joint statement calling for all levels of government to immediately take stronger action on human-induced climate change.
The statement has been endorsed by a diverse range of local leaders including those from business, academia, the arts, the land, local government and religious groups. (See climate statement and list of signatories.) It was initiated by non-partisan climate advocacy group Wodonga Albury Towards Climate Health (WATCH), in an effort to demonstrate the breadth of support for climate action from many of the most respected members of the Border community.
“We’ve been heartened by the number and diversity of local leaders prepared to publicly state their call for action on climate change”, said WATCH spokesperson Lizette Salmon. “The fact they’re from so many walks of life goes to show that climate change is an issue that matters regardless of work, social group or politics.”
A lifetime of simple personal observations convinced John Brown, former CEO of Brown Brothers that the climate is warming. “I remember when Mt Buffalo was a reliable winter ski resort, local farm dams froze over and grapes were ripe for harvesting three weeks later. Of great concern to me is how humanity will cope when our fossil fuels are exhausted. Unless we move quickly to alternative, low emission energy production, future generations will not forgive us.”
Peter Challis, CEO of WAW Credit Union, is also a signatory to the climate statement. “Our Governments and communities need to better understand climate change. The ongoing debate over what is to blame for climate change just redirects focus and energy away from minimising the long term damage on society. We need to respond to the impact of climate change so that we have a sustainable future.”
“Climate change will have dramatic effects on our environment and economy if urgent action is not taken”, said Mrs Salmon. “In our region that includes more droughts and bushfires and all the detrimental flow-on effects these will have on our community.”
Member for Farrer, Sussan Ley, has committed to noting the document and its message in Federal Parliament, either during debate on climate change or when local issues are able to be highlighted.
WATCH is calling for additional community leaders to become signatories to the climate statement. They can sign on in the next week by sending their details to watch.albwod@gmail.com
SIGNATORIES (as at 15.11.13)
| John Alker-Jones | Former Principal Planner Albury-Wodonga Development Corporation, former Chairman Parklands Albury-Wodonga |
| Stuart Baker | Director of Baker Motors and former Mayor Albury City Council (2007-2008) |
| Kat Bennett | Youth leader |
| Dr Dennis Black | Lecturer, Environmental Management, La Trobe University |
| John Brown AO | Former CEO and Chairman of Brown Brothers |
| Peter Challis | CEO, WAW Credit Union |
| Don Chambers | Indigo Shire Councillor, Chair Keep Australia Beautiful National Association |
| Julie de Hennin | Sustainable agriculture farmer, education and training contractor |
| Dr John Douglas | Paediatrician |
| Dr Penelope Egan-Vine AM | Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery |
| Rob Fenton | Head Teacher, National Environment Centre |
| Rev Joan Fisher | Wodonga |
| Dr Barney Foran | Research Fellow, Charles Sturt University (CSU) |
| Judy Frankenberg | Cattle farmer, ecologist, Vice-Chair Murray-Darling Wetlands Working Group |
| Anthony Griffiths | Former Mayor Rural City of Wangaratta (2009-2011) |
| Dr Jonathon Howard | Head of School of Humanities and Social Sciences, CSU |
| Vic Issell | Former Mayor Indigo Shire |
| Gary Jackson | Former national basketballer |
| Lauren Jackson | Professional athlete |
| Maree Jackson | Former national basketballer |
| Darryl Jacob OAM | Chairman Wirraminna Environmental Education Centre |
| Eric Kerr | City of Wodonga Councillor |
| Gordon Kerry | Composer |
| Bohdan Krowicky | Musician |
| Dr Susan Lawler | Head of Department, Environmental Management and Ecology, La Trobe University |
| Vicki Luke | Artist, finalist The Blake Prize 2011 |
| Prof Gary Luck | Ecology and Interdisciplinary Science, Institute for Land, Water and Society, CSU |
| Assoc Prof Ian Lunt | Vegetation Ecology and Management, Institute for Land, Water and Society, CSU |
| Adn Peter MacLeod-Miller | Archdeacon of The Hume and St Matthews Albury |
| Cathy McGowan AO | Dip Ed, BA, MA App Science |
| Cameron McKern | Captain Yackandandah Fire Brigade and IT consultant |
| Dr Tracey Merriman | Paediatric surgeon |
| Dr Joanne Millar | Senior Lecturer in Environmental Planning and Policy, CSU |
| Dr Alison Mitchell | Sustainability consultant |
| Dr Rowan O’Hagan | Rural economist |
| Prof David Mitchell | Adjunct Professor, CSU |
| Neil Padbury | 1st Lieutenant Yackandandah Fire Brigade |
| Ali Pockley | Former Mayor Indigo Shire |
| Alison Prenter | Emergency Relief Manager, UnitingCare Wodonga |
| Dr John Rafferty | Convenor Regional Centre of Expertise In Education for Sustainable Development – Murray-Darling |
| Canon Glyn Rees | Rector, St John’s Anglican Church, Wodonga |
| Nancy Rooke OAM | Wiradjuri elder |
| Andrew Saxby | Business executive, member of the Institute of Company Directors |
| Dr Rosie Saxton | General practitioner |
| Paul Scannell | Curator Albury Botanic Gardens, Member Botanic Gardens ANZ Council |
| James Sloan | Solicitor |
| Natasa Sojic | Youth leader |
| Pam Thibou-Martin | Principal, Wodonga Primary School |
| Dr Guinever Threlkeld | La Trobe University |
| David Thurley | Albury City Councillor |
| Mark Verbaken | Fellow Environmental Health Professionals Australia |
| Assoc Prof David Watson | Ecologist, School of Environmental Sciences, CSU |
| Catherine Webb | Youth ambassador |
| Fiona Wigg | B. Agr.Sc., PhD candidate University of Melbourne
|
Listed in alphabetical order of surname
Climate statement
To fellow residents of Albury-Wodonga and surrounds:
We – the signatories below who live or work in this community – agree with the 97% of published, peer-reviewed papers on climate change1 and reputable international organisations such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the United Nations and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, that:
- The planet is warming at an alarming rate
- Human generation of greenhouse gases is the primary cause of this warming
- Harsh impacts and irreversible changes to the climate will occur if we fail to act
- These climatic changes will dramatically affect our environment and our economy
- The decade to 2020 is the critical time for action to reduce carbon emissions significantly
We call on Australian politicians, at all levels of government, to immediately take stronger action on climate change in line with the science.
As members of your community we ask that you press for immediate support for increased renewable energy and reduction in the burning of fossil fuels. Your choices now will affect life as we know it. Failing to act is an act of failure.
1 Cook J, Nuccitelli D, Green SA, Richardson M, Winkler B, Painting R, Way R, Jacobs P & Skuce A. (2013) Quantifying the consensus on anthropogenic global warming in the scientific literature. Environmental Research Letters 8 024024
This statement is sponsored by WATCH (Wodonga Albury Towards Climate Health) – a non-partisan, volunteer climate action group. To join us in working for action on climate change, visit http://www.watch.id.au
Wodonga & Albury Toward Climate Health (WATCH) 