From Jonathon Doig:

It's very telling that, when the ACF and Union Climate Connectors came to Canberra last week, a number of the grassroots campaigners they brought with them were shocked to discover that they were being asked to campaign for the CPRS, not against it. They thought they had been brought to Canberra to campaign for real climate action, not for the Rudd Government's pretence of action.

Dear Australian senators,

The delay in the passage of the US climate legislation through the U.S. Senate and the near-certainty that a new binding climate protocol will not emerge from the Copenhagen conference, presents Australia with an important opportunity.

23 November 2009, Canberra

Police are arresting approximately 150 climate protesters taking part in a sit-in at Federal Parliament.

One by one, protesters are being led or dragged away from the front entrance, following a mass civil disobedience protest today. Around 200 people converged on Parliament this morning to stage a mass sit-in, shutting down the entrance to the building."

By Zane Alcorn

If you have heard the concerning rumours that the Copenhagen summit is not going to produce the type of strong international agreement needed to stop dangerous climate change, and were wondering why, look no further than Australia: the world’s largest coal exporter. Bear witness to the Australian Coal Association (ACA)’s ‘cut emissions- not jobs’ campaign, a poetic example of how the global coal industry (and indeed fossil fuel industry more broadly) is likely to react as dangerous anthropogenic warming becomes more obvious.

By David Spratt, 4 November 2009
[Republished here from Climate Code Red blogspot. First published in Crikey, 4 November 2009.]

Columnist David Roberts sees the Copenhagen climate change conference negotiating process so far as akin to "an aquarium full of hamsters connected to rudimentary motors. There's a lot of frantic running, a lot of sweat and heat, but in the end, very little light".

Over 250 people took part in the "less than 350" action at state parliament on October 24.

Almost 200 cyclists arrived with the Critical Mass ride from PICA in Northbridge after making a 350 sign on the foreshore.

Speakers emphasised the need to reduce carbon dioxide below 350 ppm (parts per million) to a safe climate level of 300 ppm or less.

[The following text is from an article printed in The Collie Mail 15 October 2009.]

MORE than 200 renewable energy campaigners from Camp for Climate Action WA will be in Collie during December for a peaceful protest.

Organiser Emma McIntyre said they wanted to invite the community to join them for three days of peaceful protest, including workshops, forums and a day of fun, creative, and inspiring direct community action.

[The Green Party launched a package of bills collectively known as the "Safe Climate Bill" on October 12. The text below is from: the Greens website]

The Greens' Safe Climate Bill is the first legislative attempt to transform Australia as swiftly as possible into a flourishing carbon neutral powerhouse.

The above video is a compilation of TV news from the Helensburg Climate Camp. More news stories below: