Senator DI NATALE (Victoria—Leader of the Australian Greens) (15:27): I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment (Senator Birmingham) to a question without notice asked by Senator Steele-John today relating to climate change protests. We are in a climate emergency. We've just seen unprecedented fires in northern New South Wales and Queensland. The Murray-Darling is running dry. Half of the Great Barrier Reef is going or gone. We have farmers who are being pushed to the wall because our climate is changing as a result of the burning of coal, oil and gas right now. We have emergency services workers who are telling us that fires are now no longer able to be fought, and we are putting the lives of firefighters at risk. We have a community who understand just how critical it is that we come together, take action and ensure that we keep fossil fuels in the ground, that we not open up more coal mines and that we not open up more gas wells for gas exports. And yet what's the response from this government? We have a government that deny the science. We have a water minister who doesn't believe that climate change is caused by people. We have a government that is too busy listening to their donors to act with the urgency that's required. And many people are despairing for their futures. What gives me hope is that young people right around the country understand how urgent the situation is, and they're taking action. Young people right around the world are coming together—organising. Many of them are people who are absolutely clear about what is required. I've met many of them myself. They're wonderful people—students, people who understand the urgency that is required. I was so proud to be marching with those climate strikers only a few weeks ago; people who inspired us to take the action that is necessary. I was out there with my kids, because it's the future of my children and their generation that's at stake. These young people of today are the leaders of tomorrow. I hope that amongst them will be the next leader of the Greens and, hopefully, the next Prime Minister of this country, because they are showing the courage that is so sadly lacking in this place. What is the response from the government to the climate strike? It's to say, 'Do it in your own time'; to come down on them; to say to young students that we need more education and less activism. No! Right now activism is what's required. We need people taking it to the streets, mobilising and organising like never before, because in this place what we have is the power of vested interests—the coal, oil and gas industries donating millions of dollars into the pockets of both major parties. We see those interest groups represented in here, not the views of the community, of people who understand the emergency that's confronting us. What we get is the bidding of the fossil fuel industry expressed in our democratic parliaments. Well, they will not win, because we are seeing a movement of people like never before calling on parliaments right around the world to do what's required. They understand that we are in a climate emergency; they understand that this is an existential threat; and they understand the power of ordinary people coming together, expressing their will through civil disobedience and peaceful protest, marching in the streets and ensuring that their voices are heard. We stand with them. We'll be joining the climate strikers this Friday. We'll be joining the millions of people coming together right across the world and we'll make sure that we bring their voices into this chamber. We'll communicate loudly and clearly their message that we need 100 per cent renewable energy; that we have to keep fossil fuels in the ground; that we can't open up new coal, oil and gas wells; and that the donations from the fossil fuel lobby have to stop. It is the Greens in this parliament who will join with those climate strikers right around the world to ensure that the legacy we leave for future generations is one that allows them at least a chance of turning things around, because our planet depends upon it. Question agreed to.