AYCC will be joining Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott in this year's election race.
Today the Australian Youth Climate Coalition (AYCC) launched a national youth-run election campaign in response to Prime Minister Gillard’s announcement that Labor will not reconsider a carbon-trading scheme until at least 2013.
‘We have 53,000 members, who are disappointed that Gillard hasn’t put climate action seriously back on the agenda. Given community backlash after Kevin Rudd shelved the emissions trading scheme, this is a pretty dangerous move’, said AYCC National Director Amanda McKenzie. ‘Our election campaign will mobilise thousands young people to speak to both voters and politicians about the need for stronger climate action.’
In response to Gillard’s announcement yesterday, the AYCC today revealed plans for a nonpartisan campaign driven exclusively by young Australians – the first of its kind in a Federal election. The campaign will bring together hundreds of young people this August for Power Shift 2010, a series of youth summits in key marginal seats. Power Shift will train these young people to do grassroots campaigning throughout August, including doorknocking, meeting their politicians, and holding forums in their schools to talk to their parents about why they should vote for parties committed to taking strong action on climate change.
It also includes a new concept: ‘digital doorknocking’ sessions where young people talk to their friends through SMS and social networking about why they should vote for climate action.
‘Generation Y will make up 20% of the electorate in this year’s Federal Election, they’re also some of the most connected people, able to influence their friends and peers,’ said AYCC General Manager Ellen Sandell. ‘Our campaign will utlise young peoples social connections to influence voters and politicians to take stronger action on climate change, which remains the defining issue of our generation.’
In addition to grassroots campaigning, the AYCC will be working to ensure young people are enrolled to vote – sending mass emails and text messages to their 53,000 young members and physically enrolling people at university campuses across the nation.
‘One in two 18-year olds are not on the electoral roll, but we know from polling that young people are the demographic most concerned about climate change. We are ensuring that young people are correctly enrolled to vote so that they can have their voice heard on the most important issue of our generation,’ said Ms Sandell. ‘In marginal seats which hang on a few hundred or few thousand votes, this could make all the difference to ensure that candidates with strong climate policies are elected.’
The Power Shift summits will be held in Adelaide, Canberra and Geelong on the first three weekends in August. Politicians will attend each Power Shift to defend their climate policies to the hundreds of young people in attendance. Other speakers confirmed include comedian and Good News Week presenter Claire Hooper, IPCC scientist David Karoly, Dan Adams, organiser of the Make Poverty History concerts, and John Thwaites, former Deputy Premier of Victoria.
– If you want to be involved in our election campaign, make sure you’re registered for Power Shift 2010.
