As a child in the late 70’s, life was a lot cooler and simpler. We had no iPads, no mobile phones or computers, just a little TV in the lounge room and a good record player. There were no “super” markets, instead local shops within walking distance. I walked to school. A holiday was a drive away, usually camping.I loved being in the bush, and swimming in the ocean. I spent as much time as possible outdoors, it’s still my happy place.
As a child I spent many weekends and holidays at my grandparents’ house not far away. My grandma Mavis, would take me for walks close by through the bush at a place called Blackburn Lake, showing me natural treasures along the way, interesting gumnuts, and talk about the different plants, alerting me to different smells and changes, making toys with plant material. The bush was her playground too when she was a child in rural Victoria. My grandparents had a massive vegetable patch, I don’t think they bought any vegetables, everything was there. No plastic, no waste, no going to the supermarket, shops were closed on Sundays.
I remember things changing in the 80’s in Melbourne, there was a lot more available to consume, it seemed everyone wanted to be a millionaire, more freeways were built, more skyscrapers, more things to buy in plastic packaging. They used to say where I grew up was out in the “sticks”, the outer edge of Melbourne, close to the bush. The “sticks” are certainly further away now.
Life has changed quickly since I was a child and so has our environment.
At high school, I elected to study a new subject, Environmental Science. I learnt about the interconnectedness of the natural systems we rely upon to survive. I learnt the toll “progress”, pursuit of wealth, and modernity was having on our precious planet. I learnt about climate change.
I went on with this line of study at university. I finally learnt about the custodianship of Country by First Nations peoples and the impacts that colonisation has had. I became vegetarian, I didn’t have a car, I reused, I recycled, I bought second-hand clothes, I voted for the candidates that were willing to speak up for our environment and a safe climate. I have dedicated my life’s work to the field of environmental science and I am currently a PhD candidate.
It’s not just at work that I think about the pressures our environment is facing and the decline we are witnessing. I'm a mother now and I think about this at home too, especially when I am with my 8 year old daughter. Multiple times daily I worry about her future.
Billee enjoying nature with her daughter
Today, Garramilla (Darwin) is our home. It is overwhelming living in the Northern Territory (NT), a place that is on the frontlines of an expanding fossil gas industry, in the midst of a climate emergency. CSIRO modelling shows1 if we don’t put the brakes on fossil fuel mining our town will be unliveable in my child’s lifetime.
It's obvious our governments are not listening to scientists and experts, like me, anymore, rather they are beholden to their fossil fuel donors. I remind myself though, they still need our votes and they know this too.
Unfortunately, in the NT our current Government and Federal Government are supporting and subsidising a proposed gas led economic plan2 , ensuring gas extraction and subsequent emissions for decades to come. They are looking to turn Garramilla (Darwin) into a major fossil fuel processing and export hub in Australia, ironically named the Middle Arm “Sustainability” Hub. These projects will contribute significantly to our national emissions and set us on the wrong trajectory to ensure a safe climate and healthy environment for future generations. Remote communities in the NT and people living in poverty will suffer the most.
The power of collective action
A few years ago, I connected with some other parents in my community who were part of the Parents for Climate movement. Becoming a mother and seeing the next generation emerge elevates the sense of urgency and responsibility to ensure a healthy environment and a safe climate for future generations. This drew me to other parents and families who also knew what was at stake and who like me were experiencing climate anxiety as the driver for action. I felt this was exactly where I needed to be.
After repeatedly having difficulty securing meetings with our NT Government Ministers to discuss our concerns, our local Parents for Climate group decided to step up our advocacy and take our concerns to our federal representatives instead.
NT Labor Senator Malarndirri McCarthy offered to meet with us, and took our concerns on board. Senator McCarthy offered to host us in Canberra, to present to her Labor counterparts at Parliament House, our communities’ concerns about approving and investing in new fossil fuel projects. We welcomed the invitation and we jumped at the opportunity.
In August 2023, myself and 6 other Parents for Climate braved the cold to travel to Canberra to go to Parliament House. We joined forces with hundreds of Doctors who were raising the alarm about the health impacts to our children if these fossil fuel projects proceeded. Together, we met with almost 50 federal representatives.
Billee with fellow parents from the Darwin & NT Parents for Climate group visiting Parliament House
It is no doubt our efforts in Canberra pressured Labor to support a motion by the Greens and Independents to have an Inquiry into this public money promised to massive fossil fuel developments 3
We are eagerly awaiting the findings of the Senate Committee Inquiry into the Middle Arm Industrial precinct due to be released on 13th August.
Our trip to Canberra and support from communities there and all over Australia made the Middle Arm Industrial precinct hit the national stage. The Parents for Climate movement activated electorates throughout Australia. We know it will be in the minds of many at next year’s federal election to remind our government representatives that they are accountable to their voters.
I am holding onto hope
Despite the dire predictions for Northern Australia if we do not reduce our emissions swifty, I am holding onto hope, an active hope inspired everyday by the growing grassroots movement across the NT and across Australia. Ordinary people, most of them parents who are not giving up on a safe future for their kids.
Angela Davis an American political activist, philosopher, academic professor, and author wrote:
“You have to act as if it were possible to radically transform the world. And you have to do it all the time”.
Throughout history we have seen changes that initially seemed impossible.
In my lifetime, I have seen:
- First Peoples of the nation were given the right to vote;
- South African apartheid ended;
- In the NT we stopped the Muckaty Uranium Waste Dump and stopped the expansion of the Uranium industry;
- East Timor violently occupied by Indonesian forces in 1975 was freed in 1999;
- The hole in the Ozone layer is healing; and
- Logging of old growth forests has stopped in Victoria.
It is possible to radically change the world.
I want my daughter to have the choice to live safely in our hometown when she’s older. I want my daughter and all our children to experience the wonders of the bush like I did when I was a child. My daughters and all our children deserve a safe climate where they can thrive. It is up to the adults on duty - parents and politicians alike - to make sure we don’t let them down.
Join our growing Parents for Climate movement, we need a groundswell of families across the country to speak for the love of our kids. Together we can keep putting the pressure on our governments and hold them to account, because we know it is working and we know come election time they will be watching how we vote.
About Billee
Residing on Kulumbirigin Country (Darwin, Northern Territory) since 2001, Billee is a mother and an environmental scientist currently undertaking a PhD at Charles Darwin University. Actively involved in community driven projects, enhancement of cultural and environmental knowledge, and environmental sustainability and justice projects. If you’d like to connect with Billee and other parents in Darwin you can find them on Facebook and join their mailing list here
References
1. Cooked with Gas - Extreme Heat in Darwin