Not every parent knows this, but when Parents for Climate decided to take legal action against EnergyAustralia, it wasn’t a straightforward or easy decision. It was a leap of courage that came with serious risks—legal, financial, and reputational. Over two years, we've had to think about it from every angle—from how we’d handle personal cost exposure and bankruptcy action plans, to how we’d protect our team and our mission if the worst happened.

Because when you go up against one of Australia’s biggest energy companies—its third-largest climate polluter—you’re not just sending a strongly worded letter. You’re stepping into the ring with a company that has serious resources, lawyers on speed dial, and deep pockets. We had to be sure. We had to be brave. And most importantly—we had to be united as a movement of parents.

And that’s exactly what we were.

We didn’t act because it was easy. We acted because we are parents, grandparents and carers who want to secure a safe climate for our kids to thrive. And because together, every single person in our movement makes us strong enough, bold enough, and courageous enough to do what’s right for our kids—even when it’s hard.

We didn’t know if we would win. In fact, legal victories in the climate space are still rare and hard-fought. But we knew this: EnergyAustralia was misleading consumers by calling their electricity and gas “carbon neutral,” when those products were still powered by fossil fuels—including one of the country’s most polluting coal power stations, Yallourn.

That matters. Not just for the planet. It matters for trust. For integrity. For families trying to do the right thing. For people who are doing their best to support climate solutions in good faith, but who were told that coal and gas could be "positive for the environment" which simply wasn't true.

So, we stood up. We stood up because parents in our community were behind us—every person who made a donation, came to a rally, joined a local group, forwarded an email to a friend, or simply stood tall in the knowledge that our kids deserve a liveable climate.

This legal case was a landmark. It's the first against an Australian energy company for greenwashing. And the first case in Australia targeting the marketing of consumer products as 'carbon neutral'.

And because we held the line in securing the strongest settlement possible, EnergyAustralia has been required to correct its advertising, issue notices to affected consumers, and has replaced this misleading product with direct emissions reduction plans. The ripple effects of this will stretch far beyond one company. Other polluters are now on notice: you can’t spin your way out of responsibility. Offsets are no longer a license to pollute.

But here’s the real truth I want every parent for climate to hear: we didn’t win this because we had a huge war chest or celebrity backers. We won this because of you.

Every step was only made possible with everyone of us. We took this on as a registered charity dependent on small donations—knowing that some of our funders (who themselves profit from offsetting projects) would pull their support. We worked with pro bono lawyers. We took deep advice from experts. And we leaned into the knowledge that our strength lies not in having the loudest megaphone, but in having a movement of thousands of everyday people—parents—willing to stand up together.

It’s easy to look at a big win like this and see it as something distant or heroic or out of reach. But I want you to know: you are part of this win. If you’re reading this, you’re part of the reason we could act. Your presence in this movement makes our movement braver. It gave us the backing to step up to the challenge. You gave Parents for Climate the courage to try.

And we didn’t just try. We've made history.

This is what active hope looks like. Not sitting back and wishing things were different, but stepping into the arena—together—and demanding that they be so.

So take a moment to feel proud. Proud that you're part of a movement bold enough to take on a big polluter. Proud that you're helping create a world where companies can't get away with greenwashing, protecting families who just want to do the right thing. Proud that your voice, your care, your courage helped secure a safer climate for your kids and mine. 

This win belongs to all of us. And if we can take on one of Australia’s biggest polluters and force real change—we can do so much more.