Greenpeace's SignOn blog reports on last night's 2020 target consultation meeting in Auckland:
The Auckland target consultation meeting last night was full to the brim. By my rough calculations, about 450 people attended, including media, politicians, greenies and business people. Latecomers were forced sit on the floor or stand around the back of the auditorium. By another rough calculation, about 80 per cent of attendees supported the 40 per cent by 2020 target. We know this because those who did were asked to stand. It was a beautiful moment and I actually saw a nervous blush creep up Climate Change Minister Nick Smith’s neck. Many people waved banners promoting the target.People clearly want real action on climate change. Unfortunately, Climate Change Minister Nick Smith is just spouting the same old excuses and peddling the same old policy of delay. But if the other meetings produce this sort of turnout and this sort of response, then he will have been given a very clear message: either he takes real action, or we do - by de-electing him and his government.
BTW, if there's anybody reading this in Nelson who wants to do something useful, I'd suggest going to 350 Aotearoa and signing up to organise a protest right outside Smith's electorate office on October 24. If we want them to listen, we need to make them afraid, and that means making a clear electoral threat right there in their electorates.