Week 1: After the Fires Came the Flood
please note this is a fictional story about an optimistic future (unless we make it reality)
The Australian bushfire crisis that began in 2019 went down in Australian history as a turning point, where citizens demanded more from their government and their leaders. While the fires were still burning millions of parents from around Australia flooded the Prime-Minister with letters on behalf of their children urging him to take action. Their letters did not blame (even if it was warranted) but instead contained ideas for what they wanted their children’s Australia to be. A nation running on 100% renewables and getting rich off exporting solar power. A nation who looked after its water and gave the rights to people not corporations. A nation that banned single use plastics and funded innovation into alternatives. A nation that did not turn its back on the climate crisis but a nation that listened to the experts and then asked ‘and what else can we do?’ The letters from parents were so powerful that the liberal party was forced to call a spill and remove the sitting Prime-Minister. A new leader emerged who saw that there was immense opportunity for economic growth and jobs within the transformation to renewable energy and a more sustainable way of life.
If you want to email the PM you can do it here: https://www.pm.gov.au/contact-your-pm If you would like a copy of the letter I sent it is below:
Dear Scott Morrison (or the assistant reading this),
I am writing this on behalf of my two children — photo attached. They are 3 years old and almost 8 months. My 3 year old loves dinosaurs and my almost 8 month old is learning to crawl. This should be one of the happiest times of their lives, yet the baby is kept inside because the air quality is worse then Beijing, and my 3 year old is running around the house playing fireman trying to ‘put out the fires’ but then telling me ‘mummy the firemen can’t put them out because they are too big’.
Climate change is scary. I am scared for myself, I am scared for my beautiful country but most of all I am scared for my little children. I am scared that the life I have had in Australia will not be the life that they will have. I am scared that the lazy days on the beach, the walks in the bush, the best fruit and veg in the world will be a distant angry memory. And I am not alone. My friends are scared too, and no one knows what to do — we are all looking for a leader, and like it or not for now that is you.
And good leadership starts with listening.
So here is my dream for 2020. You listen to the fire chiefs and give them what they need (maybe we don’t need a fancy new war memorial — I am sure the veterans did not sacrifice their lives so their beloved country could become uninhabitable). You listen to climate scientists and take bold, decisive action. You listen to business leaders like Mike Cannon-Brookes and take our abundance of sunshine and space and turn this nation into the biggest exporter of solar power in the world.
Then you take this terrible fire and the burnt land and you launch a huge re-wilding effort. You declare that all water in Australia belongs to Australians, not companies and especially not foreign companies. Emboldened you go further, you ban all single use plastic and give innovation grants to companies that create sustainable biodegradable packaging.
You launch a global offensive selling Australia to the world– our new tourism campaign — Australia — come to Australia for the sunshine and sustainability, stay for the beer (it’s solar powered too).
You could be an icon. You could leave a legacy. My little kids could dream of being like the man that was brave enough to turn it all around.
I know you will never read this, so to whichever secretary or assistant is — the future is not written yet — but we are writing it now. Please make it beautiful for my kids, they are lovely and sweet and they deserve it.
A mostly proud Australian Claire
Claire
