Rudd heckled over 5% climate target

December 17, 2008

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was interrupted on Monday at the National Press Club while announcing Australia's mid-term carbon emissions reduction target on live television.

Three Newcastle women screamed out "No!" and moved towards Rudd as he announced that Australia would reduce emissions by as little as 5%, and not more than 15%, by 2020.

One of the women, Annika Dean from Newcastle, said that the announcement was devastating and cowardly.

"This announcement means the Australian Government is willing to sacrifice the Great Barrier Reef to appease the big polluting companies that are fuelling global climate change."

The women were removed from the gallery and interviewed by Australian Federal Police.

The announcement was made in front of the nation's senior journalists, members of the senior cabinet including Climate Change Minister Penny Wong and Treasurer Wayne Swan, as well as Greens senators Bob Brown and Christine Milne.

Australia's climate negotiators, who were appointed by the former Howard government, were heavily criticised by South Africa and China at last week's UNFCCC negotiations in Poznan for having blocked a 25-40% by 2020 target, along with Canada, Japan and Saudi Arabia.