Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick has fired back at David Seymour’s criticism of students protesting against the climate crisis during school time today.
Associate Education Minister Seymour said it was “unacceptable” for students to protest during school hours and they should be marked absent by schools.
His comments were “a little bit embarrassing”, Swarbrick said in a video posted to her Instagram showing her being interviewed among young protesters this afternoon.
“The world doesn’t stop where the classroom door stops, and as you can see here in the energy from our young people, they want a healthy planet.”
Swarbrick appeared to be speaking from outside an Auckland school, as her social media post also included a thank you to local school students.
“Chur Richmond Rd School tamariki for inviting me to your real world classroom.”
Hundreds of students, some as young as 10, are marching to Parliament today as part of the School Strike 4 Climate campaign. Protests are also being held in other towns and cities, including Auckland and Christchurch.
But Seymour said students shouldn’t be protesting during school time.
“If students feel strongly about sending a message, they could have marched on Tuesday when there was a nationwide teacher-only day, or during the upcoming school holidays.
“My expectation is that schools will treat students protesting today as explained but unjustified absences.”
Image 1 of 5: Hundreds of students march to Parliament. Photo / Mark Mitchell
School Strike 4 Climate Pōneke member Frankie Huthnance said students were taking to the streets to highlight the lack of action by the National-led Government to tackle climate change,
“The Government is all talk and no action. The Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon, keeps saying he is committed to meeting our climate change targets such as net zero carbon by 2050, but he has no plan on how he is going to do it.
“We are facing a climate crisis right now.”
Huthnance said the environmental disasters experienced throughout New Zealand showed how pressing the climate crisis was.
“The devastation from Auckland Anniversary weekend flooding and Cyclone Gabrielle last year saw people lose their lives, their homes and their livelihoods.
“This year, wildfires threatened those in Christchurch’s Port Hills.”
Seymour said he appreciated that some students are “anxious about their futures”.
“But I want to make it clear that if they want to effect real change in the world, they need to turn up to school and get a good education now.
“The previous Government said that protesting instead of attending school could be justified.”
School Strike for Climate pic.twitter.com/Flt3lPnpHH
— Gareth Hughes (@GarethHughesNZ) April 5, 2024
Seymour referenced the national “truancy crisis” as a priority instead.
“Next week I will be announcing the Government’s Attendance Action Plan. It will finally drive a national focus for addressing our truancy crisis.
“That is what this Government is doing and it is what is required for New Zealand to have a better future.”
Huthnance said the Government needed to start taking climate change seriously.
“This lack of acknowledgment of the impending climate crisis by the Government encourages ignorance towards these issues.
“This is part of the reason School Strike is also demanding an increase in climate education, not just inside schools, but for all.
“Without this education, rangatahi are left unaware of the severity of the continued environmental destruction and what they can do to combat this climate crisis to build a more sustainable Aotearoa.”
Auckland Transport (AT) said the protest would probably cause disruption in Auckland’s city centre.
The march will take place today between Parnell and Albert Park.
Delays in traffic and public transport services in the city centre should be expected from 3.30pm to 6.30pm.
“It will be a rolling closure, with closures uplifted behind the march as it progresses,” an AT spokesperson said.
“No buses will be detoured, but delays to some services are expected.”
The march moves through these areas between 3.30pm and 6.30pm: