{ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://www.bankaust.com.au/blog/{{slug}}" }, "headline": "{{title}}", "description": "{{desc}}", "image": "{{image}}", "author": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Bank Australia", "url": "https://www.bankaust.com.au/" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Bank Australia", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/64d5d5beb2a67e9491ecdff8/64d5d5beb2a67e9491ece00c_BA-logo-white.webp" } }, "datePublished": "{{datePublished}}", "dateModified": "{{dateModified}}" }
Alert notice

1 July 2025: updates to privacy and credit reporting policy - We have updated our privacy and credit reporting policy, effective 1 July 2025. Learn more.

2025-07-01 9:47 am
Alert notice

2 July 2025 – Qantas cyber incident. We are aware of a cyber incident at Qantas that has resulted in the release of some Qantas customers’ personal information. Learn more.

2025-06-19 11:58 am
Back to blog
Impact

The global movement of students who have had enough

Photo journal

On Friday 20 September, students around the globe with be walking out of school to bring attention to climate change and the need for more action from our leaders. For the last student strike, in March, Tahli Mullins wrote this blog for us explaining what the Climate Strike is all about.

School Strike for Climate is a global student movement that began one Friday last August, when a Swedish girl called Greta Thunberg, decided she wouldn't go to school. Instead, she went and stood outside her country's parliament in protest at the government's lack of action on climate change. This inspired students from all over the world to strike from school, to tell the politicians of all nations to take their futures seriously and treat climate change for what it is - a crisis.

In Australia, the importance of the movement has been demonstrated by this summer’s worst recorded heat wave, bushfires and drought throughout the country. Students perceive the lack of a clear plan to address Climate Change as simply inaction and argue that our goals should be to:

  1. Convert to 100% renewable energy by 2030
  2. Cease all approvals of mining more fossil fuels and;
  3. To #stopadani.

In Australia, education is viewed as immensely important, and a key way to make a difference in the world. So the initial response to the student Strike was mostly negative. The Prime Minister most notably, and parents and schools didn’t support the movement. However, in 2019, the School Strike for Climate movement has been publicly supported by the National Tertiary Education Union, National Union of Students, and the National Union of Workers among others. Even Yvette Berry, the ACT Minister for Education has announced her support of students attending. Students are hopeful that our voices are finally being heard and we are starting to make a difference.

I am a 16 year old student from Canberra. I love school but got involved in the student strike for climate because I can see that no amount of certificates or good grades are going to make a real difference if my future climate is being destroyed. In the face of the impending global catastrophe I felt compelled to pitch in. Fuelled by frustration in the government’s lack of action, I took up my poster and marched to parliament house along with hundreds of other students from Canberra and across the country.

We met with many politicians on the day and received some messages of encouragement, however the overwhelming opinion seemed to be that we should stay in school and let the adults handle the politics. Unsurprisingly this just made me want to work harder - we’ll stop acting like adults if you stop acting like children. Skipping school isn’t something I would usually do, so it was a hard decision to make, but ultimately, we don’t have the time to sit around and debate and not do anything. Every day we are faced with more issues directly correlated with climate change. Every day we wake up to a slightly more chaotic world.

The journey so far has been tough. It seems we are faced with adversity at every turn but I will continue fighting until there is nothing left to fight for. It seems ridiculous that we students have to try and convey to the adults the urgency of the situation and the need for action. It’s also unfair that this burden is falling so heavily upon us. Trying to convey the severity of the crisis to adults can be challenging, many of them refuse to listen to us simply because of our age but we have been left out of the conversation for too long. The time for action is now, and if they refuse to listen, we will simply shout louder.

Join us on September 20, as we move mountains for climate justice. Both children and adults are encouraged to come, and we would love more kids to join us on the team. Children are only 20% of our population but we are 100% of the future. While we cannot change what our ancestors have done, we can change the world that future generations wake up to.

This article has been edited, including to reflect current dates.

Find out more about Community Customer Grants

Related stories

Impact

Big news: announcing our 2025 community customer grant recipients

At Bank Australia, we believe in the power of community. Every year, our Community Customer Grant Program supports customers making a positive impact within our key impact areas

Impact

Partnering with purpose: Bank Australia and Muru Office Supplies

Who we do business with matters. That’s why we’re proud to announce our new partnership with Muru Office Supplies—a Supply Nation certified, Indigenous-owned business that shares our commitment to creating a more inclusive and equitable future.

Impact

“Doing well and doing good”: How Coffee Club Investment Group is creating beautiful accessible housing

In a quiet, tree-lined street just 11kms from Melbourne’s CBD, a residential development is reshaping how Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) can look and feel. Named “Bumblebee”, this ten-apartment complex is more than a housing solution – it’s an example of purpose-driven design.

Read how Specialist Disability Accommodation is being reshaped in Melbourne.

Impact

“Stories of strength, resilience and self-determination”: Victorian Aboriginal News is amplifying First Nations voices

From his van on Country to the airwaves across Victoria, Uncle Charles Pakana is amplifying First Nations voices through Victorian Aboriginal News. We spoke to Uncle Charles about how the independent media project, backed by Bank Australia, is changing the narrative around reconciliation.

Read how Uncle Charles Pakana uses his VAN as a voice for the future.

Impact

How Nalderun is helping young First Nations people thrive

On Djaara Country in Central Victoria, Bank Australia community customer grant recipient Nalderun has been changing the lives of young First Nations people for over 15 years. Their aim? To help their kids thrive and become the leaders of tomorrow.

Impact

First Nations Recognition and Respect: An update one year on from our strategy launch

In May 2024, Bank Australia launched its First Nations Recognition and Respect strategy, setting out our vision for walking together towards First Nations justice, reconciliation and self-determination. One year on, we spoke with Rafe Pfitzner Milika, our Manager Reconciliation Strategy, to reflect

Read the highlights one year on from our First Nations Recognition and Respect strategy Launch