A SECOND attempt to have Orange City Council support action on climate change was met with derision on Tuesday night.
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Councillor Stephen Nugent moved a four-part proposal, asking the council to acknowledge students and workers' rights to participate in the Global Climate Strike on September 20 at Robertson Park, provide in-kind support, and ask the state and federal governments to boost support for Australia's transition away from fossil fuel production.
He said up to 200 people from Orange participated in the March strike.
"They spoke eloquently and with passion - some of them might possibly be our future community leaders," he said.
"As civic leaders, we have a choice - we can ignore it and it will go ahead anyway, or we can say we support your right to publicly express your concerns.
"Isn't that what we want? Active, engaged and independent young people or compliant consumers?"
However, councillor Russell Turner slammed the idea as "dangerous".
"What about all the businesses in Orange doing it tough because of the drought and not having spending power, they're battling to keep staff on and you're encouraging them to go on strike," he said.
"How many students will tell their teachers they're going on strike and not turn up?"
During the debate, several councillors interjected - Kevin Duffy said "he's putting me to sleep", while Scott Munro called "hot air".
When Cr Nugent asked to have the different parts of the motion voted on separately in a bid to have some of them passed, deputy mayor Sam Romano said, "I can only vote no so many times".
Cr Nugent observed the level of debate had deteriorated since councillors discussed whether to declare a climate emergency.
Mayor Reg Kidd said he was not comfortable encouraging students to leave school on a Friday afternoon to attend the rally and only councillors Nugent, Joanne McRae and Mario Previtera supported the move.
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