Can you back me on this Via Get-UP

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Can you back me up on this?

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David Bruer – via GetUp!

6:46 PM (3 minutes ago)

to me

Below is a message from David Bruer, a GetUp member and grape farmer from South Australia. Your details have not been shared with David or anyone else.

Hi NEVILLE,

I’m at the airport about to get on a plane for Brisbane and I’m writing you this email because I’m really hoping you can help me out!

I shared my story as part of a billboard campaign targeting our world’s leaders as they arrive in Brisbane, highlighting the need to talk about how the world tackles climate change at this year’s G20 meeting. Then I found out that my story – your billboard – had been banned. Apparently asking for climate change to be on the agenda was “too political”.

I’m no politician. I’m a farmer. I’ve been a grape farmer for 42 years, and for 42 years I’ve been gradually noticing the profound effects that human caused climate change is having on my work, my income, my livelihood and my family’s future. In January, my Verdelho grapes were destroyed by sunburn for the first time in nearly 40 years of farming. On that day $25,000 worth of fruit was destroyed in a single day.

I’ve been told that I may get a meeting with airport executives as soon as tomorrow, so we can talk about getting the billboard back up. Working with Earth Hour and GetUp, I’ll be delivering a petition so that I can show just how much support there is for this ban to be lifted.

If I can go into that meeting with as many signatures as possible, we stand a much better chance of getting out message our there, before it’s too late. Will you help me? http://www.getup.org.au/onmyagenda

Twenty years ago we were picking grapes at the end of February, two years ago it was the end of January. And there are reports that show these are not isolated incidents – it’s a trend, and climate change is behind much of it1.

I’m far from the only person who is speaking out. The billboards supported by organisations including WWF, GetUp, Australian Youth Climate Coalition, Oxfam, Australian Conservation Foundation, 350 Australia, One Million Women, Greenpeace and Earth Hour also feature firefighter Dean McNulty. Dean and I are both working on the front line when it comes to climate change – we’re not just reading the science, we’re seeing it play out in our daily lives and daily work. I’m speaking out on behalf of many people just like me who are doing it tough and want to see Australia take tough action to tackle climate change.

It’s a real shame that our Prime Minister has refused to put climate change on the agenda for this year’s G20 – just weeks after the IPCC has released the most unequivocal scientific evidence supporting everything that I’m seeing with my own eyes, as a farmer. But there is some good news – apparently there are world leaders coming to the meeting who are keen to talk about the issue, and we can help them get it on the agenda. How? Imagine if the first thing they see when they get off the plane is our billboards, featuring everyday Australians like Dean and I, calling for action on this critical issue.

That’s where your help would be great. I’m going to do my best to talk the Brisbane airport executives into putting the billboard back up, and I’d love to show them how many people are with me on this.

Can you back me up, and sign it before I deliver it? We don’t have a lot of time – sign it now and if you could share it with as many people as possible that would be great. http://www.getup.org.au/onmyagenda

Thanks,

David Bruer, grape farmer and GetUp member from South Australia

PS from GetUp – David’s story has already got a pretty good run in the press this week, especially since Brisbane Airport have allowed ads from Chevron preaching the perks of coal and coal seam gas – and that’s not political? Help David out by signing here: http://www.getup.org.au/onmyagenda

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