Cool Campaigning in Bennelong

Australia’s youngest climate change campaigner takes to marginal seats in Australia’s first ice cream van led election campaign  

In another political first, Australia’s youngest climate campaigner, Jack Simmons has opted for ice cream vans as his campaign vehicle of choice, for Australia’s biggest ever-advertising campaign by an environment group. 

Ice creams and climate change report cards will be on offer at the Bennelong launch of The Climate Institute’s own fleet of “Cool Change” ice cream vans in the lead up to election day.

The vehicles will operate in marginal seats in New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia, forming a key part of The Institute’s “Change Climate Change” campaign. 

Ever since nine-year old ‘Jack’ first starred in The Climate Institute’s $2.5 million campaign, he’s been working the climate change hustings with visits to shopping centres and a busy interview schedule.  According to The Institute’s CEO John Connor, the vans are crucial in informing voters how the political parties stack up on effective climate change policy.   

“There’s been plenty of spin and some confusion on climate policies this election, so we’ve decided to take our message directly to communities in marginal seats and hand out our report cards which assess what the political parties have promised on climate change and give an overall rating on their policies.” 

“Because climate change is all about kids and the sort of future we give them, an ice cream van seemed like a good way to communicate about a serious issue in a more light hearted way. And if kids are eating an ice cream, their parents might have a chance to read the report card!” John Connor, the CEO of The Climate Institute said. 

The six “Cool Change“ ice cream vans will travel widely, meeting residents in key electorates of Bennelong, Lindsay, Wentworth (NSW), Sturt, Makin (SA), Bonner and Petrie(QLD). 

The Climate Institute’s report card assesses the parties on three critical areas:

 
•           Cut greenhouse pollution

•           Switch to clean energy

•           International leadership

As of Monday, November 12 the overall rating for the ALP was 53%, Coalition 26.6%, Greens 90%, Democrats 83% and Family First 57%.  This objective qualitative assessment supports the Climate Institute’s innovative Pollute-o- meter.

Residents should look out and listen for Jack and his fleet of ice cream vans from Saturday, November 10 until the election, to receive a report card and a free ice cream.  For more information people can visit www.changeclimatechange.org.au where they can register their details to receive the latest news on climate change and to see which party has the leading climate policies.