Perth Voice Interactive

WHEN 81-year-old professor Neville Bruce told his wife he was planning to ride across the country to take on Australia’s gas giants, he admits she took some convincing.

“She was marvellous, though she was dead against me going at the beginning,” the director of education for world futures at UWA told the Voice.

Octogenarian

His younger Extinction Rebellion colleagues also baulked at the idea of the octogenarian joining fellow Grandparents for Climate Action on the massive ride to Canberra, but after some convincing, the cavalcade set off on the 4200km journey in August.

This week they were back on the steps of WA’s Parliament after completing the journey, which saw them present a petition to independent Curtin MP Kate Chaney calling on the federal government to reduce the country’s reliance on fossil fuels.

Prof Bruce had the same message for WA’s politicians.

“The purpose of our epic journey was to expose the travesty of the Australian gas industry and to call on everyone to help do something about it.

“Western Australia alone accounts for 60 per cent of all Australia liquid natural gas exports that contribute directly to global heating – that’s an astounding 12 per cent of world exports.”

Prof Bruce said fossil fuel emissions were responsible for global heating, leading to more storms, floods and fires around the world.

The bicycle cavalcade was accompanied by support vehicles and was joined by other cyclists along the way. 

In South Australia, they paid a visit to Santos, which is a major gas producing organisation, accompanied by activists from XR SA, and in Melbourne they rallied with supporters outside the Victorian Parliament.

Prof Bruce said he was encouraged by the support they received along the way.

“We were riding through a lot of countryside, and chatted to people in the pubs or cafes, and 70 per cent thought we are doing the right thing,” he said.

Prof Bruce estimated about 10 per cent we dead against taking climate action, while he reckons he could have convinced the remaining fence-sitters if eight hours of riding hadn’t beckoned.

“It was gruelling, but I am rally glad to have done it; I was pretty keen to do it for a good reason.”

“I walked the Bibbulmun Track a while back, and after two months I was worn out physically.

“But for this one I was physically ok, but was mentally worn out from the strain of staying focussed for eight hours a day, making sure you didn’t run into a pothole, or keeping your eye out for road trains.”

Prof Bruce said he’s taking a break from cycling for a little while and probably won’t tackle the Nullarbor again, but hinted at more in the future.

“A lot of people want more action, and we need more things like this to encourage politicians to take notice,” he said.

by STEVE GRANT