Knitting Nannas front the lawns of power in protest of the Future Gas Strategy

ACT Senator David Pocock met and spoke with the Knitting Nannas during their protest on the front lawns of Parliament House. Photo: James Day.

Last week the ‘Knitting Nannas‘, an “international disorganisation”, beared down on the capital to give federal politicians a clip around the ears over their ‘Future Gas Strategy’.

The Future Gas Strategy maps the Federal Government’s plan for how gas will support our economy’s transition to net zero in partnership with the world.

Insisting there is already “too much gas in the House”, the uniformed ‘tea ladies’ featured in the Nannas’ first outing in Canberra’s city centre on 29 May to draw attention to their fight.

In their distinctive black-and-white outfits, they started the campaign to highlight their cause while being out and about offering cuppas to local shoppers.

This was all before taking to the lawns of Parliament House on 31 May where the ‘tea ladies’ joined the rest of the Knitting Nannas at their ‘Kitchen Table Cabinet’.

“There were already unacceptably high levels of gas in the House, and not just in the kitchens, and now the Future Gas Strategy has pushed us over the edge,” the ‘tea ladies’ said jointly in a statement.

“We’re done serving up cups of tea to politicians captured by special interests. They can get the Minerals Council to bring them their elevenses in future.”

Knitting Nannas Against Gas and Greed (KNAG) began in 2012 when a handful of senior women joined an anti-coal seam gas group in Lismore, NSW.

Frustrated by the inaction and indecision of their male colleagues, the Nannas rallied and grew and have campaigned around the country.

They even have a ‘Nannafesto’ that declares their aim and helps to guide their activities in the fight for clean land, air and water.

The Knitting Nannas and the ‘tea ladies’ have one simple message for the government: you don’t have to read the tea leaves to know there is no more time.

Two ‘‘Knitting Nannas” protesters dressed as the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, and Minister for the Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek. Photos: James Day.

This climate scarf (graph developed by climatologist Ed Hawkins) shows the long-term increase in average global temperature (from right to left, 1919 - 2023) using a progression from blue (cool) to red (warmer) colours.

The climate scarf was among other knitted materials lain across the lawns of Parliament House.

Below you can witness the Knitting Nannas at their Parliament House protest speak with ACT Senator David Pocock on the Future Gas Strategy, along with some Illawarra ‘tea ladies’ discussing the recently introduced national environment watchdog.