Alexa Stuart, 15, of Lambton High School, doesn't skip class. But this Friday she will, in order to lead talks between a group of students and the city's federal member of parliament.
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The delegation will report back to Newcastle's "Students Strike 4 Climate Action" demonstration, scheduled for noon at Civic Park.
"I have a good attendance record. But this is something I put above my school," the Year 10 student said.
"As a young person I'm unable to vote. I feel powerless. That's why I have been so excited about the school strike movement."
After participating in the first protest held in November last year, Alexa attended a planning meeting for Friday's demonstration. She put her hand up to organise a group of students to meet with MP Sharon Claydon.
"I'm hoping to hear some positive results," she said. "But if we look at what's happening at the moment, neither major party are committing to stopping Adani, or any major change to help stop climate change."
The demands of the nationwide strike are that government stops the progression of Adani's Carmichael mine, or any other new gas or coal project, and manages a transition to 100 per cent renewable energy by 2030.
Ms Claydon said she welcomed the discussion and said the students should be congratulated for "getting active on the issues that matter to them".
She said a Shorten government was committed to achieving an energy mix of 50 per cent renewables by 2030, and zero net emissions by 2050, as well as establishing a Just Transition Authority to support affected communities.
"Quite frankly, I don’t think Adani stacks up and I remain enormously skeptical about whether it will actually proceed given the number of false starts we’ve seen already," she said.
Newcastle High School student Miette Xenith, who is on the organising committee of the protest, said adults had helped organise the event and were welcome to attend.
"It's been really great to have the support of adults," the 17-year-old said.
"I just say get behind it. Let kids demonstrate what they believe is right without telling them they can't be original," she said.
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