CQU alumnus and former staff member Natalie Hatch was selected to be trained as a Climate Project Presenter along with 169 others from around Australia and surrounding countries.

The workshops were held in Melbourne from September 21-23, with former American Vice-President Al Gore in attendance.

Alumnus Natalie Hatch with Al Gore

Ms Hatch studied a BHEd/HProm with CQU, then completed a graduate Bed-Secondary. She also worked for CQU Nursing as a tutor and research assistant with Dr Sansnee Jirojwong.

The graduate has been teaching high school Science/HPE for over 9 years now at a few schools, but mainly Glenmore High and her current school, Rockhampton State High.

"It was an honour to listen to eminent scientist Professor Graeme Pearman, former head of the CSIRO, as he spoke of the Australian data recently released by his research group," Natalie said.

"I applied for the position a few months ago, 3 weeks after giving birth to boy/girl twins and thought nothing of it.

"But then I received an email stating I had got in. It was a wonderful experience to not only meet Mr Gore, but to spend 12 hours listening to him and Professor Graeme Pearman explain the reasoning behind the presentations and the need for public awareness of this information.

"I also had the opportunity to mix with others from all over Australia that perhaps I would not have come in contact with in normal circumstances, such as the head of a research station up in the Daintree; a PR guru from Sydney; a lawyer from Queenbeyan who works as a publicity writer for the Labor Party, and so forth."

The main task of the weekend was to help presenters become familiar with this information and enable them to take it home with them to their respective communities.

The need to educate at a grass-roots level was identified as the starting point towards changing Australia's policies regarding climate change.

The weekend was not one completely full of alarmist information. There were several lighter moments including Mr Gore speaking of the influence Australia has on the Western world, especially the US.

He stated that Australia "would be the straw that broke the camel's back", in regard to changing the United States viewpoint on CO₂ emissions targets.

Don Henry, head of the Australian Conservation Foundation, shared with the audience that he would like to be that straw.

"There were people from all walks of life in attendance, and I found it refreshing to note that we were all of the same viewpoint that we can make a difference where global warming is concerned," Natalie said.

Others attendees included Collingwood player Shane Wakelin, Home and Away actress Rachel Gordon, Wallabies player Alex Kanaar, Olympian Ron Clarke and celebrity gardener Jamie Durie.

In the closing session, attendees were reminded of a statement made by Margaret Mead, anthropologist: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has".

If you would like to attend a future seminar of this type, please contact the climate project at www.acfonline.org.au/climateproject