The Liberal Party yesterday stepped back from the brink of endorsing inaction on climate change.

A lot of the media focus has been on the effect this might have on Brendan Nelson's leadership.

We'd prefer to be positive and praise those in the Opposition who have shown real leadership by heeding the science on climate change, and listening to the clear message from the Australian people: we want governments to act.

Prominent among them is Dr Mal Washer MP, the chair of the Coalition's backbench climate change committee.

Unlike some in the Liberal Party, he's been consistent in his position on climate change and emissions trading.

Dr Washer is wrong in arguing we should wait until 2012 to introduce a scheme - we need climate action right now.

But he has been firm and clear in saying that we can't wait for the big emitters to come on board before we act. For example, last week in the Sydney Morning Herald, he said,

"If we wait for China and India to start one, that's never going to happen and nothing will get done."

We couldn't have put it better ourselves.

That's why we want to congratulate Dr Washer for successfully arguing his case within the Liberal Party, and deterring them from playing short-term politics on this crucial global issue.

Kudos, too, to front-benchers like Malcolm Turnbull and Greg Hunt who have prevented the Liberals embarking on denialist climate change policy.

Standing up for the future of the planet: that?s what we call leadership.

We've been encouraged by the chorus of support for our efforts to make Seven honour its commitments - many others have been outraged about Seven's apparent decision to censor our Tibet ad.

The ABC's Media Watch covered it as their main item last Monday night. The Australian's Peter Lalor called Seven's decision a gold-medal act of moral cowardice, and Ed Coper our Campaign Coordinator told our side of the story in Tuesday's Crikey. Bloggers have weighed in - Lyn Calcutt called Seven silly for pulling the ads without getting their story straight.

We agree, but as we said in the email, we'd love your support in asking Seven to redeem themselves by showing our new ad during the closing ceremony.

Over to you...

This morning, an amazing group of Australians called for an Olympic-sized effort by the federal government to solve climate change by 2020. The starter?s gun went off in three locations this morning - Bondi Beach, Hobart and Cairns ? for the first leg of GetUp?s climate torch relay calling for 50% reduction in carbon pollution.

In Bondi, GetUp Campaigns Director Ed Coper said, ?This sand we stand on today is extremely vulnerable to advancing shorelines and increased storm activity associated with climate change. In fact, if Greenland and the West Antarctic ice shelf melt as many scientists are predicting, the world will experience sea level rise of 6 ? 7 metres ? perhaps within only 4 generations. We must not ? and we will not ? let that happen.?

Three former Australians and Young Australians of the Year spoke: Ian Kiernan, Hugh Evans & Bryan Gaensler. Visy Recycling, who are sponsoring the torch, gave a short speech, followed by Deputy Mayor of Waverly, Dominic Wy Kanak, who received the torch on behalf of Waverly City Council.

In Hobart, 16-year old Katy McKay, who will be the youngest member of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition delegation to the UN climate talks in Poznan, Poland in December, spoke along with local GetUp organiser Pamela Mears, as well as Tasmanian Greens leader Nick McKim and Federal MP for Dennison Duncan Kerr.

In Cairns, our launch organised by Stuart Frost featured the local mayor and received great press attention so far.

Australia has an opportunity to step up and help solve global climate change. By 2020, we can cut our carbon pollution in half from 1990 levels. We can make sure that all new energy sources come from renewable energy, and end polluting power in Australia. We can invest in public transport, and reduce Australians? dependence on fossil fuels.

GetUp has created this climate torch to ignite a movement of ordinary Australians who care about their kids and grandkids? futures. Who are demanding stronger climate action now. We created this torch to spark the kind of passion and commitment we need to see in our government to overcoming the vested interests of all the lobbyists.

We are up against the coal industry, the electricity generators industry, the aluminium industry and more. But GetUp is over 280,000 members strong, and as this torch is carried around Australia our message will be carried too, until it reaches Parliament House on October 12th as part of a rally calling for 50% by 2020 ? stronger climate action now.

UPDATE: Media Watch has covered Seven's censorship of our ad - more details here

Our Tibet ad - which was booked and paid for - was not screened by Channel 7 in the scheduled slots last Friday night and Saturday morning.

The 30-second TV advertisement, which we made with the Australia Tibet Council, was supposed to air before and after the event on the 7 network in five Australian capital cities and regional centres across the country.

The ad was pulled at the last minute. It seems to us that in highlighting free speech issues in Tibet, we've run up against some serious ones of our own at home.

We're upset - we think this has been a deliberate move to silence those members of the Australian community who are concerned about Tibet - especially the many who donated money to help produce the ad.

We are calling on the PM to raise this matter of free speech with Channel 7 boss, Kerry Stokes, while he's in Beijing. We hope you support us.

What a week! It's only Wednesday and already we've seen the end of mandatory detention and the Opposition finally facing facts on climate change. Just as importantly, today comes news of what could be the most significant native title decision to date.

The High Court today gave Yolngu people of north-east Arnhem Land exclusive rights over tidal waters adjoining their lands. This means that commercial exploitation of important resources will now need to be negotiated with the traditional owners. It returns Yolgnu people to custodianship of the marine resources they have traditionally managed. It means that the community might have access to new streams of income and employment.

Yolngu representatives have today talked about the spiritual importance of the victory, and potential implications for other communities. They've also talked about how this will help with the Government's aim of "closing the gap" on indigenous health.

On behalf of our members, GetUp congratulates the Yolngu people on their important victory, which has come after 30 years of struggle.

As a result of this crucial decision, reconciliation is again at the centre of our national conversation. We understand this at GetUp, and we're currently planning some ways of recognising this new direction in the reconciliation agenda.

Last ABC1's Media Watch covered Channel Seven's censorship of our Tibet ad as their main story.

You can see the transcript on Media Watch's website.

We'll keep members posted about GetUp!'s further response to this situation, and we'll let you know how you can help.

Meanwhile, in the absence of any consistent explanations from Channel Seven about their apparent censorship of GetUp!'s ad, we can't put it any better than Johnathan Holmes did last night:

"If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck and quacks like a duck... It may well be a duck".

UPDATE: Media Watch has covered Seven's censorship of our ad - more details here

GetUp! and its members have been active for a long time on the issue of freedom in Tibet.

The Olympics begin on Friday - and our PM is heading to Beijing for the Opening Ceremony. We've made an urgent TV appeal to him, to stand up for the rights of Tibetans when he meets the Chinese leadership there.

We?ve given Mr Rudd a copy of the ad, to let him know that we want him to speak for those who have no voice. We want him to uphold the rights of free speech by talking to the Chinese leadership. We know this kind of diplomacy works - just last week, the PM condemned censorship around the games, and the Chinese government eased the restrictions.

Unfortunately, we have some free speech issues of our own. The Seven Network, in response to the media interest our ad has generated, is now denying the fact that we've booked the ad space. Unfortunately for them we have on our desks a confirmed booking sheet suggesting otherwise!

Whether or not the Seven Network honour their deal, we want you to see the ad, so we?ve embedded it here. Let us know what you think about the Tibet and free speech here on our comment thread.

GetUp is concerned that today?s Green Paper, outlining options for a Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, risks putting in place an ?omissions trading scheme? that leaves out Australia?s biggest polluters and many other aspects of a scheme that would effectively reduce Australia?s emissions.

We have identified the following problems with the model proposed in today?s Green Paper:

? Free permits to pollute for trade-exposed emissions-intensive industries

? Direct payments to existing coal-fired electricity generators ? allowing coal-fired power stations to expand, instead of phasing into renewable energy

? Cutting the fuel excise, instead of using the money to promote low-carbon transport alternatives

? A cap on the price of carbon from 2010 ? 2015, undermines the scheme?s ability to price the real costs of greenhouse pollution.

Australia now has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transition to a low-carbon economy.

But this Green Paper offers free emissions permits ? covering up to 90% of their emissions ? to Australia?s biggest polluters. This goes against the advice of the Garnaut Review.

Direct payments to coal-fired power stations would undermine the scheme. We need to transition away from coal, and into energy efficiency and renewable energy as soon as we can.

We urge the government to reconsider subsidising the big polluters and instead begin planning a just transition away from coal for the LaTrobe Valley and Hunter Valley.

Climate change mitigation must begin now and reflect the urgency of the situation. Delay in bringing the big polluters on board risks compromising Australia?s emissions trading scheme from the start.

This is a test. Please ignore.

UPDATE: Media Watch has covered Seven's censorship of our ad - more details here

We told you in our last post on the Tibet ad that Seven would not confirm they would screen the ads as arranged. Things haven't improved.

As of this morning, Channel 7 is still refusing to confirm it will allow a television message to Prime Minister Rudd from Australia?s Tibetan community about human rights abuses in China to go to air following the Olympics opening ceremony tonight.

We have free-to-air approval for it and advertising space has been booked and paid for - it was scheduled to go ahead at 1AM, following the ceremony.

We think this is a straightforward free speech issue - if Seven don't screen it, they'll be blocking a legitimate community announcement.

We're still hoping they'll change their minds and tell us that the ads will go ahead - we'll keep you posted and let you know how we plan to address the situation. Thanks for your support.