It was one of eight rallies held simultaneously around the country.

In Canberra, about 300 people wearing red and holding banners urged the Government to reconsider the emission targets set out in its carbon pollution reduction scheme.

Government legislation setting up the scheme goes before the Senate this week.

Andrew Glickson, an earth and palaeo-climate scientist at the Australian National University, told the crowd the Government was failing in its duty to protect current and future generations.

''The measures they are discussing, 450 parts per million CO2, are more than 100 parts per million higher than those scientists now consider the upper safe limits,'' he said.

For more, pick up a copy of today's Canberra Times