A former high-level Australian diplomat won't eat any food until he sees Anthony Albanese "get serious" and take climate action.
Gregory Andrews has worked with the government for more than 30 years, including as an ambassador to West Africa, threatened species commissioner and Australia's deputy chief climate negotiator at the United Nations.
Sitting on the Parliament House lawns on Tuesday morning, Mr Andrews is six days into a hunger strike and says he won't quit until Australia has a timeline to stop exporting fossil fuels.
He pointed to Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek's decision to approve four coal mine projects this year as fuelling his fire to take action.
"I worked in the government for 31 years, I've tried giving speeches, social media, writing letters to the government, going to protests, but emissions keep going up," Mr Andrews told AAP.
"Australia spends more on fossil fuel subsidies than we do on the army, but climate change is the biggest national security risk to Australia."
Mr Andrews said he's already lost 4.5kg in his first six days of protest.
He's pencilled in his protest until at least December 13, in hope Australia will ramp up action before the UN's COP 28 climate talks in Dubai.
"I'm not going to end it until the Albanese government gets serious about climate change, and for me that means making a commitment with a timeline to cease fossil fuel exports … cease these obscene fossil fuel subsidies and end native forests logging," he said.
"If I keep going at this rate, I'll have lost a third of my body weight before the COP starts, and when I get to that stage, then I'll start risking organ failure."
Independent senator David Pocock has visited Mr Andrews while staffers for other politicians have popped down and passed on support.
But it's the prime minister, away in China, who he really wants to see.
"Albanese's determination and courage on the voice, leading something that right from the start was going to be really difficult to win ... I just wish he would show the same determination on real climate action," Mr Andrews said.
"I must have naively assumed this new government, which was elected on a pro-climate action mandate, was really interested, or wasn't captured by fossil fuels."
