Climate statements take centre stage at Midwinter Ball in protest over oil and gas sponsorship

Greens leader Adam Bandt's wife, Claudia Perkins, and Senator Sarah Hanson-Young wear dresses with slogans calling for end of fossil fuels

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Parliament House's Midwinter Ball was punctuated by climate change demonstrations as protesters outside and Greens politicians inside called on the government to phase out fossil fuels.

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young wore a dress bearing the phrase end gas and coal", while the wife of Greens leader Adam Bandt, Claudia Perkins, arrived in a gown emblazoned with the slogans coal kills" and gas kills". The fashion statements came after criticisms raised by Senator David Pocock and climate groups about fossil fuel companies Woodside and Shell sponsoring the annual press gallery ball.