Australia’s environment rating downgraded as Greens call on Labor to drop climate-cooking ‘gas loophole’

On a day when Australia’s national environmental scorecard has been downgraded by the ANU, the Greens have called on Labor to drop its ‘gas loophole’ law which would fast track mega offshore gas projects, bypass environment laws, silence First Nations voices and cook the climate. 

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young is Greens Spokesperson for the Environment and Manager of Business in Senate:

“This bill will bypass existing environment law to fast track mega offshore gas projects - wrecking the environment, increasing pollution and silencing First Nations voices. 

“We are asking for a very simple thing: drop the secret gas loophole in this law. 

“The Prime Minister should now step in. The Government should realise they've made a mistake here and error of judgment. Let's get on with protecting the environment and giving First Nations peoples the voice they deserve.

“The Environment Minister is being sidelined by her own colleagues, sidelined by her own resources minister, and sidelined by the gas lobby.”

Background:

• Australia's National score was reduced to 7.5/10 from 8.7/10 last year.

• Labor’s Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Legislation Amendment bill was introduced in Feb & mainly deals with workplace safety on offshore gas projects. 

• Minister Madeleine King slipped in a last-minute loophole giving her new broad-ranging powers to bypass environment laws (EPBC), following demands from gas lobby CEOs revealed under FOI. 

• Environment Minister Plibersek has promised to “fix” our existing weak environment laws and is currently running consultations with environment groups on this. But the new offshore gas law would utterly undermine this whole process with a huge carve out for offshore gas.

• Recent media:

  • West Australian Newspaper

  • Saturday Paper Feb 24 -  Plibersek sidelined over gas project approvals

  • Sat paper March 16 -Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ low bow to fossil fuels

  • Guardian - Labor accused of trying to ‘silence Aboriginal voices’ over possible changes to gas project consultations

  • ABC RN Breakfast - Adam Bandt

  • AFR - King moves to remove ‘ambiguity’ for gas project approvals

• The proposed changes have been welcomed by the gas lobby.

• Treasurer Chalmers told the AFR business summit on March 11 that Labor would help fast-track approvals for major projects (including but not limited to gas)

• Late in ‘23 Labor introduced it’s ‘Sea Dumping’ law to expand gas with unproven technology to pump carbon pollution under the sea bed. At the time Penny Wong let slip in Parliament this was at the request of gas CEOs