2019-10-29
Acting Greens leader, Adam Bandt MP, has responded to Labor leader Anthony Albanese’s CEDA speech, saying Labor is joining the Liberals by supporting thermal coal, setting Australia on a unity ticket towards climate catastrophe.
“Without a plan to phase out coal, you don’t have a plan to address the climate crisis,'' Mr Bandt said.
“Talking up renewables while continuing to back coal is straight out of Scott Morrison’s playbook. It is not going to wash.
“The coal from the Adani coal mine won’t build one single wind turbine, but Liberal and now Labor are backing it to the hilt.
“Waxing lyrical about coking coal doesn’t get you out of having a plan to phase out thermal coal.
“The climate crisis is intensifying Australia’s record drought, but Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese hug coal. So much for recognising we are in a climate emergency.
“We are pleased to see Labor join the Greens in recognising the potential of new jobs in clean energy, but Labor is sticking with the Liberals in refusing to have a plan to phase out coal or Stop Adani.
“Australia can be a renewable energy export superpower and there are big job opportunities in the sustainable and ethical mining of minerals critical to the transition like lithium, but rather than looking to a future in metallurgical coal, we should be investing in hydrogen-made steel, which is expected to reach price parity with coal-made steel by 2030."
The Greens have legislation before the Parliament to ban new coal mines and phase out thermal coal exports by 2030.