2023-05-09
Greens Spokesperson for Environment Senator Sarah Hanson-Young responds to reports the Coalition is backing Labor’s Nature Repair Market Bill:
“Australia’s environment needs protection, not a ‘Green Wall Street’ propped up by bogus offsets.
“Peter Dutton and Barnaby Joyce are backing this policy, that says everything about how bad it is. It won’t save the koalas and it won’t protect our native forests.
“It is unsurprising the Coalition is supporting the Nature Repair Market Bill because it is former Agriculture Minister David Littleproud’s bill 2.0.
“It is incredible the Albanese Government couldn’t come up with a plan better than that of the environment-wrecking Coalition who allowed the plunder and destruction of nature for a decade.
“Minister Plibersek has put forward this bill before establishing an Environment Protection Agency, legislating environmental standards and fixing our broken environmental laws.
“The inclusion of offsets as part of a market intended to repair nature was a red flag. There is nothing to stop this market from becoming a free pass for industry to continue destroying the environment.
“The Albanese Government has well and truly put the cart before the horse and the environment will suffer as a result.
“The Greens will be opposing this bill when it comes before the House on Thursday.”