2019-12-03
The Greens have backed the call by civil society organisations today for the Morrison Government to drop their plans to outlaw environmental and consumer boycotts.
Their call follows the PM’s announcement to the coal lobby last month that he would introduce new laws crack down on environmental boycott campaigns.
Greens Spokesperson for the Environment Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said the PM’s plan was an attack on basic democratic rights.
“Australians of all political persuasions value their rights and freedoms to support products, services and companies that align with their values. More and more Australians are using their consumer power to make good environmental choices and their right to do so should be protected,” Senator Hanson-Young said.
“Australians should have the right to choose whether they back the palm-oil free campaign run by Australian zoos, boycott banks that fund fossil fuel projects, or support businesses that have pledged to only purchase ethical paper to save our forests.
“In Scott Morrison’s dictatorship, campaigns that have pushed companies to make better choices for our environment won’t be possible.
“This coal-hugging government is again backing big polluters and their corporate donors over the rights of everyday Australians to choose to support and fund products and services that are good, not bad, for the environment.
“Even the PM’s ‘quiet Australians’ want their freedoms protected, it’s time he ruled out this attack.”