2018-06-25
The Australian Greens have slammed the Labor and Liberal parties for rejecting the will of South Australians who want to see the Great Australian Bight World Heritage protected.
“The Labor and Liberal Parties have failed time and again to stand up for the Great Australian Bight and speak out against oil and gas drilling. If a spill happens in the Bight, oil will be on their hands,” Greens Senator for South Australia Sarah Hanson-Young said.
“Considering both Labor and Liberal parties have taken donations from multinational fossil fuel companies, South Australians will be unsurprised, but disappointed, at their opposition to this motion.
“Between the Liberal candidate for Mayo Georgina Downer’s repeated ignorance on the risk to the Bight and the affect drilling would have on southern right whale migration, to the Liberals in the Senate voting against the Greens’ motion calling for World Heritage protection for the Bight, shows just how out of touch they are with South Australians, and the people of Mayo.
“Just a few weeks ago, polling was released that showed 74 per cent of the people in Mayo supported the Greens’ push for World Heritage protection for the Great Australian Bight. Since launching the campaign in April, thousands of people have joined the push to see this protection made a reality. It would be a boon for tourism and show the world what the Bight has to offer in terms of unique, natural beauty.
“There is no social license to drill for oil and gas in the Great Australian Bight. Kangaroo Island is the jewel in our tourism crown and would be devastated if an oil spill would occur. The Greens will continue to fight with coastal communities and all South Australians that want their Bight protected from multinational fossil fuel companies that put profits ahead of people and the environment.”