2016-05-27
The Australian Greens condemn the Turnbull Government for overseeing the censorship of a UN climate change report to remove all mention of the Great Barrier Reef and call on Minister Hunt to explain his role.
Qld Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens Deputy Leader and climate change spokesperson, said:
"The Turnbull Government will stop at nothing to cover up the devastating impact its inaction on global warming is having on our World Heritage Areas like the Great Barrier Reef and our magnificent Tassie Wilderness.
"The solution for saving the Reef and for saving the tourism industry it supports are one in the same.
"We need a healthy Reef for a healthy tourism industry and that means actually dealing with global warming, rather than ignoring it.
"I am calling on Minister Hunt to publicly explain his role in this sorry affair including whether he was aware of the censorship before the report was published regardless of whether he was formally briefed by the Department.
"The old parties are adding more fuel to the fire by allowing millions more tonnes of coal to be dug up and shipped out through the Reef to further cook its waters when burnt.
"We Greens have the courage and vision to act on global warming by transitioning to clean energy to save Reef tourism jobs while providing new jobs and training for coal workers already being sacked in this dying industry," Senator Waters said.