2016-11-26
By falsely claiming that the Great Barrier Reef is “alive and well” after visiting an area unaffected by coral bleaching One Nation is putting the jobs of 70,000 Queenslanders in jeopardy say the Australian Greens.
“It is unconscionable for One Nation to claim the Reef is totally fine when 22 percent of corals in the Great Barrier Reef just died from the worst ever bleaching event on record,” said Australian Greens Deputy Leader and Queensland Senator Larissa Waters.
“Reef scientists are unanimous in saying the biggest threat to the Reef is global warming, which caused the recent devastating coral bleaching.
“Yet the old parties' Reef policies totally ignore the threat of global warming by promoting expansion of coal and other fossil fuels.
“There are 70,000 jobs that rely on the Reef's health, and yet the old political parties are prioritising the demands of their big mining and gas donors.
“Now One Nation are insulting Reef tourism workers by visiting an unaffected area of the Reef and claiming everything is fine - because they don't even accept that global warming is real.
“What a disappointment to Reef workers and farmers affected by coal and coal seam gas that not a single One Nation Senator was even present for this week's parliamentary debate of my Greens bill to give landholders the right to say no to coal mines and CSG.
“All political parties need to listen to the community and the science and invest in job-rich, clean energy that doesn’t fuel dangerous global warming.
“Instead the policies of the federal Government, state Labor and One Nation ignore scientific facts and condemn the Reef to even worse coral bleaching jeopardising the livelihoods of the 70,000 Queenslanders whose jobs rely on the Reef.”
Media ReleaseGeneral