2016-09-01
The Australian Senate today supported a Greens motion calling on the government to rule out any public funding for the Adani coal mine or associated infrastructure, including via the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility.
"Australia must not spend public money propping up a project that more than a dozen private banks have refused to finance, especially while this government is trying to cut $1 billion from clean energy", said Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens Deputy Leader and spokesperson on mining.
"This Government has for years given mixed signals about whether they would use the Northern Australia slush fund as a Dirty Energy Finance Corporation to facilitate Australia's largest coal mine.
"Now the pressure is building on Malcolm Turnbull to show some backbone and stand up his coal-loving big business mates.
"The Prime Minister must now instruct his Ministers that the NAIF must not be used to facilitate the Adani coal mine or its infrastructure.
"If the Adani coal mine were to go ahead, the future becomes much more dangerous for our climate and our Reef.
"The Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility should be used to invest in clean energy projects to create jobs in the north that will last long-term and will help safeguard the natural values of the region," Senator Waters said.
Australian Greens motion supported by the Senate:
- The Senate notes that:
a) Australia has committed at the Paris climate talks to keep global warming below 2 degrees, and to pursue efforts to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees.
b) With only 1 degree of global warming so far, the Great Barrier Reef has already suffered the worst ever mass coral bleaching event.
c) Fourteen major international and domestic banks have ruled out providing finance to the Adani mine or associated infrastructure.
2. The Senate calls on the federal Government to rule out giving any public funding to the Adani coal mine or any associated infrastructure, including via the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility.
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