The north coast’s farmland and communities can look forward to a rapid expansion of the coal seam gas (CSG) industry under a coalition government led by Tony Abbott, according to the Richmond Greens.
In response to last night’s budget-reply speech by Mr Abbott, Greens candidate for Richmond, Dawn Walker, says his policies would be a ‘wrecking ball through the northern rivers’.
‘Tony Abbott made it clear that a coalition government will place reckless, short-term decisions over people and the environment at every turn,’ Ms Walker said.
‘With no plan to raise additional revenue, we will see bigger and more extreme cuts to vital community services and tertiary education, polluters being paid to keep polluting and the vulnerable in our community kept below the poverty line.
‘And that’s not to mention the rapid expansion of the coal seam gas industry across our farmland and communities.
‘If Abbott gains total control over the parliament he will wind back hard-fought gains and abolish the price on pollution, get rid of the mining tax, slash the humanitarian intake of refugees and cut money out of environmental and renewable-energy projects.
‘I’m concerned about the impact of a coalition government on our community. Abbott’s policies will result in the loss of local jobs in the community services, renewable energy, tertiary education and tourism sectors.
‘Fixing the mining tax, ending fossil-fuel subsidies and introducing a levy on the big banks are economically responsible, sensible revenue-raising strategies.
‘But it’s only the Greens who have the courage to do this in order to fund a caring Australia with a safe climate and a proud global reputation.
Ms Walker said leader of the Australian Greens, Senator Christine Milne, outlined her party’s vision for Australia.
Senator Milne said the Greens wanted ‘the gap between rich and poor to be closing, not widening’, and a ‘a sustainable environment to future-proof our economy and quality of life’.
Senator Milne said, ‘we want infrastructure spending that gives us clean livable cities; we want farmers to stay on the land; we want investment in education and innovation to give us the low-carbon economy we need to meet the challenge of global warming.
‘The frustration is that if Labor or the coalition had the courage to close the loopholes in the mining tax we could be a nation that invests in education as a whole, rather than cutting from universities and childcare to fund schools,’ she said.
