The Australian Youth Climate Coalition staged a protest outside a public lecture by Indian finance minister Arun Jaitley at Melbourne University when as he sought support for the Adani coal mine project. Photo Takver flickr.com/photos/takver
While the Liberal-Nationals parties are wedded to fossil fuels through political donations, and their employees oscillate between government jobs and the mining sector, Labor have also supported the introduction of new gas and coal mines, despite the urgent warning to reduce carbon emissions by climate scientists.
Labor leader, Anthony Albanese, was reported in SMH (Nine) last month as saying his party will support new coal and gas mines, ‘matching the pro-mining stance of the Coalition, as the opposition targets blue-collar workers in crucial seats for the coming federal election’.
The Echo asked local Labor MP, Ms Elliot her stance on the issue: ‘Given that you have a record of opposing CSG and appear to accept anthropogenic-induced climate change, how do you reconcile with your party’s plans – if elected – to support fossil fuel projects that contribute to an unstable climate for future generations?’
She replied, ‘Labor is the only party of government that has a fully detailed plan to cut emissions by 43 per cent by 2030, and reach net zero by 2050 by taking real action on climate change, creating jobs, cutting power bills, reducing emissions by boosting renewable energy, and kickstarting $76 billion of investment. The only way to make this happen is for locals to vote 1 Justine Elliot’.
Federal Member for Richmond, Justine Elliot. Photo supplied.
Policy vacuum
According to Labor’s website, www.alp.org.au, only one environment policy is listed – which is to ‘fix the [power] grid’ to ‘create more jobs and power prices’.
There is no policy listed by the Nationals at www.nationals.org.au with regards to climate change.
The recent federal budget by the Liberal-Nationals government had ‘big spending in the works for gas and no significant additional spending for renewable energy’, according to www.climatecouncil.org.au.
The Liberal-Nationals parties Long Term Emissions Reduction Plan aims to deliver net zero emissions by 2050, by relying on technology investment. Yet Nationals MPs have undermined the plan by claiming the policy is ‘dead’ and non-binding.
From the lack of comment, it appears old news that the ALP walks both sides of the street on climate. Depressing, BUT what more concerning; a hung parliament is looking very much on the cards. Don’t be too surprised if the ALP and the Libs cobble together a coalition to thwart any climate policy that threatens the coal and gas cabal and their huge influence. They could not let independents spoil the party. They may ditch the Nats and take Labor on ..! A Lib/Labor coalition .. something like what we have now . Dont worry the talks would be well advanced at the highest level ATM. Probably more honest.
I doubt that happening, perhaps in your imagination.
The Lib/Nat/Lab FF Cartel is alive and well, already doing the coal and gas business.
The Lib/Nat and Lab vote together in the Senate to hand out $’smillion s taxpayer hard earned to gas frackers.
The Lib/Nat and Lab publicly spruik for continued and more Coal and Gas.
The Lib/Nat/Lab FF Cartel keeping Fossil Fuel alive.
Your article didn’t mention the Greens !!
The only party with a workable effective plan for addressing the climate emergency
William, 100%
Not true. Several of the parties standing in the Senate have equal or stronger policies….
The Reason Party (H), Sustainable Australia Party (D) and Fusion Party (R) all have a climate policy that is equally effective and workable to that of The Greens (E).
The New Liberals (Group B) have some of the best policies presented in this election, including stronger / tougher climate and integrity commission policies that are not unworkable or ineffective, unlike the idealistic but unworkable climate policy of the Socialist Alliance (I)
Yep, trying to forget they screwed over the carbon trading scheme by voting with the climate denying coalition. Well done greens for trying to rewrite history, plausible deny ability.
Rod, newsflash old son, you the one trying the re-write business.
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The Greens voted down Kevin / ALP CPRS for very good reason, what was presented was bad policy. Do readup on affairs on Greens website.
The Greens voted for Julia /ALP ETS for very good reason, it was good policy and it worked exactly as intended….. UNTIL…. Abbott / Lib/Nat screwed over the ETS by repealing it in 2014.
Really check your facts in the name of feeling good voting greens when the coalition gets back in. Regards reading up, what a whitewash in saying they voted with the coalition for better policy. Really sad article on that website, covering their arses in voting.
Phase out oil coal gas as quickly as possible. More clean power alternatives , much much more . Geothermal is fantastic. Ev s made here in Aus by wholly owned Aus company . Batteries , everything we need could be made here . Imagine exporting a tough double cab ute. I’d like to see that . Plenty of grunt . Electric bikes , farm vehicles , There’s a business idea for somebody keen right there . Go for it. Also, why isn’t the whole car covered in solar panel , so it’s trickle charging in the car park while your at work . The technology is already there . It might take a week to charge the battery but every little bit helps. I’ve got a solar lantern , 1 days charge = 5 to 6 hours of light. Get used to 50 c sized discs just under the paint work all over your car. The latest trend. Also the wheels spin , so there’s another source of power going to waste .and Little round tiny windmills inside a trendy looking tube as round as a drinking glass embedded in your body work , spinning and making power . Look a bit like airfoils on the old yank tanks. There’s 3 sources of power right there going to waste ..
Toyota Prius had a solar roof top in the US when they first came out and ditched them in later years …. never heard why
The Greens have been out played by the Climate Independents. The Greens spread themselves over too many issues – vegemite – and lost the main one : the enveloping environmental crisis. We all know we are consuming our vital support systems with ever more demand and destruction. Classic environmental overshoot. The real issue now is who gets to fix it. Lots of self interest out there vying for the dollars.
ITM, the real power brokers, oil, gas and coal still control all. To the point where if the independents and Greens have the balance of power in the house or senate, I predict the ALP and the Libs will form a coalition to block their efforts to reign in the fossil fuel industry. Yes, they are that powerful. How this coalition would be formed is being considered by the parties in option papers but it will be with as much smoke and as many mirrors as possible — we might see one or two Libs or Laborites ‘resign’ and vote with the opposite party to keep coal king. But one thing is certain: the fossil fuel industry and the whole export mining industry will not allow one of their kind to be hobbled by a few independents — no way. We have some memories of single party coups recently, we could call this scenario a ‘double party coup’.