What Bob Brown actually said
February 11th, 2007Several major daily newspapers have reported that Senator Bob Brown and The Greens want to stop Australian coal mining and exports within three years.
Kevin Rudd and John Howard have gone ballistic, labelling this ‘a kneejerk reaction’.
It’s a shame none of them bothered to check their facts. Bob Brown’s actual press release (see below) clearly says we need to develop a PLAN within three years, hardly a kneejerk reaction.
The press release:
9th Feb 07
Australia should develop a plan, in the next three years, to reduce and phase out coal exports, Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.
“Neither the Howard Coalition nor Rudd Labor will tackle our biggest cause of climate change - burning coal. Both the parties support burning more, not less,” Senator Brown said.
“This is an extreme position considering the massive economic and environmental crisis the world is facing. The nation should rapidly transform to being the world’s largest exporter of solar power technology, other renewable energy options and energy efficiency technology - creating thousands of jobs and a multi-billion dollar export income in tandem with the replacement of coal,” Senator Brown said.
“Australia can no longer put its head in the sand. Even if we do nothing to phase out coal exports, our customers will. The Europeans are already talking about sanctions and restrictions on coal imports. The issue is not just what we think the future of coal is, but what our customers think the future is. Business in Europe is not going to accept the Australian government freeloading with coal,” Senator Brown said.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, coal mining employs 28,300 workers. Over the last 12 months, employment growth was over 299,000.
“The Prime Minister claims to be concerned with coal industry jobs, but Qantas employs ten thousand more people than the coal industry and the government will do nothing to ensure their jobs are secure.”
“In the next period of government the burning of native forests - another major cause of climate change - must be halted forever. The double win here is that the trees left standing will be worth much more to the public purse in a carbon-exchange world than they are on the back of a ship headed to Japan,” Senator Brown said.
