Climate change was a glaring omission from Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's address announcing the federal election. It has also been below the radar on the Labor's campaign trail.
In contrast the Greens launched their election campaign at a protest on May 8 organised by climate group 350.org, which closed down the coal port of Newcastle. Greens leader Richard Di Natale said it was time Australia got serious about “tackling dangerous global warming”.
Climate change was a glaring omission from Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's address announcing the federal election. It has also been below the radar on the Labor's campaign trail.
In contrast the Greens launched their election campaign at a protest on May 8 organised by climate group 350.org, which closed down the coal port of Newcastle. Greens leader Richard Di Natale said it was time Australia got serious about “tackling dangerous global warming”.
Tim Flannery said preserving the Great Barrier Reef from coral bleaching linked to climate change should be a central issue in the federal election campaign. Flannery, a scientist and member of the Climate Council, said the lack of attention paid to climate change so far in the eight-week campaign was “staggering”.
“This needs to be the reef election,” he told Guardian Australia on May 17. “This is the last moment I think that we can realistically expect that we can enact some policies … to close down coal-fired power stations and save the reef. Other issues are still going to be there in another four years. This one won't.”
On May 15, The Sydney Morning Herald reported the results of a survey conducted for a coalition of environmental groups. The survey found that:
• 64% of respondents said they would be more likely to vote for a party seeking 100% renewable energy in 20 years and 48% said they would be more likely to support a party reducing Australia's net carbon emissions to zero by 2050.
• 56.4% wanted the government to do more on climate change, while 27.8% think the current settings are right and 9.9% want less action.
• 56.1% of people would be more likely to support a party that advocated phasing out coal-fired power, compared to 27.2% whose vote would be unchanged and 16.6% who would be less supportive.
• 66.9% would be more likely to vote for a party that strengthens environmental laws protecting sites like the Great Barrier Reef, while 23.1% would be unaffected and 10% would be less likely to support them.
• 61.9% agree that the burning of fossil fuels causes global warming and is destroying the Great Barrier Reef, while 23.2% disagree and 14.9% do not know.
Neither the Coalition nor Labor policies go anywhere near meeting these aspirations.
The Coalition's policy is for a 26 to 28% cut on 2005 emission levels by 2030 through its multi-billion dollar emissions reduction fund, and 23% clean energy production by 2020.
Labor recently unveiled its proposed 45% cut on 2005 levels through emissions trading and restrictions on land clearing.
It would seem that the Greens, with a policy of a 63% to 82% equivalent cut to emissions and 90% renewable energy by 2030 is nearer the mark.
Labor leader Bill Shorten started his campaign in far north Queensland with further stops in centres along the coast. But he did not take the opportunity to introduce the related issues of coalmine expansion, climate change and damage to the Great Barrier Reef.
At a doorstop media event on May 11 in Mackay, Shorten was asked what a Labor government would do to make sure the Adani coal mine gets up and running?
He replied, “It's a matter for the Queensland government in that regard. The Commonwealth government I lead wouldn't be putting taxpayer money into the Adani mine. These matters have got to sink or swim on their own commercial viability.”
On April 3, Queensland mines minister Anthony Lynham and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk gave approval for Indian multinational Adani to build the massive Carmichael coalmine and rail project in Queensland's Galilee Basin. Federal approval was granted by Environment Minister Greg Hunt in October 2015.
The Queensland parliament has committed to the Adani mine going ahead. It supported a motion endorsing approval to mining licences. The motion was supported by the Liberal-National Party and cross benchers. Only Cairns Independent MP Rod Pyne — who resigned from Labor over this issue, among others — voted against.
Lynham said on May 11: “I know the people of North and Central Queensland will be pleased to hear of progress on this $21.7 billion mine, rail and port project.
“As I informed the House in early April, I have approved the grant of three mining leases for the Carmichael Coalmine and Rail Project. Since then the independent Coordinator-General has approved a material change of use application for works at the company's proposed Abbot Point T0.
“This allows Abbot Point to lift its capacity to handle additional throughput as the Galilee Basin is opened up to mining. Adani is proposing to develop T0 to ultimately have the capacity to handle 70 million tonnes of coal a year.
“The Coordinator-General is also currently assessing two remaining material change of use applications from Adani relating to rail infrastructure in the Galilee Basin State Development Area. While Adani still requires a number of approvals, each of these steps brings the project closer to fruition.”
The overwhelming support by the Commonwealth and Queensland governments for Adani is remarkable given that the project has a dubious future. The company has not succeeded in attracting finance for the project.
However, discussions have been held with the Turnbull government concerning financial assistance under the regional infrastructure funding program for construction of the rail link and port development. A perusal of the campaign donations register after the election could be revealing.
While Labor and the Coalition are running dead on climate change and the reef as election issues, environment groups are using the election to target 25 marginal seats with a doorknocking and publicity campaign.
Like the article? Subscribe to Green Left now! You can also like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.