[Greens-Media] Mt Piper plans see people, jobs and the environment lose out

[Alison Orme]

MEDIA RELEASE - 8 March 2005

Mt Piper plans see people, jobs and the environment lose out 

Greens MP Lee Rhiannon said today that the Carr Government is locking
the people of Lithgow and NSW into a dangerous future by allowing $2
million to be pumped into two coal-fired generators at Mount Piper power
station. 

"I don't know how Bob Carr lives with himself. While he sits on the
International Climate Change Task Force he still manages to tete a tete
with the fossil fuel industry and lure private investors into this
dinosaur industry," Ms Rhiannon said.

"It's time the Carr Government got serious about climate change.
 
"There should be no new coal fired power stations in NSW. 

"Carr is nervous about future power shortages.  But he should take a
history lesson from New Zealand where privatisation of the electricity
industry in 1998 led to blackouts lasting several weeks in Auckland. 

"Relying on coal for energy is something Australia, as one of the
world's top carbon dioxide producers on a per-capita basis, just
can't afford.

"Coal is a minefield, with the damage spreading from mining
communities to people living on the other side of the world who
disproportionately reap the negative impact of climate change.

"The Greens want the Government to develop long term plans for clean,
green renewable energy.

"Only this will create real jobs without damaging our fragile
eco-system through coal mining," Ms Rhiannon said. 

More information: Alison Orme  9230 3551  0408 976 707