[Greens-Media] Greens NSW State Conference backs clean green job-rich future, targets NSW coal expansion plans

[Lee Rhiannon]

MEDIA RELEASE
13 August 2006 

Greens NSW State Conference backs clean green job-rich future, targets NSW coal expansion plans

The State Conference of the NSW Greens held in Sydney this weekend agreed that a key campaign coming into the 2007 state election is to boost environmentally friendly jobs and to stop the expansion of the coal industry Greens MP Lee Rhiannon said today.

“We are sending a clear message to Premier Iemma that he has to end his government’s business as usual approach with the coal industry,” Ms Rhiannon said.

“He needs to get serious about climate change and that means being willing to say ‘No’ to coal companies.

“This weekend’s Greens state conference drew up plans for a clean green jobs-rich future for the Hunter, Illawarra and Lithgow regions involving a campaign to end the NSW Government’s support for the coal industry.

“The Greens will kick off their campaign by targeting the Environmental Assessment for the proposed new Coal Export Terminal in Newcastle that was released last week.

“The Environmental Assessment for the new coal loader is a farce. It does not mention the climate change implications of this project.

“If approved, the new loader will increase Newcastle’s coal export capacity from around 80 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) to up to 130Mtpa. Clearly this means a massive increase in greenhouse gas emissions. 

“The NSW Greens strategy for a jobs rich future involves scrapping the new coal loader in Newcastle, a moratorium on new coal mines in NSW and the development of clean green manufacturing industries.

“We are building support for seed financing a program that will help identify and grow new industries in regional NSW that will provide its residents with sustainable jobs and wealth creation opportunities. 

“While the new coal loader would provide a number of jobs during the construction phase, far more employment and wealth creation opportunities could be generated by the development of a renewable energy manufacturing industry in NSW area once dominated by the coal industry. 

“Building on the existing engineering and innovation skills base, NSW could become a major exporter of clean energy technologies, providing a much more secure economic base than coal,” Ms Rhiannon said. 




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