[Greens-Media] Coal infrastructure + road funding = more climate change: COAG Agenda doesn't add up

[Hollo, Tim (Sen C. Milne)]

Coal infrastructure + road funding = more climate change: COAG Agenda
doesn't add up

Hobart, Thursday April 12, 2007  Australian Greens Climate Spokesperson,
Senator Christine Milne today called on the Australian State and Federal
Governments meeting in Canberra tomorrow to address the causes of
climate change instead of grandstanding on the issue while making it
worse.

"It is ridiculous that the Prime Minister and Premiers want climate
change on the COAG agenda whilst desperately trying to ramp up coal
exports and ignoring the oil shock predicted again by the IMF. What will
it take before they make the connection?

"Asking the States to better monitor greenhouse gas emissions and to map
areas likely to be inundated from sea level rise is disingenuous
political grandstanding as long as planning for more roads and more coal
exports is on the same agenda.

"Turning around the infrastructure agenda to direct investment towards
public transport, cycleways and renewable energy would reduce greenhouse
gas emissions, improve congestion and air quality, as well as addressing
the obesity crisis. None of this will happen until the link is made
between climate change and more cars, roads and coal exports.
 
"Overnight, the IMF warned that we face further oil price shocks this
year. Meanwhile, the Howard Government has failed to act on the
recommendations of the Senate Inquiry into Australia's future oil supply
which I initiated last year.

"It was extraordinary to see Mr Howard and Mr Rudd yesterday bemoaning
delays in exporting coal from Australia while expressing concern about
climate change. Neither of them can be trusted to tackle climate change
while they support its biggest causes - burning coal and logging
Australia's old-growth forests.

"The Prime Minster and Premiers want to be seen to be doing something
about climate change whilst doing nothing to address its causes. Ten
years of inaction is about to be followed by another six months of
mirror strategy - looking into it - comprising all talk and no action
leading up to the Federal election."


For interviews and comment, please call Tim Hollo on 0437 587 562


Tim Hollo
Media and Communications Adviser
Senator Christine Milne
Phone: + 61 3 6224 8899 (Hobart)
Phone: + 61 2 6277 3063 (Canberra)
Mobile: + 61 437 587 562
Email: tim.hollo at aph.gov.au
Skype: timhollo
Website: www.christinemilne.org.au