[Greens-Media] Infrastructure list includes best and worst: Which will the Government pick?

[Hollo, Tim (Sen C. Milne)]

Infrastructure list includes best and worst: Which will the Government
pick?

Hobart, Friday 19 December 2008

Infrastructure Australia's short-list released today includes proposals
which would help build a sustainable Australia and others which would
lock the country into a high-polluting path for decades, the Australian
Greens said today.

The proposals across transport, ports and energy are on balance
positive, with more than half (based on indicative capital cost) likely
to have a net positive environmental impact and less than half a
questionable or net negative impact.

"Minister Albanese faces a clear choice as he considers these proposals
- does he want to build a sustainable Australia or does he want to lock
us into our high-polluting path," Australian Greens Deputy Leader and
Climate Change Spokesperson, Senator Christine Milne, said.

"Around the world, momentum is growing for a 'Green New Deal' that will
see a massive injection of public funds into zero emissions
infrastructure, building our way out of the financial meltdown and the
climate meltdown with the same simple act.

"If the Minister chooses to invest Australia's current wealth in rail
networks, urban public transport and upgrading the electricity grid for
a renewable energy boom, he will be setting Australia up to ride the
wave of the 'Green New Deal' and be part of the most exciting economic
and social transformation in recent history.

"If, however, he chooses to throw billions more at roads and coal ports,
he will be locking Australia in to a high-polluting, oil-thirsty future,
just as the rest of the world realises it is time to move on.

"Peak oil is real and the focus on road funding is difficult to
understand, when even the International Energy Agency in predicting an
oil crunch by 2020. The current low oil price because of reduced demand
in the financial crisis provides the ideal opportunity to make the
transformation to public transport and rail infrastructure. Not to seize
this opportunity will be a mistake for which we pay dearly within a
decade.

"Minister Albanese - the choice is now yours. Which will it be?"


The Full list can be downloaded from
http://www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/files/A_Report_to_the_Council_
of_Australian_Governments.pdf

Tim Hollo
Media Adviser
Senator Christine Milne | Australian Greens Deputy Leader and Climate
Change Spokesperson
Suite SG-112 Parliament House, Canberra ACT | P: 02 6277 3588 | M: 0437
587 562
http://www.christinemilne.org.au/| www.GreensMPs.org.au
<http://www.greensmps.org.au/> 

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