[Greens-Media] Media release: Labor's flip flopping on national environment law

[Vandeleur, Monique (Sen L. Waters)]

Senator Larissa Waters
Senator for Queensland

Media release

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Labor's flip flopping on national environment law

Labor has today added to its track record of flipping and flopping on national environment protection, say the Australian Greens.

"At the behest of the Business Council of Australia, Labor last year agreed to hand national environmental approval powers to the states, winding back environment protection by 30 years," Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson, said.

"After repeated calls from the Greens, environment groups and the community, Labor flipped back, taking the short-sighted plan off the table.

"Then with a new Prime Minister, Labor flopped back again, as Kevin Rudd signalled to the Business Council of Australia that he would again do its bidding.

"And today we've seen another flip - Environment Minister Butler has come out saying that Labor will hold on to its federal approval powers.

"Labor is flipping and flopping all over the place on national environment protection and Tony Abbott has made it clear he will hand off federal approval powers to his state cronies.

"While Labor has been making up its mind, the Greens have been working in Parliament to strengthen our national environment law so that Tony Abbott can't hand it off to the states, without any support from Labor.

"Only the Greens can be trusted on the environment," Senator Waters said.

Contact - Monique Vandeleur 0419 626 725