[Greens-Media] SA’s water future on the line as Abbott attempts carbon repeal

[Forsyth, Danielle (Sen P. Wright)]

Senator Penny Wright

MEDIA RELEASE

14 July 2014
SA’s water future on the line as Abbott attempts carbon repeal
As the Abbott Government makes its third attempt to repeal the carbon price, a new report has found South Australia faces a water crisis due to human-induced climate change.
Australian Greens Senator for South Australia Penny Wright says Prime Minister Abbott’s stubborn ignorance on climate science was a betrayal of South Australians.
“While Tony Abbott goes for short-term political gain by scrapping a price on pollution, South Australia will pay dearly,” Senator Wright said.
“The most recent drought years were horrific for South Australia. But if we do not act now, as other countries around the world are doing, drought could become the norm.
The Nature Geoscience study<http://www.nature.com.simsrad.net.ocs.mq.edu.au/ngeo/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/ngeo2201.html> found human activity has changed the concentrations of greenhouse gases and ozone in the atmosphere and could lead to annual rainfall declining by as much as 40 per cent in parts of southern Australia by the end of the century.
“Future Australians will look back at this government and this period of Australia's history and ask, 'What were they thinking?’,” Senator Wright said.
"The carbon pricing is working – it's bringing down emissions and actually raising money for the government.
“The Palmer Party, Nick Xenophon and Bob Day are lined up to help Tony Abbott scrap the carbon price, but the Greens will fight every step of the way to keep making big polluters pay.”
Media contact: Danielle Forsyth – 0417 173 508
Senator Wright is available for media interviews as the Clean Energy Legislation (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013 moves through the Senate this week.