Australian Greens: Labor signs Reef’s death warrant as National Cabinet ducks energy privatisation

After the first National Cabinet meeting under Prime Minister Anthony Albanese today, Greens Leader Adam Bandt said National Cabinet failed to address the dual crises of climate and cost of living by setting a more ambitious climate target, getting the country off coal and gas and unwinding the privatisation of Australia’s energy system.

Labor’s climate target is not consistent with limiting global heating to 1.5 degrees, and instead is based on heating of at least 2 degrees, which means the destruction of reef systems like the Great Barrier Reef. The Climate Targets Panel has said that to limit global heating to 1.5 degrees Australia’s target should be 74% by 2030, and for a 2 degree trajectory the target should be 50%.

Greens Leader Adam Bandt said:

“Labor has given up on saving the Great Barrier Reef.

“To have any chance of saving the Reef we must limit global heating to 1.5 degrees, but Labor’s target bakes in the Reef’s destruction.

“It’s better than the climate-denying Coalition, but 43% is not much more than business as usual. 

“Labor’s low target signs the death warrant for the Great Barrier Reef and consigns regional Australia to worse droughts.

“What’s worse is that the emissions from proposed new coal and gas projects, like the up to 13% increase to Australia’s pollution from proceeding with Beetaloo, aren’t even included in Labor’s modelling.

“You don’t end the climate wars by opening more coal and gas mines, but that’s what Labor plans to do.

“We call on the new government to end the climate wars by listening to the scientists and stop opening up new coal and gas mines.

“Electricity is an essential service, but big coal and gas corporations are holding the country to ransom. National Cabinet needs to recognise that privatisation of electricity has been a complete failure and go back to the drawing board.”