The Australian Greens have today announced terms of reference for a Senate inquiry into the Coalition’s Direct Action plan.
“Tony Abbott and Greg Hunt are desperate to maintain a phoney debate on cost of living rather than talking about the impacts of global warming on people’s lives and the economy,” Senator Milne said.
“With recent cyclones, floods and intense bushfires we have seen the human toll of what is already occurring with less than one degree of warming.
“Everyone knows the Direct Action plan is just a sham designed to hide the government’s climate denialism, but the tightly controlled consultation won’t expose its flaws.
“A full Senate inquiry will expose why the Direct Action sham can’t actually reduce our carbon pollution by even 5%, let alone the more than 25% that is necessary.
“Meanwhile, OECD economists and IPCC climate scientists agree that carbon pricing is the cheapest and best way to reduce emissions.
“Tony Abbott’s wilful ignorance of the science and rejection of all the economic evidence in favour of carbon pricing is irresponsible. A Senate inquiry into his hollow alternative will expose his negligence on global warming.”
The Greens will move for the inquiry in the first week of the new Parliament. The inquiry will not prevent the Greens from opposing the Coalition government’s attempt to repeal the carbon price legislation.
Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne
